1798–99 United States Senate elections

The 1798–99 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 1798 and 1799, 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 2.

1798–99 United States Senate elections

← 1796 & 1797Dates vary by state1800 & 1801 →

11 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
17 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
 
PartyFederalistDemocratic-Republican
Seats before2210
Seats after239
Seat changeSteadySteady
Seats up56
Races won56


     Federalist hold      Democratic-Republican hold

Majority Party before election


Federalist

Elected Majority Party


Federalist

They occurred in the middle of President John Adams's administration, and had no net change in political control of the Senate.

Results summary

Senate party division, 6th Congress (1799–1801)

  • Majority party: Federalist (22)
  • Minority party: Democratic-Republican (9)
  • Other parties: 0
  • Total seats: 31

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the January 19, 1798, election in Delaware.

DR6
Ky.
Ran
DR5
Ga.
Unknown
DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7
N.C.
Ran
DR8
S.C.
Ran
DR9
Tenn.
Retired
DR10
Va.
Ran
F22
R.I.
Ran
F21
N.J.
Retired
F20
N.H.
Ran
F19
Mass.
Retired
F18
Del.
Died
F17
Majority →
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15F16
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Results of the elections

DR6
Ky.
Re-elected
DR5
Ga.
Hold
DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7
N.C.
Hold
DR8
S.C.
Re-elected
DR9
Tenn.
Hold
DR10
Va.
Re-elected
F22
N.J.
Hold
F21
Mass.
Hold
F20
Del.
Hold
F19
R.I.
Re-elected
F18
N.H.
Re-elected
F17
Majority →
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15F16
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Beginning of the next Congress

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1

DR7
Re-elected
DR8DR9V1
Va.
Died
F22F21F20F19F18F17
Majority →
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15F16
F6F5F4F3F2F1
Key
DR#Democratic-Republican
F#Federalist
V#Vacant

Race summaries

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

Special elections during the 5th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1799; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyFirst elected
New York
(Class 1)
Philip SchuylerFederalist1789[a]Incumbent resigned January 3, 1798, due to ill health.
New senator elected January 11, 1798.
Federalist hold.
Winner later resigned, see below.
Delaware
(Class 2)
John ViningFederalist1792Incumbent resigned January 19, 1798.
New senator elected January 19, 1798.
Federalist hold.
Winner died August 11, 1798, see below.
New York
(Class 1)
William NorthFederalistMay 1798 (Appointed)Interim appointee served until winner qualified.
New senator elected August 24, 1798.
Federalist hold.
South Carolina
(Class 2)
John HunterDemocratic-Republican1796 (special)Incumbent resigned November 26, 1798.
New senator elected December 6, 1798.
Democratic-Republican hold.
New senator also elected to next term, see below.
Tennessee
(Class 1)
Daniel SmithDemocratic-RepublicanOctober 1798 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired when successor qualified.
New senator elected December 12, 1798.
Winner qualified upon retirement from other Senate seat on March 3, 1799.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Delaware
(Class 2)
Joshua ClaytonFederalist1798Died August 11, 1798.
New senator elected January 17, 1799.
Federalist hold.
Winner also elected to next term, see below.
New Jersey
(Class 1)
Franklin DavenportFederalist1798 (Appointed)Interim appointee served until winner qualified.
New senator elected February 21, 1799 on the third ballot.
Federalist hold.

Races leading to the 6th Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1799; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyFirst elected
DelawareJoshua ClaytonFederalist1798Died August 11, 1798.
New senator elected January 17, 1799.
Federalist hold.
Winner was also elected to finish the current term, see above.
GeorgiaJosiah TattnallDemocratic-Republican1796[data missing]
New senator elected January 18, 1799.
Democratic-Republican hold.
KentuckyJohn BrownDemocratic-Republican1792Incumbent re-elected November 30, 1798.
MassachusettsTheodore SedgwickFederalist1796Incumbent retired to run for the U.S. House of Representatives.
New senator elected June 14, 1798.
Federalist hold.
New HampshireSamuel LivermoreFederalist1792Incumbent re-elected December 21, 1798.
New JerseyRichard StocktonFederalist1796Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 1, 1798.
Federalist hold.
North CarolinaAlexander MartinDemocratic-Republican1792Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected December 12, 1798, on the ninth ballot.[16]
Democratic-Republican hold.
Rhode IslandRay GreeneFederalist1797 (special)Incumbent re-elected November 1, 1798.
South CarolinaCharles PinckneyDemocratic-Republican1798Incumbent re-elected December 6, 1798.
TennesseeJoseph AndersonDemocratic-Republican1797 (special)Incumbent retired when elected to the Class 1 seat (see above).
New senator elected December 12, 1798.
Democratic-Republican hold.
VirginiaHenry TazewellDemocratic-Republican1794 (special)Incumbent re-elected in 1798.
Incumbent died January 24, 1799, before the term began.

Special elections during the 6th Congress

In this special election, the winner was seated after March 4, 1799, the beginning of the next Congress.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyFirst elected
Virginia
(Class 2)
VacantIncumbent Henry Tazewell (DR) had been re-elected in 1798 but died January 24, 1799, before the term began.
New senator elected December 5, 1799 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.

See also

Notes

References