1796?97 United States Senate elections
|
|
|
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Results:
Federalist hold
Federalist gain
Dem-Republican hold
Legislature failed to elect
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The
1796?97 United States Senate elections
were held on various dates in various states. 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 1796 and 1797, 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 1
.
They coincided with
John Adams
's
election as President
. The ruling Federalist Party gained one seat.
Results summary
[
edit
]
Senate party division,
5th Congress
(1797?1799)
- Majority party: Federalist (22)
- Minority party: Democratic-Republican (9)
- Vacant: 1 (later filled by Democratic-Republican)
- Total seats: 32
Change in composition
[
edit
]
Before the elections
[
edit
]
After the August 2, 1796 admission of Tennessee.
DR
6
|
DR
5
|
DR
4
|
DR
3
|
DR
2
|
DR
1
|
DR
7
|
DR
8
|
DR
9
N.Y.
Ran
|
DR
10
Tenn.
Ran
|
DR
11
Va.
Unknown
|
V
2
|
V
1
|
F
19
Vt.
Resigned
|
F
17
R.I.
Ran
|
F
16
Pa.
Ran
|
Majority →
|
F
7
|
F
8
|
F
9
|
F
10
|
F
11
|
F
12
Conn.
Ran
|
F
13
Del.
Ran
|
F
14
Md.
Ran
|
F
18
Mass.
Resigned
|
F
15
N.J.
Ran
|
F
6
|
F
5
|
F
4
|
F
3
|
F
2
|
F
1
|
Results of the regular elections
[
edit
]
DR
6
|
DR
5
|
DR
4
|
DR
3
|
DR
2
|
DR
1
|
DR
7
|
DR
8
|
DR
9
Va.
Re-elected
|
V
2
Tenn.
DR Loss
|
V
2
|
V
1
|
F
19
Vt.
Hold
|
F
17
R.I.
Re-elected
|
F
16
Pa.
Re-elected
|
F
20
N.Y.
Gain
|
Majority →
|
F
7
|
F
8
|
F
9
|
F
10
|
F
11
|
F
12
Conn.
Re-elected
|
F
13
Del.
Re-elected
|
F
14
Md.
Re-elected
|
F
18
Mass.
Hold
|
F
15
N.J.
Re-elected
|
F
6
|
F
5
|
F
4
|
F
3
|
F
2
|
F
1
|
Race summaries
[
edit
]
Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.
Special elections during the 4th Congress
[
edit
]
In these special elections, the winners were seated before March 4, 1797; ordered by election date.
State
|
Incumbent
|
Results
|
Candidates
|
Senator
|
Party
|
First elected
|
Georgia
(Class 2)
|
George Walton
|
Federalist
|
1795
(Appointed)
|
Appointee retired when successor elected.
New senator
elected
February 20, 1796
.
Democratic-Republican gain
.
|
|
Connecticut
(Class 1)
|
Oliver Ellsworth
|
Federalist
|
1788
|
Incumbent resigned to become
Chief Justice of the United States
.
New senator
elected
May 12, 1796
.
Federalist hold.
|
|
Massachusetts
(Class 1)
|
George Cabot
|
Federalist
|
1790
|
Incumbent resigned June 9, 1796.
New senator
elected
June 11, 1796
on the second ballot.
Federalist hold.
Successor also elected the same day to the next term,
see below
.
|
|
Massachusetts
(Class 2)
|
Caleb Strong
|
Federalist
|
1788
|
Incumbent resigned June 1, 1796.
New senator
elected
June 11, 1796
on the second ballot.
Federalist hold.
|
|
Connecticut
(Class 3)
|
Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.
|
Federalist
|
1794 or 1795
|
Incumbent resigned June 10, 1796 to become
Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
.
New senator
elected
October 13, 1796
.
Federalist hold.
|
|
Vermont
(Class 1)
|
Moses Robinson
|
Democratic-Republican
|
1791
(New state)
|
Incumbent resigned October 15, 1796.
New senator
elected
October 18, 1796
.
Federalist gain
.
Successor also elected the same day to the next term,
see below
.
|
|
New York
(Class 3)
|
Rufus King
|
Federalist
|
1789
|
Incumbent resigned May 23, 1796 to become
U.S. Minister to Great Britain
.
New senator
elected
November 9, 1796
.
Federalist hold.
|
|
New Jersey
(Class 2)
|
Frederick Frelinghuysen
|
Federalist
|
1792 or 1793
|
Incumbent resigned November 12, 1796.
