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 & 1799 Dates vary by state 1802 & 1803 →
10 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 17 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Federalist Democratic-Republican Seats before 21 (65.6%) 11 (34.4%) Seats after 17 (54.8%) 14 (45.2%) Seat change 4 3 Seats up 7 3 Races won 3 6
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.

DR6	DR5	DR4	DR3	DR2	DR1
DR7	DR8	DR9 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 →
F7	F8	F9	F10	F11	F12	F13	F14	F15 Conn. Ran	F16 Ga. Retired
F6	F5	F4	F3	F2	F1

Result of the November elections

DR6	DR5	DR4	DR3	DR2	DR1
DR7	DR8	DR9 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 →
F7	F8	F9	F10	F11	F12	F13	F14	F15 Conn. Re-elected	F16 N.H. Gain
F6	F5	F4	F3	F2	F1

Beginning of the 7th Congress, March 4, 1801

DR6	DR5	DR4	DR3	DR2	DR1
DR7	DR8	DR9	DR10	DR11	DR12	DR13	DR14	F18 Md. Appointed	F17
Majority →
F7	F8	F9	F10	F11	F12	F13	F14	F15	F16
F6	F5	F4	F3	F2	F1

End of 1801

DR6	DR5	DR4	DR3	DR2	DR1
DR7	DR8	DR9	DR10	DR11	DR12	DR13 Md. Gain	DR14 Pa. Hold	DR15 R.I. Gain	DR16 S.C. Hold
Majority →									DR17 Vt. Gain
F7	F8	F9	F10	F11	F12	F13	F14	F15 N.H. Hold
F6	F5	F4	F3	F2	F1

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.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
New York (Class 1)	James Watson	Federalist	1798 (special)	Incumbent resigned March 19, 1800, to become Naval Officer of the Port of New York. New senator elected April 3, 1800. Federalist hold.	▌Y Gouverneur Morris (Federalist) 79 (56.8%) ▌Peter Gansevoort (Democratic-Republican) 59 (42.4%) ▌Thomas Morris (Federalist) 1 (0.7%)[2]
Massachusetts (Class 2)	Samuel Dexter	Federalist	1798	Incumbent resigned May 30, 1800 to become U.S. Secretary of War. New senator elected June 6, 1800. Federalist hold.	▌Y Dwight Foster (Federalist) 158[3]
New York (Class 3)	John Laurance	Federalist	1796 (special)	Incumbent resigned August 1800. New senator elected November 6, 1800. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y John Armstrong (Democratic-Republican) 141 (98.7%) ▌Peter Gansevoort (Democratic-Republican) 2 (1.3%)[4]
Massachusetts (Class 1)	Benjamin Goodhue	Federalist	1796 (special) 1796	Incumbent resigned November 8, 1800. New senator elected November 14, 1800. Federalist hold.	▌Y Jonathan Mason (Federalist) [data missing]
Maryland (Class 3)	James Lloyd	Federalist	1797 (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 Schureman	Federalist	1799 (special)	Incumbent resigned February 16, 1801. New senator elected February 28, 1801. Federalist hold.	▌Y Aaron Ogden (Federalist) [data missing]

