1826–27 United States Senate elections

1826–27 United States Senate elections
16 of the 48 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections); 25 seats needed for a majority
	Results:; Jacksonian Hold Jacksonian Gain; Anti-Jacksonian Hold Anti-Jacksonian Gain; Legislature Failed To Elect
Majority Party before election; ; Jacksonian	Elected Majority Party ; ; Jacksonian

The 1826–27 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 1826 and 1827, 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.

The majority Jacksonians gained a seat in the United States Senate. Senators who called themselves "Anti-Jacksonian" or "National Republicans" were also called "Adams" or "Adams Men."

Results summary

Senate party division, 20th Congress (1827–1829)

Majority party: Jacksonian (27)
Minority party: Anti-Jacksonian (20–21)
Other parties: (0)
Total seats: 48

Change in composition

Before the elections

At the beginning of 1826.

						A₁	A₂	A₃	A₄
A₁₄ Ind. Ran	A₁₃	A₁₂	A₁₁	A₁₀	A₉	A₈	A₇	A₆	A₅
A₁₅ Mass. Ran	A₁₆ Ohio Ran	A₁₇ R.I. Ran	A₁₈ Vt. Ran	A₁₉ Del. Unknown	A₂₀ Maine Unknown	A₂₁ N.J. Died	V₁	J₂₆ Pa. Retired	J₂₅ Conn. Unknown
Majority →									J₂₅ Conn. Unknown
J₁₅	J₁₆	J₁₇	J₁₈	J₁₉ Md. Ran	J₂₀ Miss. Ran	J₂₁ Mo. Ran	J₂₂ N.Y. Ran	J₂₃ Tenn. Ran	J₂₄ Va. Ran
J₁₄	J₁₃	J₁₂	J₁₁	J₁₀	J₉	J₈	J₇	J₆	J₅
						J₁	J₂	J₃	J₄

Result of the regular elections

						A₁	A₂	A₃	A₄
A₁₄ Ind. Re-elected	A₁₃	A₁₂	A₁₁	A₁₀	A₉	A₈	A₇	A₆	A₅
A₁₅ Ohio Re-elected	A₁₆ R.I. Re-elected	A₁₇ Vt. Re-elected	A₁₈ N.J. Hold	A₁₉ Conn. Gain	V₂ Mass. A Loss	V₁	J₂₇ Maine Gain	J₂₆ Del. Gain	J₂₅ Va. Hold
Majority →									J₂₅ Va. Hold
J₁₅	J₁₆	J₁₇	J₁₈	J₁₉ Md. Re-elected	J₂₀ Mo. Re-elected	J₂₁ N.Y. Re-elected	J₂₂ Tenn. Re-elected	J₂₃ Miss. Hold^[a]	J₂₄ Pa. Hold
J₁₄	J₁₃	J₁₂	J₁₁	J₁₀	J₉	J₈	J₇	J₆	J₅
						J₁	J₂	J₃	J₄

Result of the special elections

Before the March 4, 1827, beginning of the new Congress.

						A₁	A₂	A₃	A₄
A₁₄	A₁₃	A₁₂	A₁₁	A₁₀	A₉	A₈	A₇	A₆	A₅
A₁₅	A₁₆	A₁₇ Md. Gain	A₁₈ N.J. Hold, same as regular	A₁₉ N.Y. Gain	A₂₀ Mass. 2 Hold	V₁	J₂₇ Del. (sp) Gain	J₂₆ Miss. (sp) Elected^[b]^[a]	J₂₅ Ala. (sp) Hold
Majority →									J₂₅ Ala. (sp) Hold
J₁₅	J₁₆	J₁₇	J₁₈	J₁₉	J₂₀	J₂₁	J₂₂	J₂₃	J₂₄ S.C. Hold
J₁₄	J₁₃	J₁₂	J₁₁	J₁₀	J₉	J₈	J₇	J₆	J₅
						J₁	J₂	J₃	J₄

Key:

