United States Senate elections, 1856

United States Senate elections, 1856

1856
22 of the 66 seats in the United States Senate 33 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Republican Last election 39 seats 1 seat Seats won 41 20 Seat change 2 19   Third party Fourth party   Party American Opposition Last election 1 seat 21 seats Seats won 5 Seat change 4 21
Majority Party before election Democratic Party Elected Majority Party Democratic Party

The United States Senate election of 1856 was an election which had the young Republican Party assume its position as one of the United States' two main political parties.

As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Results

35th Congress, 1857-1859

• Majority Party: Democratic (41)
• Minority Party: Republican (20)
• Other Parties: American (5)
• Total Seats: 66

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D V A R O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

In the next Congress D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D V A A A A A R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Key:	A = American D = Democratic O = Opposition R = Republican V = Vacant	Majority divider

See also

• United States presidential election, 1856
• United States House of Representatives elections, 1856

References

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