1848–49 United States Senate elections

none March 2026 April 2022 1848–49 United States Senate elections United States 1848 legislative no 1846–47 United States Senate elections 1846 & 1847 1850–51 United States Senate elections 1850 & 1851 Class 3 1842–43 United States Senate elections 1842 & 1843 1854–55 United States Senate elections 1854 & 1855 19 of the 60 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 31 Various dates 100px Seats up Democratic Party (US) 35 seats 38 9 33 5 14 Whig Party (US) 19 seats 21 9 25 4 5 Independent Democratic 1 seat 0 0 1 0 Free Soil Party New party 1 1 1 Majority party Democratic Party (US) Democratic Party (US) File:1848senatemap.svg Results:#0671B0 Democratic gain #92C5DE Democratic hold #c49213 Whig gain #f3d586 Whig hold#b4a72f Free Soil gain 380px The 1848–49 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1848 and 1849, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/17th-amendment 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913) National Archives and Records Administration February 8, 2022 In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3. The Democratic Party lost seats but maintained control of the Senate. Results Senate party division, 31st Congress (1849–1851) Majority party: Democratic (33–36) Minority party: Whig Party (25–24) Other parties: Free Soil (2) Total seats: 60–62 Change in Senate composition Before the elections D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D20 D19 D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12 D11 D21 D22 D23 D24 D25Ran D26Ran D27Ran D28Ran D29Ran D30Ran Majority → D31Ran W21Unknown ID1 D38Retired D37Retired D36Retired D35Retired D34Unknown D33Ran D32Ran W20Ran W19Ran W18Ran W17Ran W16 W15 W14 W13 W12 W11 W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9 W10 As a result of the elections D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D20 D19 D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12 D11 D21 D22 D23 D24 D25Re-elected D26Re-elected D27Re-elected D28Re-elected D29Re-elected D30Hold Majority → D31Hold W21Gain W22Gain W23Gain W24Gain W25Gain ID1 FS1Gain D33Gain D32Hold W20Hold W19Re-elected W18Re-elected W17Re-elected W16 W15 W14 W13 W12 W11 W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9 W10 Note: "Re-elected" includes incumbent appointee elected to the next term. Beginning of the next Congress D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D20 D19 D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12 D11 D21 D22 D23 D24 D25 D26 D27 D28 D29 D30 Majority → D31 W21 W22 W23 W24 W25 FS2 FS1 D33 D32 W20 W19 W18 W17 W16 W15 W14 W13 W12 W11 W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9 W10 Key: D# Democratic ID# Independent Democratic FS# Free Soil W# Whig V# Vacant Race summaries Special elections during the 30th Congress In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1848 or in 1849 before March 4; ordered by election date. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Mississippi(Class 1) Jefferson Davis Democratic 1847 (appointed) Interim appointee elected January 11, 1848. Byrd 129 Democratic Party (US) Jefferson Davis (Democratic) February 2020 Connecticut(Class 1) Roger S. Baldwin Whig 1847 (appointed) Interim appointee elected in May 1848. Whig Party (US) Roger S. Baldwin (Whig) February 2020 Maine(Class 1) Wyman Bradbury Seavey Moor Democratic 1848 (app. appointed) Interim appointee retired. New senator elected.Democratic hold. Journal of the Senate of the State of Maine, 28th Legislature Legislative Journals Augusta 1848 https://digitalmaine.com/arc_leg_journals/70/ 126 Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Maine, 28th Legislature Legislative Journals Augusta 1848 https://digitalmaine.com/arc_leg_journals/54/ 102–103 First ballot (May 26, 1848) Democratic Party (US) Hannibal Hamlin Sr. (Democratic) 92 H Maine House of Representatives; 23 S Maine Senate Whig Party (US)George Evans Sr. (Whig) 42 H Maine House of Representatives; 4 S Maine Senate Whig Party (US)Freeman Harlow Morse (Whig) 1 H Maine House of Representatives; 0 S Maine Senate Whig Party (US)Luther Severance Sr. (Whig) 1 H Maine House of Representatives; 0 S Maine Senate Liberty PartySamuel Fessenden Sr. (Liberty) 1 H Maine House of Representatives; 0 S Maine Senate Wisconsin(Class 1) None (new state) Wisconsin admitted to the Union May 29, 1848.Senator elected June 8, 1848. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89096563820 Journal of the Senate of the State of Wisconsin 1848 Wisconsin Legislature In Convention of Both Houses 20–21 March 1, 2025 HathiTrust Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) Isaac P. Walker (Democratic) 77.22% Democratic Party (US) Henry Dodge (Democratic) 75.95% Whig Party (US) Alexander L. Collins (Whig) 22.78% Whig Party (US) Edward V. Whiton (Whig) 21.52% Whig Party (US) John Hubbard Tweedy (Whig) 1.27% Whig Party (US) William S. Hamilton (Whig) 1.27% Wisconsin(Class 3) Wisconsin admitted to the Union May 29, 1848.Senator elected June 8, 1848.Democratic gain. Alabama(Class 3) Arthur P. Bagby Democratic 1841 (special)1842 Incumbent resigned June 16, 1848 to become U.S. Minister to Russia.New senator elected July 1, 1848.