1814–15 United States Senate elections

The 1814–15 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 1814 and 1815, 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 1.

1814–15 United States Senate elections

← 1812 & 1813Dates vary by state1816 & 1817 →

12 of the 36 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
19 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
 
PartyDemocratic-RepublicanFederalist
Last election28 seats8 seats
Seats before2610
Seats won55
Seats after2211
Seat changeDecrease 3Increase 1
Seats up84

Results:
     Federalist hold      Federalist gain
     Dem-Republican hold      Legislature Failed To Elect

Majority Party before election


Democratic-Republican

Elected Majority Party


Democratic-Republican

The Democratic-Republican Party lost a seat but still retained their overwhelming Senate majority. Unlike in recent elections, the minority Federalists had gone into the elections with a chance of regaining their long-lost majority had they swept almost all the seats. However, only one seat switched parties. Two seats held by Democratic-Republicans were left unfilled until long after the next Congress began.

Change in composition

Before the elections

Composition after June 1814 special election in New Hampshire.

DR8DR7DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13DR14DR15DR16DR17DR18
Majority →DR19
Md.
Unknown
F9
Mass. (reg)
Ran
F10
R.I.
Ran
DR26
Va.
Ran
DR25
Vt.
Retired
DR24
Tenn. (reg)
Retired
DR23
Pa.
Ran
DR22
Ohio (reg)
Retired
DR21
N.Y.
Unknown
DR20
N.J.
Ran
F8
Del.
Ran
F7
Conn.
Ran
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Result of the regular elections

DR8DR7DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13DR14DR15DR16DR17DR18
Majority →DR19
N.J.
Hold
F9
Mass. (reg)
Re-elected
F10
R.I.
Re-elected
F11
Vt.
Gain
V1
Tenn. (reg)
DR Loss
V2
Md.
DR Loss
DR23
Va.
Hold
DR22
Pa. (reg)
Re-elected
DR21
Ohio (reg)
Hold
DR20
N.Y.
Hold
F8
Del.
Re-elected
F7
Conn.
Re-elected
F6F5F4F3F2F1
Key
DR#Democratic-Republican
F#Federalist
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Except when noted, number following candidates is whole number votes.

Special elections during the preceding Congress

In these special elections, the winner was elected during 1814 or before March 4, 1815; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Pennsylvania
(Class 3)
Michael LeibDemocratic-
Republican
1809 (special)
1808
Incumbent resigned to become Postmaster of Philadelphia.
New senator elected February 24, 1814.[2]
Democratic-Republican hold.
Winner was never seated due to a failure to qualify.
New Hampshire
(Class 2)
Nicholas GilmanDemocratic-
Republican
1804
1810
Incumbent died May 4, 1814.
New senator elected June 24, 1814.
Federalist gain.
Ohio
(Class 1)
Thomas WorthingtonDemocratic-
Republican
1803
1807 (Retired)
1810 (special)
Incumbent resigned to become Governor of Ohio.
New senator elected December 10, 1814 on the fourth ballot.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Kentucky
(Class 2)
George WalkerDemocratic-
Republican
1814 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected December 16, 1814.
Democratic-Republican hold.
North Carolina
(Class 3)
David StoneDemocratic-
Republican
1800
1807 (Resigned)
1812
Incumbent resigned December 24, 1814.
New senator elected December 30, 1814 on the eleventh ballot.[6][7]
Democratic-Republican hold.
Winner was never seated due to a failure to qualify.
Virginia
(Class 1)
Richard BrentDemocratic-
Republican
1809Incumbent died December 30, 1814, having lost re-election, see below.
New senator elected January 2, 1815, having already won election to the next term.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Kentucky
(Class 3)
Jesse BledsoeDemocratic-
Republican
1813Incumbent resigned.
New senator elected January 3, 1815 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican hold.

Races leading to the next Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1815; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
ConnecticutSamuel DanaFederalist1810 (special)Incumbent re-elected in 1814.
DelawareOuterbridge HorseyFederalist1810 (special)Incumbent re-elected January 13, 1815.
MarylandSamuel SmithDemocratic-
Republican
1802
1808
Legislature failed to elect.
A winner would not be elected until 1816.[11]
Democratic-Republican loss.
[data missing]
MassachusettsChristopher GoreFederalist1813 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected in 1815.
New JerseyJohn LambertDemocratic-
Republican
1808Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected February 1, 1815 on the third ballot.[12]
Democratic-Republican hold.
New YorkObadiah GermanDemocratic-
Republican
1809[data missing]
New senator elected February 7, 1815.[14][15]
Democratic-Republican hold.
OhioJoseph KerrDemocratic-
Republican
1814 (special)Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 7, 1815 on the third ballot.[16]
Democratic-Republican hold.
PennsylvaniaJonathan RobertsDemocratic-
Republican
1814 (special)Incumbent re-elected December 10, 1814.[17]
Rhode IslandWilliam HunterFederalist1811 (special)Incumbent re-elected November 4, 1814.
TennesseeJoseph AndersonDemocratic-
Republican
1797 (special)
1799 (Resigned)
1799 (special)
1803
1809 (Appointed)
1809 (special)
Incumbent retired.
Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic-Republican loss.
A new senator would later be elected, see below.
None.
VermontJonathan RobinsonDemocratic-
Republican
1807 (special)
1808
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected October 25, 1814
Federalist gain.
VirginiaRichard BrentDemocratic-
Republican
1808Incumbent lost re-election, and then died after the election.
New senator elected November 14, 1814.
Democratic-Republican hold.

Special elections during the next Congress

In this special election, the winner was elected in 1815 after March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Tennessee
(Class 1)
VacantLegislature had failed to elect, see above.
New senator elected October 10, 1815.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Tennessee
(Class 2)
Jesse WhartonDemocratic-
Republican
1814 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected October 10, 1815.
Democratic-Republican hold.
North Carolina
(Class 3)
Francis Locke Jr.Democratic-
Republican
1800
1812
Incumbent resigned, having failed to qualify.
New senator elected December 5, 1815 on the fifth ballot.[22][23]
Democratic-Republican hold.
Virginia
(Class 2)
William B. GilesDemocratic-
Republican
1804 (Appointed)
1804 (special)
1804
1811
Incumbent resigned March 3, 1815.
New senator elected December 7, 1815.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Winner subsequently declined to serve.
A new senator was later elected in 1816.
  • Y John Eppes (Democratic-Republican) 125
  • John Mercer (Democratic-Republican) 43

Connecticut

Delaware

Kentucky (special)

There were two special elections in Kentucky: one in 1814 and the other in 1815.

Maryland

Massachusetts

Massachusetts (regular)

Massachusetts (special)

New Hampshire (special)

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina (special)

Ohio

Ohio (regular)

Ohio (special)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (special)

Pennsylvania (regular)

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Tennessee (regular)

Tennessee (special, class 1)

Tennessee (special, class 2)

Vermont

Virginia

Virginia (regular)

Virginia (special)

Virginia

See also

Notes

References