1909 United States Senate election in New York

none March 2026 September 2023 1909 United States Senate election in New York presidential no Flag of New York (1901–2020).svg 1903 United States Senate election in New York 1903 1914 United States Senate election in New York 1914 January 19, 1909 x160px Majority vote of each house needed to win Senate Percentage House Percentage File:Elihu Root (1902) (cropped).jpg Elihu Root Republican Party (US) 35 70.00% 90 75.00% File:Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler.jpg Lewis S. Chanler Democratic Party (US) 15 30.00% 30 25.00% Senator Thomas C. Platt Republican Party (US) Elihu Root Republican Party (US) The 1909 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 19, 1909, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. senator (Class 3) to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate. Background Republican Thomas C. Platt had been re-elected to this seat in 1903, and his term would expire on March 3, 1909. At the State election in November 1908, 35 Republicans and 16 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1909–1910) in the state senate; and 99 Republicans and 51 Democrats were elected for the session of 1909 to the Assembly. The 132nd New York State Legislature met from January 5 to April 30, 1909, at Albany, New York. Candidates Republican caucus The Republican caucus met on January 18. State Senator J. Mayhew Wainwright presided. The caucus nominated U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root unanimously. Root was the choice of President Theodore Roosevelt. President pro tempore of the State Senate John Raines lauded warmly Root's nomination, eulogized the retiring U.S. Senator Platt, and declared war on Governor Charles Evans Hughes's reforms. Democratic caucus The Democratic caucus met also on January 18. They nominated ex-lieutenant governor Lewis S. Chanler unanimously. Chanler had been elected lieutenant governor in 1906 on the Democratic/Independence League ticket, and had served under Republican governor Hughes. Chanler had just been defeated when running against Hughes for governor in November 1908. Result Elihu Root was the choice of both the Assembly and the state senate, and was declared elected. +1909 United States Senator election result Office House Republican DemocratU.S. Senator (Class 3)State Senate (50 members)Elihu Root 35Lewis S. Chanler 15State Assembly (150 members)Elihu Root 90Lewis S. Chanler 30 Note: The votes were cast on January 19, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 20 to compare nominations, and declare the result. Aftermath Root resigned as U.S. Secretary of State on January 27, 1909, and was succeeded by his Assistant Secretary Robert Bacon for the remaining five weeks of Roosevelt's presidency. Root then served a single term and remained in the U.S. Senate until March 3, 1915, when he retired. After the 74-day deadlock to elect a successor to U.S. Senator Chauncey M. Depew in 1911, the U.S. Constitution was amended, and at the State election in November 1914, for the first time a U.S. Senator was elected by statewide popular vote. James Wolcott Wadsworth, Jr. won the nomination in the Republican primary election, and was then elected to succeed Root. See also United States Senate elections, 1908 and 1909 Sources Members of the 61st United States Congress ROOT IS CHOSEN FOR U.S. SENATOR; ...Democrats Choose Chanler in NYT on January 19, 1909 ROOT IS CHOSEN SENATOR in NYT on January 20, 1909 1909 United States Senate New York