United States Senate elections, 1820 and 1821

United States Senate elections, 1820 and 1821

Dates vary by state
15 of the 46 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 24 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic-Republican Federalist Last election 30 (71.4%) 9 (28.6%) Seats before 33 (78.6%) 9 (21.4%) Seats won 39 (90.1%) 4 (9.9%) Seat change 1 4 Seats up 10 5
Majority party before election Democratic-Republican Elected Majority party Democratic-Republican

The United States Senate election of 1820 and 1821 were elections for the United States Senate that, corresponding with James Monroe's landslide re-election, had the Democratic-Republican Party gain seven seats, assuming almost complete control of the Senate.

As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Results

17th Congress (1821–1823)

• Majority Party: Democratic-Republican (37)
• Minority Party: Federalist (9)
• Vacant: (2)
• Total Seats: 48

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

Composition after the June 13 & 14, 1820 elections in Maine.

DR1 DR2 DR3 DR13 DR12 DR11 DR10 DR9 DR8 DR7 DR6 DR5 DR4 DR14 DR15 DR16 DR17 DR18 DR19 DR20 DR21 DR22 DR23 Majority → DR24 DR31 DR30 DR29 DR28 DR27 V1* V2* DR26 DR25 DR32 DR33 DR34 DR35 F9 F8 F7 F6 F5 F4 F1 F2 F3

Notes: V1 (Mississippi seat): Incumbent Democratic-Republican had resigned May 15, 1820. A Democratic-Republican successor would be elected August 30, 1820 to finish the term and would also be elected to the next term. V2 (Kentucky class 3 seat): Democratic-Republican Senator had resigned May 28, 1820. A Democratic-Republican successor would be elected October 19, 1820.

Beginning of the next Congress

DR1 DR2 DR3 DR13 DR12 DR11 DR10 DR9 DR8 DR7 DR6 DR5 DR4 DR14 DR15 DR16 DR17 DR18 DR19 DR20 DR21 DR22 DR23 Majority → DR24 DR33 Hold DR32 Re-elected DR31 Re-elected DR30 Re-elected DR29 Re-elected DR28 Re-elected DR27 DR26 DR25 DR34 Hold DR35 Hold DR36 Gain DR37 Gain DR38 Gain DR39* Gain V1* V2* V3* F4 Re-elected F1 F2 F3

Notes: DR39 (Rhode Island class 2 seat): Federalist Senator died December 25, 1820, after the elections. A Democratic-Republican successor was elected January 9, 1821. V1 (Delaware seat): Incumbent Federalist retired and a replacement wasn't elected until late in 1822. V2 (Pennsylvania seat): Legislature failed to elect and a replacement wasn't elected until late in 1821. V3 (Tennessee seat): Incumbent Democratic-Republican was re-elected, but not until September 1821. That was after the next Congress started, but before the Senate first convened.

Key:	DR# Democratic-Republican F# Federalist V# Vacant

Race summaries

Bold states link to specific election articles.

Special elections during the preceding Congress

In these special elections, the winner was elected during 1820 or before March 4, 1821; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
New York Class 3	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect in 1818/1819. Previous incumbent was elected January 8, 1820 to finish the term ending March 4, 1825. Federalist gain.	√ Rufus King (Federalist) Unanimous
Massachusetts Class 1	Prentiss Mellen	Federalist	1820 (Special)	Incumbent resigned to become Chief Justice of Maine. Winner elected June 12, 1820 to finish the term ending March 4, 1821. Winner was also elected to the next term. Federalist hold.	√ Elijah H. Mills (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Maine Class 1	New state			Winner elected June 13, 1820 to finish the term ending March 4, 1821. Winner was also elected to the next term. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ John Holmes (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Maine Class 2	New state			Winner elected June 14, 1820 to finish the term ending March 4, 1823. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ John Chandler (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Mississippi Class 1	Walter Leake	Democratic- Republican	1817	Incumbent resigned May 15, 1820. Winner elected August 30, 1820 to finish the term ending March 4, 1821. Winner was also elected to the next term. Democratic-Republican hold.	√ David Holmes (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Kentucky Class 3	William Logan	Democratic- Republican	1819	Incumbent resigned May 28, 1820 to run for Governor of Kentucky. Winner elected October 19, 1820 to finish the term ending March 4, 1825. Democratic-Republican hold.	√ Isham Talbot (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Rhode Island Class 2	James Burrill, Jr.	Federalist	1817	Incumbent died December 25, 1820. Winner elected January 9, 1821 to finish the term ending March 4, 1823. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ Nehemiah R. Knight (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]