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.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Connecticut	Uriah Tracy	Federalist	1796 (special)	Incumbent re-elected in May 1801.	▌Y Uriah Tracy (Federalist) 131 ▌Asher Miller (Democratic-Republican) 30 ▌Roger Griswold (Federalist) 10 ▌Ephraim Kirby (Democratic-Republican) 6 ▌Chauncey Goodrich (Federalist) 3 ▌Stephen T. Hosmer (Unknown) 1[6]
Georgia	James Gunn	Federalist	1789 1794	Incumbent retired. New senator elected November 19, 1800. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y James Jackson (Democratic-Republican) 58 ▌Thomas P. Carnes (Federalist) 9[7]
Kentucky	Humphrey Marshall	Federalist	1794	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected November 20, 1800. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y John Breckinridge (Democratic-Republican) 68 ▌John Adair (Federalist) 13[8]
Maryland	William Hindman	Federalist	1797 (special)	Legislature failed to elect. Incumbent was later appointed to begin the next term.	None.
New Hampshire	John Langdon	Democratic- Republican	1788 1794 or 1795	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected June 21, 1800. Federalist gain.	▌Y James Sheafe (Federalist) 83 ▌John Langdon (Democratic-Republican) 12 ▌Other 38[9]
New York	John Armstrong	Democratic- Republican	1800 (special)	Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1801.	▌Y John Armstrong (Democratic-Republican) 76 Unanimous[10]
North Carolina	Timothy Bloodworth	Democratic- Republican	1795	Incumbent retired. New senator elected November 27, 1800. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y David Stone (Democratic-Republican) 94 ▌William R. Davie (Federalist) 72 ▌Richard D. Spaight (Democratic-Republican) 8 ▌Matthew Locke (Democratic-Republican) 1[11]
Pennsylvania	William Bingham	Federalist	1795	Incumbent retired. New senator elected February 18, 1801.[12] Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y Peter Muhlenberg (Democratic-Republican) 50.0% ▌George Logan (Democratic-Republican) 48.9% ▌William Jones (Democratic-Republican) 1.0%
South Carolina	Jacob Read	Federalist	1794	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1800 on the second ballot. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y John E. Colhoun (Democratic-Republican) 75 ▌John Ward (Federalist) 73[13]
Vermont	Elijah Paine	Federalist	1794	Incumbent re-elected October 21, 1800.	▌Y Elijah Paine (Federalist) 108 ▌S. R. Bradley (Democratic-Republican) 68 ▌Nathaniel Niles (Democratic-Republican) 3 ▌William Chamberlain (Federalist) 2 ▌Lot Hall (Unknown) 1[14]

Special elections during the next Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated after March 4, 1801; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Rhode Island (Class 2)	Ray Greene	Federalist	1797 (special) 1798	Incumbent resigned March 5, 1801. New senator elected May 6, 1801. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y Christopher Ellery (Democratic-Republican) [data missing]
New Hampshire (Class 2)	Samuel Livermore	Federalist	1798 (special)	Incumbent resigned June 12, 1801. New senator elected June 17, 1801. Federalist hold.	▌Y Simeon Olcott (Federalist) 97 ▌John Langdon (Democratic-Republican) 56 Others 4[15]
Vermont (Class 3)	Elijah Paine	Federalist	1794 1800	Incumbent resigned September 1, 1801. New senator elected October 14, 1801. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y Stephen R. Bradley (Democratic-Republican) 102 ▌William Chamberlain (Federalist) 85 ▌Nathaniel Niles (Democratic-Republican) 1[16]
Maryland (Class 3)	William Hindman	Federalist	1800 (Appointed)	Incumbent appointee did not run to finish the term New senator elected November 12, 1801 on the second ballot. Democratic-Republican gain.	▌Y Robert Wright (Democratic-Republican) 60 ▌William Winder (Federalist) 26[17]
South Carolina (Class 2)	Charles Pinckney	Democratic- Republican	1798 (special) 1798	Incumbent resigned June 6, 1801. New senator elected December 3, 1801. Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y Thomas Sumter (Democratic-Republican) 90 ▌John Rutledge (Federalist) 47 ▌Thomas Evans (Unknown) 1[18]
Pennsylvania (Class 3)	Peter Muhlenberg	Democratic- Republican	1801	Incumbent resigned June 30, 1801. New senator elected December 17, 1801.[19] Democratic-Republican hold.	▌Y George Logan (Democratic-Republican) 63.6% ▌Joseph Hiester (Democratic-Republican) 28.0% Others 8.4%

Connecticut

Senator Uriah Tracy

See also: List of United States senators from Connecticut and 1800 United States House of Representatives election in Connecticut

Federalist Uriah Tracy was easily re-elected.

Georgia

See also: List of United States senators from Georgia and 1800 United States House of Representatives election in Georgia

Kentucky

See also: List of United States senators from Kentucky and 1801 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky

Maryland

See also: List of United States senators from Maryland

Maryland (special, 1800)

1800 United States Senate special election in Maryland

← 1797 December 9, 1800 1801 →
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidate William Hindman Richard Tilghman Earle Party Federalist Legislative vote 45 44 Percentage 50.56% 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

← 1800 December 9, 1800 1806 →
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidate Robert Wright William Winder Party Democratic-Republican Democratic-Republican Legislative vote 60 26 Percentage 50.56% 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

See also: List of United States senators from Massachusetts and 1800–1801 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts

Massachusetts (special, class 2)

