Election Name: | 1869 United States Senate election in Massachusetts |
Type: | presidential |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Election: | 1863 United States Senate election in Massachusetts |
Previous Year: | 1863 |
Next Election: | 1874 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts |
Next Year: | 1874 (special) |
Election Date: | January 19, 1869 |
Votes For Election: | 40 Members of the Massachusetts Senate 231 Members of the Massachusetts House Majority vote of each house needed to win |
1Blank: | Senate |
2Blank: | Percentage |
3Blank: | House |
4Blank: | Percentage |
Image1: | Charles Sumner Brady-Handy.jpg |
Nominee1: | Charles Sumner |
Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
1Data1: | 37 |
2Data1: | 92.5% |
3Data1: | 216 |
4Data1: | 93.51% |
Nominee2: | Josiah Abbott |
Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
1Data2: | 2 |
2Data2: | 5% |
3Data2: | 14 |
4Data2: | 6.06% |
Senator | |
Before Election: | Charles Sumner |
Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
After Election: | Charles Sumner |
After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1869 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on January 19, 1869. Incumbent Charles Sumner was re-elected to a fourth term in office.
At the time, Massachusetts elected United States senators by a majority vote of each separate house of the Massachusetts General Court: the House and the Senate.
In the 1868 state legislative elections, Republicans maintained an overwhelming majority in both houses. Only 20 Democratic Representatives and two Democratic Senators were elected. This ensured Sumner's re-election in the January session, though there was some speculation that Sumner would vacate his seat to accept a Cabinet appointment in the newly elected Grant administration.[1]