Races leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1821; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Connecticut	Samuel Dana	Federalist	1810 (Special) 1814	Winner elected March 4, 1821. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ Elijah Boardman (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Delaware	Outerbridge Horsey	Federalist	1810 (Special) 1814	Incumbent retired. Legislature failed to elect. Seat vacant, Federalist loss. A Democratic-Republican was later elected in 1822.	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Indiana	James Noble	Democratic- Republican	1816	Incumbent re-elected in 1821.	√ James Noble (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Maine	John Holmes	Democratic- Republican	1820	Incumbent re-elected in 1820.	√ John Holmes (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Maryland	William Pinkney	Democratic- Republican	1819 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1820 or 1821.	√ William Pinkney (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Massachusetts	Elijah H. Mills	Federalist	1820 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1820 or 1821.	√ Elijah H. Mills (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Mississippi	David Holmes	Democratic- Republican	1820 (Special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1820.	√ David Holmes (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
New Jersey	James J. Wilson	Democratic- Republican	1814 or 1815	Incumbent lost re-election, then resigned January 8, 1821. Winner elected November 11, 1820, and was appointed January 22, 1821 to finish the term ending March 4, 1821. Democratic-Republican hold.	√ Samuel L. Southard (Democratic-Republican) 30 James J. Wilson (Democratic-Republican) 24
New York	Nathan Sanford	Democratic- Republican	1809	Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected February 6, 1821. Democratic-Republican hold.	√ Martin Van Buren (Democratic-Republican) Nathan Sanford (Democratic-Republican)
Ohio	Benjamin Ruggles	Democratic- Republican	1815	Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1821. Democratic-Republican hold.	√ Benjamin Ruggles (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Pennsylvania	Jonathan Roberts	Democratic- Republican	1814 (Special) 1814	Legislature failed to elect Seat vacant, Democratic-Republican loss. Winner would later be elected in 1821.	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Rhode Island	William Hunter	Federalist	1811 (Special) 1815	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] Winner elected in 1820 or 1821. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ James DeWolf (Federalist) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Tennessee	John H. Eaton	Democratic- Republican	1818 (Appointed) ? (Elected)	Legislature failed to elect Seat vacant, Democratic-Republican loss. Winner would later be elected September 27, 1821.	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Vermont	Isaac Tichenor	Federalist	1814	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] Winner elected in 1821. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ Horatio Seymour (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Virginia	James Barbour	Democratic- Republican	1815 (Special) 1815	Incumbent re-elected in 1821.	√ James Barbour (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]

Special elections during the next Congress

In this special election, the winner was elected in 1821 after March 4; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Missouri Class 1	New state			Winner elected August 10, 1821 to finish the term ending March 4, 1827. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ Thomas H. Benton (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Missouri Class 3	New state			Winner elected August 10, 1821 to finish the term ending March 4, 1825. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ David Barton (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Tennessee Class 1	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect. Winner re-elected late September 27, 1821. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ John H. Eaton (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Georgia Class 1	Freeman Walker	Democratic- Republican	1819 (Special)	Incumbent resigned August 6, 1821. Winner elected November 10, 1821 to finish the term ending March 4, 1823. Democratic-Republican hold.	√ Nicholas Ware (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Pennsylvania Class 1	Vacant			Legislature had failed to elect. Winner elected December 10, 1821. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ William Findlay (Democratic-Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]

See also

• United States presidential election, 1820
• United States House of Representatives elections, 1820
• 17th United States Congress
• Elections in the United States

References

• Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov