1800–01 United States Senate elections explained

Election Name:1800–01 United States Senate elections
Country:United States
Flag Year:1795
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1798–99 United States Senate elections
Next Election:1802–03 United States Senate elections
Seats For Election:10 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
Majority Seats:17
Election Date:Dates vary by state
1Blank:Seats up
2Blank:Races won
Party1:Federalist Party
Seats Before1:21 (65.6%)
Seats After1:17 (54.8%)
Seat Change1: 4
1Data1:7
2Data1:3
Party2:Democratic-Republican Party
Seats Before2:11 (34.4%)
Seats After2:14 (45.2%)
Seat Change2: 3
1Data2:3
2Data2:6
Majority Party
Before Party:Federalist Party
After Party:Federalist Party

The 1800–01 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with Thomas Jefferson being elected to the White House. 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 1800 and 1801, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3.

Although the Federalists began the 7th Congress with a slim majority, Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party took over the majority shortly thereafter due to mid-year special elections. By the time the first proper session of the 7th Congress met in December 1801, three seats had been gained by the Democratic-Republicans, leaving them with an overall majority of 17 seats and a government trifecta.

Change in composition

Before the November elections

After the November 6, 1800 special election in New York.

DRDRDRDRDRDR
width=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% F

width=10% F

width=10% F

width=10% F

width=10% rowspan=2 F

Majority →
FFFFFFFFF

F

FFFFFF

Result of the November elections

DRDRDRDRDRDR
width=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% V

width=10% rowspan=2 F

Majority →
FFFFFFFFF

F

FFFFFF

Beginning of the 7th Congress, March 4, 1801

DRDRDRDRDRDR
width=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% F

F
Majority →
FFFFFFFFFF
FFFFFF

End of 1801

DRDRDRDRDRDR
width=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DRwidth=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% DR

width=10% DR

Majority →DR

FFFFFFFFF

FFFFFF
Key
align=center DRDemocratic-Republican
align=center FFederalist
align=center VVacant

Race summaries

Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.

Special elections during the preceding Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1801; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
New York
(Class 1)
James WatsonFederalist1798 Incumbent resigned March 19, 1800, to become Naval Officer of the Port of New York.
New senator elected April 3, 1800.
Federalist hold.
nowrap
Massachusetts
(Class 2)
Samuel DexterFederalist1798Incumbent resigned May 30, 1800 to become U.S. Secretary of War.
New senator elected June 6, 1800.
Federalist hold.
nowrap
New York
(Class 3)
John LauranceFederalist1796 Incumbent resigned August 1800.
New senator elected November 6, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
nowrap
Massachusetts
(Class 1)
Benjamin GoodhueFederalist1796
1796
Incumbent resigned November 8, 1800.
New senator elected November 14, 1800.
Federalist hold.
nowrap
Maryland
(Class 3)
James LloydFederalist1797 Incumbent resigned December 1, 1800.
New senator elected December 12, 1800.
Federalist hold.
nowrap
New Jersey
(Class 1)
James SchuremanFederalist1799 Incumbent resigned February 16, 1801.
New senator elected February 28, 1801.
Federalist hold.
nowrap

Races leading to the next Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1801; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
ConnecticutUriah TracyFederalist1796 Incumbent re-elected in May 1801.nowrap
GeorgiaJames GunnFederalist1789
1794
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 19, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
nowrap
KentuckyHumphrey MarshallFederalist1794Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected November 20, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
nowrap
MarylandWilliam HindmanFederalist1797 Legislature failed to elect.
Incumbent was later appointed to begin the next term.
nowrap None.
New HampshireJohn LangdonDemocratic-
Republican
1788
1794 or 1795
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected June 21, 1800.
Federalist gain.
nowrap
New YorkJohn ArmstrongDemocratic-
Republican
1800 Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1801.nowrap
North CarolinaTimothy BloodworthDemocratic-
Republican
1795Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 27, 1800.
Democratic-Republican hold.
nowrap
PennsylvaniaWilliam BinghamFederalist1795Incumbent retired.
New senator elected February 18, 1801.[2]
Democratic-Republican gain.
nowrap
South CarolinaJacob ReadFederalist1794Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1800 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
nowrap
VermontElijah PaineFederalist1794Incumbent re-elected October 21, 1800.nowrap