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) William R. King (Democratic) February 2020 Arkansas(Class 2) William K. Sebastian Democratic 1848 (appointed) Interim appointee elected November 17, 1848. Byrd 164 Democratic Party (US) William K. Sebastian (Democratic) February 2020 Iowa(Class 2) None (new state) Iowa was admitted to the Union December 28, 1846.Legislature had failed to elect due to a three-way split that prevented any candidate from earning the required 30 votes. Clark 17–46, 72–79Senator elected December 7, 1848.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) George Wallace Jones (Democratic) February 2020 Iowa(Class 3) Iowa was admitted to the Union December 28, 1846.Legislature had failed to elect due to a three-way split that prevented any candidate from earning the required 30 votes. Clark 17–46, 72–79Senator elected December 7, 1848.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) Augustus C. Dodge (Democratic) February 2020 Kentucky(Class 3) Thomas Metcalfe Whig 1848 (appointed) Interim appointee elected January 3, 1849. Byrd 112 Whig Party (US) Thomas Metcalfe (Whig) 88 votes Democratic Party (US) Lazarus W. Powell (Democratic) 38 votes 1848 Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, begun and held in the Town of Frankfort, on Saturday 30th December 1848 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b2881217&view=1up&seq=30&skin=2021 Frankfort, KY A. G. Hodges & Co, State Printers 26 Michigan(Class 1) Thomas Fitzgerald Democratic 1848 (appointed) Interim appointee retired.New senator elected January 20, 1849, but did not take his seat until March 4, 1849.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) Lewis Cass (Democratic) February 2020 Delaware(Class 1) John M. Clayton Whig 18291835 Incumbent resigned February 23, 1849 to become U.S. Secretary of State.New senator elected February 23, 1849.Whig hold. Whig Party (US) John Wales (Whig) February 2020 Races leading to the 31st Congress In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1849; ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Alabama William R. King Democratic 1848 (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1848 or 1849. Democratic Party (US) William R. King (Democratic) February 2020 Arkansas Solon Borland Democratic 1848 (appointed) Incumbent appointee elected to a full term in November 1848.http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=1595 Encyclopedia of Arkansas Democratic Party (US) Solon Borland (Democratic) Democratic Party (US)Ambrose Sevier (Democratic) February 2020 Connecticut John M. Niles Democratic 1842 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1848 or 1849.Whig gain. Whig Party (US) Truman Smith (Whig) February 2020 Florida James Westcott Democratic 1845 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1848.Whig gain. Whig Party (US) Jackson Morton (Whig) February 2020 Georgia Herschel V. Johnson Democratic 1848 (appointed) Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1847.https://books.google.com/books?id=p90RAAAAYAAJ&q=%22william+c.+dawson%22&pg=PA427 Stryker's American Register and Magazine 1849Whig gain. Whig Party (US) William C. Dawson (Whig) February 2020 Illinois Sidney Breese Democratic 1843 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected January 13, 1849.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) James Shields (Democratic) February 2020 Indiana Edward A. Hannegan Democratic 1842 Incumbent lost renomination.New senator elected in 1848.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) James Whitcomb (Democratic) February 2020 Kentucky Thomas Metcalfe Whig 1848 (appointed)? (special) Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected February 1, 1849.Whig hold. Whig Party (US) Henry Clay (Whig) 93 votes Democratic Party (US)Richard Mentor Johnson (Democratic) 45 votes 1848 Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, begun and held in the Town of Frankfort, on Saturday 30th December 1848 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b2881217&view=1up&seq=174&skin=2021 Frankfort, KY A. G. Hodges & Co, State Printers 170 Louisiana Henry Johnson Whig 1844 (special) Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1848.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) Pierre Soulé (Democratic) Whig Party (US)Henry Johnson (Whig) February 2020 Maryland James Pearce Whig 1843 Incumbent re-elected in 1849. Whig Party (US) James Pearce (Whig) February 2020 Missouri David Rice Atchison Democratic 1843 (appointed)1843 (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1849. Democratic Party (US) David Rice Atchison (Democratic) February 2020 New Hampshire Charles G. Atherton Democratic 1843 (special) Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in 1848 or 1849.