1873 Texas Senate election

none October 2025 1873 Texas Senate election no Texas legislative 1872 Texas Senate election 1872 1876 Texas Senate election 1876 All 30 seats in the Texas Senate 16 December 2, 1873 Texas Democratic Party 15 25 10 Republican Party of Texas 13 4 9 Independent 2 1Independent listed as a Republican in some sources 1 300px #92C5DE Democratic hold #0671B0 Democratic gain#F48882 Republican hold#666666 Independent gain#D3D3D3 Non-district territory President Pro Tempore Edward B. Pickett Democratic John Ireland Democratic The 1873 Texas Senate elections took place as part of the 1873 Texas general election. Texas voters elected state senators in all 30 State Senate districts to staggered terms, although none of these term lengths would end up mattering. The winners of this election served in the 14th Texas Legislature which called a constitutional convention. This led to the passage of the 1876 Texas Constitution, dramatically restructuring the state's government, which forced all Senators to run for re-election in 1876 concurrently with the election for the ratification of the new constitution. Background Democrats had gained control of the Senate in the 1872 elections the previous year, although they failed to win an outright majority due to staggered Senate terms. Despite this, the conservative coalition and even some moderate Republicans undid many of the policies enacted by the 12th Legislature. They abolished the state police and limited the powers of the governor to declare martial law. They significantly decentralized the state's schooling system as well, but they did not dismantle the economic policies of the previous legislature.Association Texas State Historical Reconstruction Era in Texas: Political, Social, and Economic Changes https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/reconstruction 2025-10-09 Texas State Historical Association en Redistricting The 13th Legislature redrew the state's legislative districts and reapportioned seats in the House of Representatives in 1873. The legislature passed the lines, and they became law without the signature of Republican governor Edmund J. Davis.https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6732/m1/497/ Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950 1950 43–47 en The new lines forced all members of the Senate to run for re-election in 1873. Results Democrats made massive gains, primarily in seats that were not up for election in 1872, gaining a supermajority in the chamber. Alongside the election of Richard Coke in the concurrent gubernatorial election, they won a government trifecta. At the start of the new legislative session, Republican T.G. Davidson refused to qualify for his seat, leading it to be declared vacant. Democrat Seth Shepard won the special election to fill his seat, flipping it.Seth Shepard https://lrl.texas.gov/legeleaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5308 2025-10-15 Legislative Reference Library of Texas With full control of the state's government, Coke and the Democrats drafted a new constitution to present to voters for ratification, but the House of Representatives rejected this, leading instead to the calling of a constitutional convention to draft it.May Janice C. September 23, 2025 The Evolution of the Texas Legislature: A Historical Overview https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/texas-legislature 2025-10-15 Texas State Historical Association en They called an election in August of 1875 to approve the convention and elect three delegates from each Senate district. 75 Democrats and 15 Republicans were elected to the convention. This convention sought to dramatically reshape state government, removing as much of the legacy of Republican control as possible. The convention passed the new constitution by a vote of 53–11 and it was put to voters in February 1876, concurrent with new elections for the state legislature and for governor.Steen Ralph W. October 9, 2020 The Constitutional Convention of 1875: A Shift in Texas Governance https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/constitutional-convention-of-1875 2025-10-15 Texas State Historical Association en Notes References Texas Senate Texas Senate Category:Texas Senate elections