Massachusetts (special, class 1)

New Hampshire

See also: List of United States senators from New Hampshire and 1800 United States House of Representatives election in New Hampshire

New Hampshire (regular)

New Hampshire (special)

New Jersey (special)

See also: List of United States senators from New Jersey and 1800 United States House of Representatives election in New Jersey

New York

See also: List of United States senators from New York and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in New York

New York (regular)

Main article: 1801 United States Senate election in New York

New York (special, class 1)

Main article: April 1800 United States Senate special election in New York

New York (special, class 3)

Main article: November 1800 United States Senate special election in New York

North Carolina

See also: List of United States senators from North Carolina and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina

Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (regular)

Main article: 1801 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (special)

Main article: 1801 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania

Rhode Island (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Rhode Island and 1800–1801 United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island

South Carolina

See also: List of United States senators from South Carolina and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

South Carolina (regular)

South Carolina (special)

Vermont

See also: List of United States senators from Vermont and 1800 United States House of Representatives elections in Vermont

Vermont (regular)

Vermont (special)

See also

• 1800 United States elections
  • 1800 United States presidential election
  • 1800–01 United States House of Representatives elections
• 6th United States Congress
• 7th United States Congress

References

1. "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
2. "New York 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1800. 265. The Albany Centinel (Albany, NY). April 4, 1800. Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). April 10, 1800. The Centinel of Liberty, or George-town and Washington Advertiser (Georgetown, DC). April 15, 1800.
3. "Massachusetts 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Hampshire Gazette (Northhampton). June 11, 1800. The Kentucky Gazette (Lexington, KY). July 3, 1800.
4. "New York 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1800. 10, 11. Journal of the New York State Senate, 1800. 8. American Citizen and General Advertiser (New York, NY). November 10, 1800. The Centinel of Freedom (Newark, NJ). November 11, 1800. Columbian Museum and Savannah Advertiser (Savannah, GA). November 19, 1800. Universal Gazette (Washington, DC). November 20, 1800.
5. "Maryland 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Votes and Proceedings of the Maryland State Senate, 1800. 26. Connecticut Gazette, and the Commercial Intelligencer (New London, CT). December 24, 1800. Mattern, David B., J. C. A. Stagg, Jeanne K. Cross and Susan Holbrook Perdue, ed. The Papers of James Madison, Congressional Series. Vol. 17. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press, 1991. 435–436.
6. "Connecticut 1801 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Connecticut Gazette, and the Commercial Intelligencer (New London, CT). May 17, 1801. Impartial Journal (Stonington, CT). June 2, 1801. The Bee (New London, CT). June 3, 1801. The Bee (Hudson, NY). November 16, 1802.
7. "Georgia 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Columbian Museum and Savannah Advertiser (Savannah, GA). November 25, 1800.
8. "Kentucky 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing The Palladium: A Literary and Political Weekly Repository (Frankfort, KY). November 25, 1800.
9. "New Hampshire 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing The Ninth State: New Hampshire's Formative Years. 182.
10. "New York 1801 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing The Albany Centinel (Albany, NY). January 30, 1801.
11. "North Carolina 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Legislative Papers for 1800. Box 176. State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh. Raleigh Register, and North-Carolina Weekly Advertiser (Raleigh, NC). December 2, 1800.
12. "Our Campaigns - PA US Senate Race - Feb 18, 1801".
13. "South Carolina 1800 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing National Intelligencer and Washington Advertiser (Washington, DC). December 15, 1800.
14. "Vermont 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 4, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1800. 265. The Albany Centinel (Albany, NY). April 4, 1800. Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). April 10, 1800. The Centinel of Liberty, or George-town and Washington Advertiser (Georgetown, DC). April 15, 1800.
15. "New Hampshire 1801 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Courier of New Hampshire (Concord, NH). June 18, 1801.
16. "New Hampshire 1801 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Spooner's Vermont Journal (Windsor, VT). October 20, 1801.
17. "Maryland 1801 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 4, 2018., citing The Albany Gazette (Albany, NY). November 21, 1796.
18. "South Carolina 1801 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State (Augusta, GA). December 12, 1801.
19. "Our Campaigns - PA US Senate - Special Election Race - Dec 16, 1801".
20. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Dec 09, 1800". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
21. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Nov 12, 1801". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.

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