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) Moses Norris Jr. (Democratic) February 2020 New York John Adams Dix Democratic 1845 (special) Incumbent lost re-election as a Free Soiler.New senator elected February 6, 1849.Whig gain. Whig Party (US) William H. Seward (Whig) Free Soil PartyJohn Adams Dix (Free Soil) Democratic Party (US)Reuben H. Walworth (Democratic) Whig Party (US)Daniel D. Barnard (Whig) North Carolina George Badger Whig 1846 (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1849. Whig Party (US) George Badger (Whig) February 2020 Ohio William Allen Democratic 18371842 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1849.Free Soil gain. Free Soil Party Salmon P. Chase (Free Soil) Whig Party (US)Thomas Ewing (Whig) Democratic Party (US)William Allen (Democratic) Free Soil PartyJoshua Reed Giddings (Free Soil) UnknownReuben Hitchcock (Unknown) Democratic Party (US)Emery D. Potter (Democratic) Democratic Party (US)David T. Disney (Democratic) UnknownJohn C. Vaughn (Unknown) Pennsylvania Simon Cameron Democratic 1845 (special) Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 10, 1849.Whig gain. Whig Party (US) James Cooper (Whig) 49.62% Democratic Party (US)Richard Brodhead (Democratic) 46.62% Free Soil PartyThaddeus Stevens (Free Soil) 2.26% South Carolina Andrew Butler Democratic 1846 (appointed)? (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1848. Democratic Party (US) Andrew Butler (Democratic) February 2020 Vermont William Upham Whig 1843 Incumbent re-elected October 31, 1848. https://www.newspapers.com/article/vermont-patriot-us-senate-election/163932453/ Election of U.S. Senator Vermont Patriot November 2, 1848 2 January 25, 2025 Newspapers.com Whig Party (US) William Upham (Whig) Democratic Party (US) Levi Baker Vilas (Democratic) Whig Party (US) Jacob Collamer (Whig) Wisconsin Isaac P. Walker Democratic 1848 Incumbent re-elected on January 17, 1849. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89096563838 Journal of the Senate of the State of Wisconsin 1849 Wisconsin Legislature In Convention of Both Houses 57–58 March 2, 2025 HathiTrust Democratic Party (US) Isaac P. Walker (Democratic) 52.94% Free Soil Party Byron Kilbourn (Free Soil) 21.18% Whig Party (US) Alexander Botkin (Whig) 21.18% Democratic Party (US) Morgan Lewis Martin (Democratic) 2.35% Democratic Party (US) James Duane Doty (Democratic) 1.18% Whig Party (US) William S. Hamilton (Whig) 1.18% Elections during the 31st Congress In these elections, the winners were elected in 1849 after March 4. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Illinois(Class 3) James Shields Democratic 1848 or 1849 Senate voided election March 15, 1849, as incumbent had not been a U.S. citizen long enough as required by the U.S. Constitution.Incumbent was re-elected October 27, 1849, having by then qualified.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) James Shields (Democratic) February 2020 Alabama(Class 2) Benjamin Fitzpatrick Democratic 1848 (appointed) Interim appointee retired when successor elected or lost election to finish the term.New senator elected November 30, 1849.Democratic hold. Democratic Party (US) Jeremiah Clemens (Democratic) February 2020 California(Class 1) None (new state) California admitted as a state on September 9, 1850.Senator elected December 20, 1849 and seated upon statehood.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) John C. Frémont (Democratic) February 2020 California(Class 3) California admitted as a state on September 9, 1850.Senator elected December 20, 1849 and seated upon statehood.Democratic gain. Democratic Party (US) William M. Gwin (Democratic) February 2020 Individual elections Maryland List of United States senators from Maryland November 2022 1849 United States Senate election in Maryland - B0CEFF -% Democratic Party (United States) David Stewart David Stewart (Maryland).jpg 1850 1850 United States Senate special election in Maryland 1844 1844 United States Senate election in Maryland 80 members of the Maryland General Assembly Legislative December 1849 presidential 1849 United States Senate election in Maryland - F0C862 -% Whig Party (United States) James Pearce James Alfred Pearce, standing.jpg 1855 1855 United States Senate election in Maryland 1843 1843 United States Senate election in Maryland 80 members of the Maryland General Assembly Legislative January 1849 presidential Reverdy Johnson won election in 1844 but retired to become the United States Attorney General. In order to fill his seat, David Stewart was elected by an unknown margin of votes, for the Class 1 seat.https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=122893 Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Dec 00, 1849 2022-11-05 www.ourcampaigns.com James Pearce won re-election by an unknown margin of votes, for the Class 3 seat.https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=122902 Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 00, 1849 2022-11-05 www.ourcampaigns.com New York United States Senate election in New York, 1849 The New York election was held February 6, 1849. Barnburner John Adams Dix had been elected in 1845 to this seat after the resignation of Silas Wright, and Dix's term would expire on March 3, 1849. In November 1848, Dix was the Barnburners/Free-Soilers candidate for Governor of New York, but was defeated