Special elections during the next Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated after March 4, 1801; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Rhode Island
(Class 2)
Ray GreeneFederalist1797
1798
Incumbent resigned March 5, 1801.
New senator elected May 6, 1801.
Democratic-Republican gain.
nowrap
New Hampshire
(Class 2)
Samuel LivermoreFederalist1798 Incumbent resigned June 12, 1801.
New senator elected June 17, 1801.
Federalist hold.
nowrap
Vermont
(Class 3)
Elijah PaineFederalist1794
1800
Incumbent resigned September 1, 1801.
New senator elected October 14, 1801.
Democratic-Republican gain.
nowrap
Maryland
(Class 3)
William HindmanFederalist1800 Incumbent appointee did not run to finish the term
New senator elected November 12, 1801 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
nowrap
South Carolina
(Class 2)
Charles PinckneyDemocratic-
Republican
1798
1798
Incumbent resigned June 6, 1801.
New senator elected December 3, 1801.
Democratic-Republican hold.
nowrap
Pennsylvania
(Class 3)
Peter MuhlenbergDemocratic-
Republican
1801Incumbent resigned June 30, 1801.
New senator elected December 17, 1801.[3]
Democratic-Republican hold.
nowrap

Connecticut

See also: List of United States senators from Connecticut and 1800 United States House of Representatives election in Connecticut. Federalist Uriah Tracy was easily re-elected.

Georgia

See also: List of United States senators from Georgia and 1800 United States House of Representatives election in Georgia.

Kentucky

See also: List of United States senators from Kentucky and 1801 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky.

Maryland

See also: List of United States senators from Maryland.

Maryland (special, 1800)

Election Name:1800 United States Senate special election in Maryland
Popular Vote1:45
Colour1:AACC99
Percentage1:50.56%
Party1:Federalist Party
Candidate1:William Hindman
Popular Vote2:44
Percentage2:49.44%
Candidate2:Richard Tilghman Earle
Next Year:1801
Next Election:1801 United States Senate special election in Maryland
Previous Year:1797
Previous Election:1797 United States Senate special election in Maryland
Votes For Election:80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Vote Type:Legislative
Election Date:December 9, 1800
Ongoing:no
Type:presidential

William Hindman won election over Richard Tilghman Earle by a margin of 10.11%, or 9 votes, for the Class 3 seat.[4]

Maryland (regular)

The Maryland legislature failed to elect a senator before the March 4, 1801 beginning of the term. As such, William Hindman was appointed to fill the vacancy, and retired when a successor was elected.

Maryland (special, 1801)

Election Name:1801 United States Senate special election in Maryland
Popular Vote1:60
Colour1:AACC99
Percentage1:50.56%
Party1:Democratic-Republican
Candidate1:Robert Wright
Image1:Robertwrightofmaryland.jpg
Popular Vote2:26
Colour2:AACC99
Percentage2:30.23%
Party2:Democratic-Republican
Candidate2:William Winder
Next Year:1806
Next Election:1806 United States Senate special election in Maryland
Previous Year:1800
Previous Election:1800 United States Senate special election in Maryland
Votes For Election:80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Vote Type:Legislative
Election Date:December 9, 1800
Ongoing:no
Type:presidential

Robert Wright won election over William Winder by a margin of 39.53%, or 34 votes, for the Class 3 seat.[5]

Massachusetts

See also: List of United States senators from Massachusetts and 1800–1801 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts (special, class 1)

New Hampshire

See also: List of United States senators from New Hampshire and 1800 United States House of Representatives election in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire (special)

New Jersey (special)

See also: List of United States senators from New Jersey and 1800 United States House of Representatives election in New Jersey.

New York

See also: List of United States senators from New York and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in New York.

New York (regular)

See main article: 1801 United States Senate election in New York.

New York (special, class 1)

See main article: April 1800 United States Senate special election in New York.

New York (special, class 3)

See main article: November 1800 United States Senate special election in New York.

North Carolina

See also: List of United States senators from North Carolina and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina.

Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania (regular)

See main article: 1801 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania (special)

See main article: 1801 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania.

Rhode Island (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Rhode Island and 1800–1801 United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island.

South Carolina

See also: List of United States senators from South Carolina and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina.

South Carolina (special)

Vermont

See also: List of United States senators from Vermont and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in Vermont.

Vermont (special)

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913). National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
  2. Web site: Our Campaigns - PA US Senate Race - Feb 18, 1801.
  3. Web site: Our Campaigns - PA US Senate - Special Election Race - Dec 16, 1801.
  4. Web site: Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Dec 09, 1800. 2022-11-05. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  5. Web site: Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Nov 12, 1801. 2022-11-05. www.ourcampaigns.com.