1871 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

The 1871 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on January 17, 1871. Incumbent Republican Senator Henry Wilson was re-elected easily to a third term as a member of the Republican Party. Wilson would not finish the term, since he was elected Vice President of the United States in 1872.

1871 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

← 1865 January 17, 1871 1873 (special) →
Majority vote of each house needed to win
Nominee Henry Wilson John Quincy Adams II Party Republican Democratic Senate 35 4 Percentage 87.5% 10.0% House 188 32 Percentage 84.3% 14.35%
Senator before election Henry Wilson Republican Elected Senator Henry Wilson Republican

At the time, Massachusetts elected United States senators by a majority vote of each separate house of the Massachusetts General Court, the House and the Senate.

Background

At the time, the Massachusetts legislature was dominated the Republican Party, whose members held nearly every seat.

Republican caucus

On January 16, the Republican Party convened in a caucus to renominated Wilson for his third term.

1871 Republican Senate caucus^[1][2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry Wilson (incumbent)	108	76.60%
	Republican	Henry L. Dawes	22	15.60%
	Republican	George S. Boutwell	11	7.80%
Total votes			141	100.00%

A caucus opposed to Wilson voted against a motion to nominate Wendell Phillips by 6 votes to 3.^[1][2]

Election in the House

On January 17, the House voted for Wilson's re-election and sent the vote to the Senate for ratification.

1871 U.S. Senate election in the House^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry Wilson (incumbent)	188	84.30%
	Democratic	John Quincy Adams II	32	14.35%
	Republican	Wendell Phillips	10	4.48%
	Republican	Henry L. Dawes	10	4.48%
	Unknown	John Wells Brown[a]	1	0.45%
Total votes			223	100.00%

1. There is a possibility this vote was recorded incorrectly, and was actually cast for the abolitionist and writer William Wells Brown, a resident of Boston at the time. If so, Brown would be the first black man to receive a vote for U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.

Election in the Senate

On January 20, the State Senate convened and ratified Wilson's re-election by an overwhelming margin.

1871 U.S. Senate election in the Senate^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry Wilson (incumbent)	35	87.50%
	Democratic	John Quincy Adams II	4	10.00%
	Republican	Wendell Phillips	1	2.50%
Total votes			40	100.00%