1800–01 United States Senate elections

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.

1800–01 United States Senate elections

← 1798 & 1799Dates vary by state1802 & 1803 →

10 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
17 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
 
PartyFederalistDemocratic-Republican
Seats before21 (65.6%)11 (34.4%)
Seats after17 (54.8%)14 (45.2%)
Seat changeDecrease 4Increase 3
Seats up73
Races won36

Results:
     Federalist hold      Federalist gain
     Dem-Republican hold      Dem-Republican gain

Majority Party before election


Federalist

Elected Majority Party


Federalist

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.

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9
N.H.
Ran
DR10
N.Y.
Ran
DR11
N.C.
Retired
F21
Vt.
Ran
F20
S.C.
Ran
F19
Pa.
Retired
F18
Md.
Unknown
F17
Ky.
Ran
Majority →
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15
Conn.
Ran
F16
Ga.
Retired
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Result of the November elections

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9
Ga.
Gain
DR10
Ky.
Gain
DR11
N.Y.
Re-elected
DR12
N.C.
Hold
DR13
Pa.
Gain
DR14
S.C.
Gain
V1
Md.
F loss
F17
Vt.
Re-elected
Majority →
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15
Conn.
Re-elected
F16
N.H.
Gain
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Beginning of the 7th Congress, March 4, 1801

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13DR14F18
Md.
Appointed
F17
Majority →
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15F16
F6F5F4F3F2F1

End of 1801

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13
Md.
Gain
DR14
Pa.
Hold
DR15
R.I.
Gain
DR16
S.C.
Hold
Majority →DR17
Vt.
Gain
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15
N.H.
Hold
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 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 (special)Incumbent resigned March 19, 1800, to become Naval Officer of the Port of New York.
New senator elected April 3, 1800.
Federalist hold.
Massachusetts
(Class 2)
Samuel DexterFederalist1798Incumbent resigned May 30, 1800 to become U.S. Secretary of War.
New senator elected June 6, 1800.
Federalist hold.
New York
(Class 3)
John LauranceFederalist1796 (special)Incumbent resigned August 1800.
New senator elected November 6, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Massachusetts
(Class 1)
Benjamin GoodhueFederalist1796 (special)
1796
Incumbent resigned November 8, 1800.
New senator elected November 14, 1800.
Federalist hold.
Maryland
(Class 3)
James LloydFederalist1797 (special)Incumbent resigned December 1, 1800.
New senator elected December 12, 1800.
Federalist hold.
  • Y William Hindman (Federalist) 49 (55.1%)
  • Richard T. Earle (Democratic-Republican) 40 (44.9%)[5]
New Jersey
(Class 1)
James SchuremanFederalist1799 (special)Incumbent resigned February 16, 1801.
New senator elected February 28, 1801.
Federalist hold.

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 (special)Incumbent re-elected in May 1801.
GeorgiaJames GunnFederalist1789
1794
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 19, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
KentuckyHumphrey MarshallFederalist1794Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected November 20, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
MarylandWilliam HindmanFederalist1797 (special)Legislature failed to elect.
Incumbent was later appointed to begin the next term.
None.
New HampshireJohn LangdonDemocratic-
Republican
1788
1794 or 1795
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected June 21, 1800.
Federalist gain.
New YorkJohn ArmstrongDemocratic-
Republican
1800 (special)Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1801.
North CarolinaTimothy BloodworthDemocratic-
Republican
1795Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 27, 1800.
Democratic-Republican hold.
PennsylvaniaWilliam BinghamFederalist1795Incumbent retired.
New senator elected February 18, 1801.[12]
Democratic-Republican gain.
South CarolinaJacob ReadFederalist1794Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1800 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
VermontElijah PaineFederalist1794Incumbent re-elected October 21, 1800.

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 (special)
1798
Incumbent resigned March 5, 1801.
New senator elected May 6, 1801.
Democratic-Republican gain.
New Hampshire
(Class 2)
Samuel LivermoreFederalist1798 (special)Incumbent resigned June 12, 1801.
New senator elected June 17, 1801.
Federalist hold.
Vermont
(Class 3)
Elijah PaineFederalist1794
1800
Incumbent resigned September 1, 1801.
New senator elected October 14, 1801.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Maryland
(Class 3)
William HindmanFederalist1800 (Appointed)Incumbent appointee did not run to finish the term
New senator elected November 12, 1801 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
South Carolina
(Class 2)
Charles PinckneyDemocratic-
Republican
1798 (special)
1798
Incumbent resigned June 6, 1801.
New senator elected December 3, 1801.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Pennsylvania
(Class 3)
Peter MuhlenbergDemocratic-
Republican
1801Incumbent resigned June 30, 1801.
New senator elected December 17, 1801.[19]
Democratic-Republican hold.

Connecticut

Senator Uriah Tracy

Federalist Uriah Tracy was easily re-elected.

Georgia

Kentucky

Maryland

Maryland (special, 1800)

1800 United States Senate special election in Maryland
← 1797December 9, 18001801 →

80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
 
CandidateWilliam HindmanRichard Tilghman Earle
PartyFederalist
Legislative vote4544
Percentage50.56%49.44%

William Hindman won election over Richard Tilghman Earle by a margin of 10.11%, or 9 votes, for the Class 3 seat.[20]

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)

1801 United States Senate special election in Maryland
← 1800December 9, 18001806 →

80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
 
CandidateRobert WrightWilliam Winder
PartyDemocratic-RepublicanDemocratic-Republican
Legislative vote6026
Percentage50.56%30.23%

Robert Wright won election over William Winder by a margin of 39.53%, or 34 votes, for the Class 3 seat.[21]

Massachusetts

Massachusetts (special, class 2)

Massachusetts (special, class 1)

New Hampshire

New Hampshire (regular)

New Hampshire (special)

New Jersey (special)

New York

New York (regular)

New York (special, class 1)

New York (special, class 3)

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (regular)

Pennsylvania (special)

Rhode Island (special)

South Carolina

South Carolina (regular)

South Carolina (special)

Vermont

Vermont (regular)

Vermont (special)

See also

References