by Whig Hamilton Fish. At this time New York Democratic Party was split in two fiercely opposing factions: the Barnburners" and the "Hunkers". The Barnburners organized the Free Soil Party in 1848 and nominated Martin Van Buren for U.S. President. Due to the split, the Whig Party won most of the elective offices by pluralities. At the State election in November 1847, 24 Whigs and 8 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1848–1849) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1848, 106 Whigs, 15 Free Soilers and 7 Hunkers were elected to the Assembly for the session of 1849. The 72nd New York State Legislature met from January 2 to April 11, 1849, at Albany, New York. Ex-Governor of New York William H. Seward was nominated by a caucus of Whig State legislators on February 1, 1849. The vote was 88 for Seward, 12 for John A. Collier, 18 scattering and 4 blanks. The incumbent U.S. Senator John Adams Dix ran for re-election supported by the Free Soilers. Ex-Chancellor Reuben H. Walworth was the candidate of the Hunkers. Walworth had been third place in the last gubernatorial election, behind Fish and Dix. Ex-Congressman Daniel D. Barnard (Whig) received 2 scattering votes in the Senate. William H. Seward was the choice of both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected. House Whig Free Soil Dem./Hunker Also ran State Senate (32 members) William H. Seward 19 John Adams Dix 6 Reuben H. Walworth 2 Daniel D. Barnard 2 State Assembly (128 members) William H. Seward 102 John Adams Dix 15 Reuben H. Walworth 7 Ohio United States Senate election in Ohio, 1849 The two houses of the Ohio General Assembly met in joint session February 22, 1849, with 72 representatives and 35 senators present to elect a Senator (Class 3) to succeed incumbent William Allen. On the fourth ballot, Salmon P. Chase was elected with a majority of the votes cast, as follows:Ohio statesmen and annals of progress: from the year 1788 to the year 1900 ... William Alexander Taylor Aubrey Clarence Taylor 1899 State of Ohio 232 https://books.google.com/books?id=ztegAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA232 Ballot William Allen Thomas Ewing Joshua Reed Giddings Salmon P. Chase Reuben Hitchcock Emery D. Potter David T. Disney John C. Vaughn Blank ballots Total votes cast 1 27 41 9 14 1 2 1 0 11 106 2 1 41 8 52 0 0 0 0 4 108 3 0 39 9 53 0 0 0 2 2 105 4 0 39 11 55 0 0 0 1 0 106 The second ballot was declared a nullity by Speaker of the Senate Brewster Randall, because there were one more ballots cast than members present. Pennsylvania United States Senate election in Pennsylvania, 1849 The Pennsylvania election was held January 10, 1849. James Cooper was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.U.S. Senate Election - 10 January 1849 http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/sen/PaSen1849.pdf Wilkes University 22 December 2013 Incumbent Democrat Simon Cameron, who was elected in 1845, was not a candidate for re-election to another term. The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 10, 1849, to elect a new Senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1849. Three ballots were recorded. The results of the third and final ballot of both houses combined are as follows: State Legislature results Whig Party (United States) James Cooper 66 49.62 Democratic Party (United States) Richard Brodhead 62 46.62 Free Soil Party Thaddeus Stevens 3 2.26 N/A Not voting 2 1.50 |- |-bgcolor="#EEEEEE" | colspan="3" align="right" | Totals | align="right" | 133 | align="right" | 100.00% |} See also 1848 United States elections 1848 United States presidential election 1848–49 United States House of Representatives elections 30th United States Congress 31st United States Congress Notes 30em References Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present via Senate.gov https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm Clark Dan Elbert History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 1913 Clark https://books.google.com/books?id=jXJDAAAAIAAJ Byrd Robert C. Robert Byrd Wendy Wolff The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789–1992 volume 4 Bicentennial United States Senate Historical Office Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office October 1, 1993 Byrd https://books.google.com/books?id=PeHByMYxVm8C 9780160632563 The New York Civil List compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 63 for U.S. Senators; pg. 136 for State Senators 1849; pg. 236ff for Members of Assembly 1849) Members of the 31st United States Congress Result State election, 1847: The Whig Almanac and United States Register for 1848 Result Whig caucus: The American Whig Review, Vol. 11 by George Hooker Colton & James Davenport Whelpley (page 638) Result U.S. Senate election, State Senate: Journal of the Senate (72nd Session) (1849; pg. 167) Result U.S. Senate election, State Assembly: Journal of the Assembly (72nd Session) (1849; pg. 355f) Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006 from the Wilkes University Election Statistics Project Category:William R. King Category:Hannibal Hamlin