New senator
elected
November 12, 1796
.
Federalist hold.
|
|
Maryland
(Class 1)
|
Richard Potts
|
Federalist
|
1793
(special)
|
Incumbent resigned October 24, 1796.
New senator
elected
November 28, 1796
.
Federalist hold.
Successor also later elected to the next term,
see below
.
|
|
South Carolina
(Class 2)
|
Pierce Butler
|
Democratic-Republican
|
1789
|
Incumbent resigned October 25, 1796.
New senator
elected
December 8, 1796
.
Democratic-Republican hold.
|
|
Races leading to the 5th Congress
[
edit
]
In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1797; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.
State
|
Incumbent
|
Results
|
Candidates
|
Senator
|
Party
|
First elected
|
Connecticut
|
James Hillhouse
|
Federalist
|
1796
(special)
|
Incumbent
re-elected
in 1797.
|
|
Delaware
|
Henry Latimer
|
Federalist
|
1795
(special)
|
Incumbent
re-elected
January 6, 1797.
|
|
Maryland
|
John Eager Howard
|
Federalist
|
1796
(special)
|
Incumbent
re-elected
December 9, 1796.
|
|
Massachusetts
|
George Cabot
|
Federalist
|
1790
|
Incumbent resigned June 9, 1796.
New senator
elected
June 11, 1796 on the third ballot.
Federalist hold.
Winner also elected to finish the current term, see above.
|
|
New Jersey
|
John Rutherfurd
|
Federalist
|
1790
|
Incumbent
re-elected
in 1796.
|
|
New York
|
Aaron Burr
|
Democratic-Republican
|
1791
|
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator
elected
January 24, 1797.
Federalist gain
.
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
James Ross
|
Federalist
|
1794
(special)
|
Incumbent
re-elected
February 16, 1797.
|
|
Rhode Island
|
Theodore Foster
|
Federalist
|
1790
|
Incumbent
re-elected
in 1797.
|
|
Tennessee
|
William Cocke
|
Democratic-Republican
|
1796
|
Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic-Republican loss
.
Incumbent later appointed to continue term.
[12]
|
None
|
Vermont
|
Moses Robinson
|
Democratic-Republican
|
1791
(New state)
|
Incumbent resigned October 15, 1796.
New senator
elected
October 18, 1796.
Federalist gain
.
Winner also elected to finish the current term, see above.
|
|
Virginia
|
Stevens Mason
|
Democratic-Republican
|
1794
(special)
|
Incumbent
re-elected
November 29, 1796.
|
|
Special elections during the 5th Congress
[
edit
]
In these special elections, the winners were elected after the March 4, 1797 beginning of the next Congress.
Connecticut
[
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]
Connecticut (regular)
[
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]
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needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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)
|
Connecticut (special, class 1)
[
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]
| This section
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. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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|
Connecticut (special, class 3)
[
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]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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|
Delaware
[
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]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
September 2020
)
|
Georgia (special)
[
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]
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. You can help by
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(
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|
Maryland
[
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]
Maryland (special, 1796)
[
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]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
November 2022
)
|
1796 United States Senate special election in Maryland
|
|
|
John Eager Howard
won election to fill the seat vacated by
Richard Potts
by an unknown number of votes, for the Class 1 seat.
[17]
Maryland (regular)
[
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]
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needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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)
|
1796 United States Senate election in Maryland
|
|
|
John Eager Howard
won re-election over
Richard Sprigg Jr.
by an unknown number of votes, for the Class 1 seat.
[18]
Maryland (special, 1797)
[
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]
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. You can help by
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.
(
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)
|
1797 United States Senate special election in Maryland
|
|
|
James Lloyd
won election over William Winder by a margin of 1.12%, or 1 vote, for the Class 3 seat.
[19]
Massachusetts
[
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]
Massachusetts (regular)
[
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]
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|
Massachusetts (special, class 1)
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]
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.
(
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|
Massachusetts (special, class 2)
[
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]
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. You can help by
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(
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|
New Jersey
[
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]
New Jersey (regular)
[
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]
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. You can help by
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.
(
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|
New Jersey (special)
[
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]
| This section
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. You can help by
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.
(
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|
New York
[
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]
New York (regular)
[
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]
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. You can help by
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.
