Contents

1846–47 United States Senate elections

1846–47 United States Senate elections

← 1844 & 1845 Various dates 1848 & 1849 →
19 of the 58 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 30 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Whig Last election 35 seats 24 seats Seats before 33 23 Seats won 10 7 Seats after 35 19 Seat change 2 4 Seats up 8 10   Third party Fourth party   Party Liberty Independent Democratic Last election New party 0 Seats before 1 0 Seats won 0 1 Seats after 0 1 Seat change 1 1 Seats up 1 0
Results:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Independent Democratic gain      Whig hold      Legislature failed to elect
Majority Party before election Democratic Elected Majority Party Democratic

The 1846–47 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 1846 and 1847, 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 2.

The Democratic Party gained four seats in the United States Senate.

Results[edit]

Senate party division, 30th Congress (1847–1849)

• Majority party: Democratic (34–38)
• Minority party: Whig (20–21)
• Other parties: Independent Democratic (1)
• Total seats: 58–60

Change in composition[edit]

Before the elections[edit]

After the February 1846 elections in Texas.

As a result of the regular elections[edit]

As a result of the regular elections[edit]

Race summaries[edit]

Special elections during the 29th Congress[edit]

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1846 or in 1847 before March 4; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the 30th Congress[edit]

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1847; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

Special elections during the 30th Congress[edit]

In this special election, the winner was elected in 1847 after March 4.

Iowa[edit]

Iowa became a state in December 1846, but did not elect its senators until December 1848.

Louisiana[edit]

Alexander Barrow (W) died December 29, 1846. Pierre Soulé (D) was elected January 21, 1847 just to finish the term. Solomon W. Downs (D) was elected to the next term.

New Hampshire[edit]

Democratic appointee Benning W. Jenness lost the June 13, 1846 election to finish the term and the election the same day to the next term. Joseph Cilley (Liberty) was elected to finish the term, but lost the election to the next term. John P. Hale was (Independent Democratic) was elected to the next term and would later become a Free Soiler.

Virginia[edit]

William S. Archer (W) lost re-election to Democrat Robert M. T. Hunter.

Virginia (special)[edit]

Isaac S. Pennybacker (D), who was not up for election, died January 12, 1847. James Murray Mason (D) was elected January 21, 1847.

See also[edit]

• 1846 United States elections
  • 1846–47 United States House of Representatives elections
• 29th United States Congress
• 30th United States Congress

References[edit]

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