Contents

1916 United States Senate elections

1916 United States Senate elections

← 1914 November 7, 1916[a] 1918 →
35 of the 96 seats in the United States Senate 49 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader John W. Kern[b] (lost re-election) Jacob H. Gallinger[c] Party Democratic Republican Leader since March 4, 1911 March 4, 1911 Leader's seat Indiana New Hampshire Seats before 56 40 Seats won 17 18 Seats after 54 42 Seat change 2 2 Seats up 19 16
Clickable imagemap for the 1916 US Senate elections Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      No election
Majority conference chairman before election John W. Kern Democratic Elected Majority conference chairman Thomas S. Martin Democratic

The 1916 United States Senate elections were elections that coincided with the re-election of President Woodrow Wilson. This was the first election since the enactment of the Seventeenth Amendment that all 32 Class 1 Senators were selected by direct or popular elections instead of state legislatures. Republicans gained a net of two seats from the Democrats, and then a furthered seat through mid-term vacancies thereby reducing Democrats to a 53-43 majority.

Gains, losses, and holds[edit]

Retirements[edit]

Four Republicans and two Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

Defeats[edit]

Nine Democrats and five Republicans sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

Post-election changes[edit]

Seven Democrats and two Republicans died during the 65th Congress, and initially were all replaced by appointees.

Change in composition[edit]

Before the elections[edit]

Elections results[edit]

Race summaries[edit]

Special elections during the 64th Congress[edit]

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1916 or before March 4, 1917; ordered by election date.

Elections leading to the 65th Congress[edit]

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1917; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

Closest races[edit]

Eighteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Arizona[edit]

Arizona election

← 1912 1922 →

Nominee Henry F. Ashurst Joseph Henry Kibbey Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 29,873 21,261 Percentage 55.4% 39.4%   Nominee W. S. Bradford Party Socialist Popular vote 2,827 Percentage 5.2%

Election results by county Ashurst:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Kibbey:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Henry F. Ashurst Democratic Elected U.S. senator Henry F. Ashurst Democratic

Arkansas (special)[edit]

Arkansas special election

← 1914 1920 →

Nominee William F. Kirby Harmon L. Remmel Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 110,293 48,922 Percentage 69.27% 30.73%

County results Kirby:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Remmel:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election James Paul Clarke Democratic Elected U.S. senator William F. Kirby Democratic

Three-term Democratic Senate President pro tempore James Paul Clarke died October 1, 1916.

Democrat William F. Kirby was elected November 7, 1916, to finish the term. He served only the rest of this term, losing renomination in 1920.

California[edit]

California election

← 1911 November 6, 1916 1922 →

Nominee Hiram Johnson George S. Patton Walter Thomas Mills Party Republican Democratic Socialist Alliance Progressive Popular vote 574,667 277,852 49,341 Percentage 61.09% 29.54% 5.25%

County results Johnson:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Patton:      40-50%      50-60%

U.S. senator before election John Downey Works Republican Elected U.S. Senator Hiram Johnson Republican

Connecticut[edit]

Connecticut election

← 1911 1922 →

Nominee George P. McLean Homer Stille Cummings Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 107,020 98,649 Percentage 50.17% 46.24%

County results McLean:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election George P. McLean Republican Elected U.S. Senator George P. McLean Republican

Delaware[edit]

Delaware election

← 1911 1922 →

Nominee Josiah O. Wolcott Henry A. du Pont Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 25,434 22,925 Percentage 49.67% 44.77%

County results Wolcott:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Henry A. du Pont Republican Elected U.S. Senator Josiah O. Wolcott Democratic

Florida[edit]

Florida election

← 1911 1922 →

Nominee Park Trammell William R. O'Neal Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 58,391 8,774 Percentage 82.86% 12.45%

County results Trammell:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

U.S. senator before election Nathan Philemon Bryan Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Park Trammell Democratic

Indiana[edit]

There were two elections held November 7, 1916, due to a vacancy. The elections converted both seats from Democratic to Republican, thus marking the first time since the popular-election of Senators was mandated by the Seventeenth Amendment three years earlier that both Senate seats in a state flipped from one party to the other in a single election cycle.

Indiana (special)[edit]

Indiana special election

← 1914 1920 →

Nominee James Eli Watson Thomas Taggart Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 335,193 325,577 Percentage 47.66% 46.29%

County results Watson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Taggart:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Thomas Taggart Democratic Elected U.S. senator James Eli Watson Republican

Two-term Democrat Benjamin F. Shively was re-elected in 1914 and served until he died March 14, 1916. Democrat Thomas Taggart was appointed by Governor Samuel Ralston on March 20 to continue the term until a November 7, 1916, special election. Taggart lost the special election to Republican James Eli Watson.

Watson would finish out the term, be re-elected twice, and serve until his 1932 re-election loss.

Indiana (regular)[edit]

Indiana election

← 1911 1922 →

Nominee Harry New John W. Kern Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 337,089 325,588 Percentage 47.77% 46.14%

County results New:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Kern:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election John W. Kern Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Harry New Republican

One-term Democrat John W. Kern was elected in 1911. He lost re-election to Republican Harry Stewart New.

New served only until losing renomination in 1922. Kern died on August 17, 1917, the same year he left the U.S Senate.

Maine[edit]

There were two elections due to a vacancy. Both elections were held September 11, 1916, as Maine routinely held its annual elections in September at the time.

Maine (special)[edit]

Maine special election

← 1911 1918 →

Nominee Bert M. Fernald Kenneth C. Sills Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 81,369 68,201 Percentage 54.27% 45.49%

County results Fernald:      50–60%      60–70% Sillis:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Edwin C. Burleigh Republican Elected U.S. senator Bert M. Fernald Republican

One-term Republican Edwin C. Burleigh was elected in 1913, and died June 16, 1916. Republican Bert M. Fernald was elected September 12, 1916, to finish the term.

Fernand would later be re-elected twice and serve until his 1926 death.

Maine (regular)[edit]

Maine election

← 1911 September 11, 1916 1922 →

Nominee Frederick Hale Charles F. Johnson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 79,481 69,486 Percentage 52.72% 46.09%

County results Hale:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Johnson:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Charles F. Johnson Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Frederick Hale Republican

One-term Democrat Charles Fletcher Johnson was elected in 1911. He lost re-election to Republican Frederick Hale.

Hale would later be re-elected three times and serve until his 1935 retirement.

Maryland[edit]