(
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|
New York (special)
[
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]
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needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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|
Pennsylvania
[
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]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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)
|
Rhode Island
[
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]
Rhode Island (regular)
[
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]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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)
|
Rhode Island (special)
[
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]
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needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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)
|
South Carolina (special)
[
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]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
September 2020
)
|
Tennessee
[
edit
]
Tennessee (initial)
[
edit
]
Tennessee became a state June 1, 1796 and elected its new senators August 2, 1796.
Tennessee (special, Class 1)
[
edit
]
The term of the initially-elected senator, Democratic-Republican
William Cocke
, ended March 3, 1797 and the Tennessee legislature failed to elect a senator for the new term. The
Governor of Tennessee
, therefore, appointed Cocke to begin the term, pending a special election. Cocke, however, lost that October 6, 1798 special election to Democratic-Republican
Andrew Jackson
.
Tennessee (special, Class 2)
[
edit
]
Democratic-Republican
William Blount
was expelled July 8, 1797 for conspiracy with the
Kingdom of Great Britain
. Democratic-Republican
Joseph Anderson
was elected September 26, 1797 to finish Blount's term.
Vermont
[
edit
]
Incumbent Democratic-Republican
Moses Robinson
resigned October 15, 1796.
Federalist
Isaac Tichenor
was elected October 18, 1796 both to finish Robinson's term and to the new term that would begin March 4, 1797. However, Tichenor resigned just one year later, October 17, 1797, to become
Governor of Vermont
. Federalist
Nathaniel Chipman
was then elected October 17, 1797 to finish the term.
Vermont (special, 1796)
[
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]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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)
|
Vermont (regular)
[
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]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
September 2020
)
|
Vermont (special, 1797)
[
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]
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needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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)
|
Virginia
[
edit
]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
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)
|
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)"
.
National Archives and Records Administration
. February 8, 2022.
- ^
"Massachusetts 1796 U.S. Senate, Special, Ballot 2"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
February 4,
2018
.
, citing The Hampshire and Berkshire Chronicle (Springfield, MA). June 21, 1796.
- ^
"Massachusetts 1796 U.S. Senate, Special, Ballot 2"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
February 4,
2018
.
, citing Political Gazette (Newburyport, MA). June 16, 1796.
- ^
"New York 1796 U.S. Senate, Special"
.
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, 1796. 18. Journal of the New York State Senate, 1796. 12.
- ^
"New Jersey 1796 U.S. Senate"
.
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.
- ^
"Maryland 1796 U.S. Senate, Special"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
February 4,
2018
.
, citing Charles Carroll to James McHenry. Nov. 28, 1796. Reel 2, Item 990. Charles Carroll Papers. Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore.
- ^
"South Carolina 1796 U.S. Senate, Special"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
February 4,
2018
.
, citing Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). December 30, 1796.
- ^
"Delaware 1797 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 Delaware State Senate, 1797. 18.
- ^
"Massachusetts 1796 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
February 4,
2018
.
, citing Hampshire and Berkshire Chronicle (Springfield, MA). June 21, 1796.
- ^
"New York 1797 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, 1797. 68. Journal of the New York State Senate, 1797. 43-44.
- ^
"Pennsylvania 1797 U.S. Senate"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
February 4,
2018
.
, citing The New World (Philadelphia, PA). February 17, 1797.
- ^
United States Congress.
"William Cocke (id: C000572)"
.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
. Retrieved
January 4,
2013
.
- ^
"Virginia 1796 U.S. Senate"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
February 4,
2018
.
, citing The Virginia Argus (Richmond, VA). December 2, 1796.
- ^
a
b
"Tennessee 1797 U.S. Senate"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
January 30,
2018
.
, citing Commercial Advertiser (New York, NY). November 11, 1797.
- ^
United States Congress.
"William Blount (id: B000570)"
.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
. Retrieved
January 4,
2013
.
- ^
"Maryland 1797 U.S. Senate, Special"
.
Tufts Digital Collations and Archives
. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787?1825.
Tufts University
. Retrieved
February 4,
2018
.
, citing Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). December 13, 1797.
- ^
"Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Nov 00, 1795"
.
www.ourcampaigns.com
. Retrieved
2022-11-04
.
- ^
"Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Nov 21, 1796"
.
www.ourcampaigns.com
. Retrieved
2022-11-04
.
- ^
"Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Dec 08, 1797"
.
www.ourcampaigns.com
. Retrieved
2022-11-05
.