1848 Iowa Senate election

In the 1848 Iowa State Senate elections, Iowa voters elected state senators to serve in the second Iowa General Assembly. Elections were held for 10 of the state senate's 19 seats.^{[lower-alpha 4]} State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.

1848 Iowa Senate election

← 1846 1848 1850 →
10 out of 19 seats in the Iowa State Senate 10 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Whig Last election 11 8 Seats after 11 8 Seat change
President of the Iowa Senate before election Thomas Baker[lower-alpha 1] & Thomas Hughes[lower-alpha 2] Democratic Elected President of the Iowa Senate John Jackson Selman[lower-alpha 3] Democratic

The general election took place in 1848.^[5]

Following the previous election in 1846, Democrats had control of the Iowa Senate with 11 seats to Whigs' eight seats.

To claim control of the chamber from Democrats, the Whigs needed to net two Senate seats.

Democrats maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1848 general election with the balance of power remaining unchanged with Democrats holding 11 seats and Whigs having eight seats. Democratic Senator John Jackson Selman was chosen as the President of the Iowa Senate for the second General Assembly.^{[lower-alpha 3]}

Summary of Results

• Note: The holdover Senators not up for re-election are unlisted on this table.

Senate District	Incumbent	Party		Elected Senator	Party		Outcome
1st[lower-alpha 5]	Jacob Huner		Dem	Thomas Stevenson Espy		Dem	Dem Hold
2nd[lower-alpha 6]	John McCormick Whitaker		Dem	George Grover Wright		Whig	Whig Gain
3rd[lower-alpha 7]	John Jackson Selman		Dem	John Jackson Selman[lower-alpha 3]		Dem	Dem Hold
4th[lower-alpha 8]	James Davis		Whig	Barney Royston[lower-alpha 9]		Dem	Dem Gain
5th[lower-alpha 10]	Thomas Baker		Dem	Phineas M. Casady		Dem	Dem Hold
6th[lower-alpha 11]	Samuel Fullenwider		Whig	Alfred S. Fear[lower-alpha 12]		Dem	Dem Gain
8th[lower-alpha 13]	Robert Brown[lower-alpha 14]		Dem	John Howell[lower-alpha 15]		Dem	Dem Hold
	John Howell[lower-alpha 15]		Dem
11th[lower-alpha 16]	Thomas Hughes		Dem	Freeman Alger		Dem	Dem Hold
13th[lower-alpha 17]	Samuel Augustus Bissell		Dem	John Parsons Cook		Whig	Whig Gain
15th[lower-alpha 18]	Thomas Hart Benton		Dem	John G. Shields		Dem	Dem Hold

Source:^[12]

1. Senator Thomas Baker of Polk County was chosen to be the first President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the first Iowa General Assembly.^[1]
2. Senator Thomas Hughes of Johnson County was chosen to be the second President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the first Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Senator Thomas Baker in that leadership position.^[2]
3. Senator John Jackson Selman of Davis County was chosen to be the third President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the second Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Senator Thomas Hughes in that leadership position.^[3]
4. At the time, the Iowa Senate had several multi-member districts.^[4]
5. The first district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the 1848 election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election until 1850.
6. The second district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the 1848 election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election until 1850.
7. The third district was a 1-member district at the time.
8. The fourth district was a 1-member district at the time.
9. In September 1850, Senator Royston died, causing a vacancy in this seat that would be filled by special election during the next session.^[6]
10. The fifth district was a 1-member district at the time.
11. The sixth district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the 1848 election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election until 1850.
12. During the next session, Senator Fear resigned, causing a vacancy in this seat that would be filled by special election in the 1850 election.^[7]
13. The eighth district was a 1-member district at the time.
14. On January 2, 1848, Senator Brown resigned, causing a vacancy.^[8] That vacant seat was filled by Senator John Howell.^[9]
15. On January 2, 1848, Senator Brown resigned, causing a vacancy.^[10] That vacant seat was filled by Senator John Howell. Senator Howell was re-elected to a full term in 1848.^[11]
16. The eleventh district was a 1-member district at the time.
17. The Thirteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
18. The fifteenth district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the 1848 election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election until 1850.

Detailed Results

• NOTE: The Iowa General Assembly does not provide detailed vote totals for Iowa State Senate elections in 1848.

See also

• Elections in Iowa

External links

District boundaries for the Iowa Senate in 1848:

• Iowa Senate Districts 1846-1849 map

References

1. "Senator Thomas Baker". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
2. "Senator Thomas Hughes". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. "Senator John Jackson Selman". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
4. "General Assembly: 2 (12/04/1848 - 12/01/1850)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
5. "General Assembly: 2 (12/04/1848 - 12/01/1850)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
6. "Senator Barney Royston: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
7. "Senator Alfred S. Fear: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
8. "Senator Robert Brown: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
9. "Senator John Howell: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
10. "Senator Robert Brown: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
11. "Senator John Howell: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
12. "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved July 16, 2021.