A_#	= Anti-Jacksonian
J_#	= Jacksonian
V_#	= Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 19th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1826 or before March 4, 1827; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
State	Senator	Party	Electoral history	Results	Candidates
New York (Class 3)	Vacant			Seat vacant after an 1824 legislative deadlock. New senator elected January 14, 1826. Anti-Jacksonian gain.	▌ Y Nathan Sanford (Anti-Jacksonian) [data missing]
Maryland (Class 3)	Edward Lloyd	Jacksonian	1819 1825	Incumbent resigned January 14, 1826. New senator elected January 24, 1826. Anti-Jacksonian gain.	▌ Y Ezekiel F. Chambers (Anti-Jacksonian) [data missing]
Mississippi (Class 1)	Powhatan Ellis	Jacksonian	1825 (appointed)	Interim appointee lost election January 28, 1826. Jacksonian hold.	▌ Y Thomas Reed (Jacksonian) [data missing]
Massachusetts (Class 2)	James Lloyd	Anti-Jacksonian	1808 (special) 1808 1813 (resigned) 1822 (special) 1822	Incumbent resigned May 23, 1826. New senator elected May 31, 1826. Anti-Jacksonian hold.	▌ Y Nathaniel Silsbee (Anti-Jacksonian) [data missing]
New Jersey (Class 1)	Joseph McIlvaine	Anti-Jacksonian	1823 (special)	Incumbent died August 19, 1826 New senator elected November 10, 1826. Anti-Jacksonian hold. Winner also elected to the next term; see below.	▌ Y Ephraim Bateman (Anti-Jacksonian) [data missing]
Alabama (Class 3)	Israel Pickens	Jacksonian	1826 (appointed)	Interim appointee not elected to finish the term. New senator elected November 27, 1826. Jacksonian hold.	▌ Y John McKinley (Jacksonian) [data missing]
South Carolina (Class 3)	William Harper	Jacksonian	1826 (appointed)	Interim appointee not elected to finish the term. New senator elected November 29, 1826. Jacksonian hold.	▌ Y William Smith (Jacksonian) [data missing]
Delaware (Class 2)	Daniel Rodney	Anti-Jacksonian	1826 (appointed)	Interim appointee not elected to finish the term. New senator elected January 12, 1827. Jacksonian gain.	▌ Y Henry M. Ridgely (Jacksonian) [data missing]

Races leading to the 20th Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1827; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
State	Senator	Party	Electoral history	Results	Candidates
Connecticut	Henry W. Edwards	Jacksonian	1823 (appointed) 1824 (special)	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected. Anti-Jacksonian gain.	▌ Y Samuel A. Foote (Anti-Jacksonian) [data missing]
Delaware	Thomas Clayton	Anti-Jacksonian	1824 (special)	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected. Jacksonian gain.	▌ Y Louis McLane (Jacksonian) [data missing]
Indiana	James Noble	Anti-Jacksonian	1816 1821	Incumbent re-elected.	▌ Y James Noble (Anti-Jacksonian) [data missing]
Maine	John Holmes	Anti-Jacksonian	1820 1821	Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected. Jacksonian gain.	▌ Y Albion K. Parris (Jacksonian) [data missing]
Maryland	Samuel Smith	Jacksonian	1802 1809 1815 (lost) 1822 (special)	Incumbent re-elected.	▌ Y Samuel Smith (Jacksonian) [data missing]
Massachusetts	Elijah H. Mills	Anti-Jacksonian	1820 (special) 1820	Incumbent lost re-election. Legislature elected late. Anti-Jacksonian loss.	[data missing]
Mississippi	Thomas Reed	Jacksonian	1826 (special)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1826 or 1827. Jacksonian hold.	▌ Y Powhatan Ellis (Jacksonian) [data missing]
Missouri	Thomas H. Benton	Jacksonian	1821	Incumbent re-elected.	▌ Y Thomas H. Benton (Jacksonian) [data missing]
New Jersey	Joseph McIlvaine	Anti-Jacksonian	1823 (special)	Incumbent died August 19, 1826. New senator elected November 10, 1826. Anti-Jacksonian hold. Winner was also elected to finish the preceding term; see above.	▌ Y Ephraim Bateman (Anti-Jacksonian) [data missing]
New York	Martin Van Buren	Jacksonian	1821	Incumbent re-elected February 6, 1827.	▌ Y Martin Van Buren (Jacksonian) [data missing]
Ohio	Benjamin Ruggles	Anti-Jacksonian	1815 1821	Incumbent re-elected.	▌ Y Benjamin Ruggles (Anti-Jacksonian) Unopposed^[2]
Pennsylvania	William Findlay	Jacksonian	1821	Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Jacksonian hold.	▌ Y Isaac D. Barnard (Jacksonian) 81.20% ▌Samuel D. Ingham (Jacksonian) 8.27% ▌Joseph Hemphill (Jacksonian) 3.76% ▌James Buchanan (Jacksonian) 2.26% ▌Thomas Sergeant (Jacksonian) 0.75% Not voting 3.76%
Rhode Island	Asher Robbins	Anti-Jacksonian	1825 (special)	Incumbent re-elected November 2, 1826.	▌ Y Asher Robbins (Anti-Jacksonian) unanimously^[3]
Tennessee	John Eaton	Jacksonian	1818 (appointed) 1819 (special) 1821 (special)	Incumbent re-elected.	▌ Y John Eaton (Jacksonian) [data missing]
Vermont	Horatio Seymour	Anti-Jacksonian	1821	Incumbent re-elected.	▌ Y Horatio Seymour (Anti-Jacksonian) [data missing]
Virginia	John Randolph	Jacksonian	1825 (Appointed)	Appointee lost election. New senator elected. Jacksonian hold.	▌ Y John Tyler (Jacksonian) [data missing]

Elections during the 20th Congress

In this election, the winner was seated in 1827 after the new Congress began on March 4.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
State	Senator	Party	Electoral history	Results	Candidates
Massachusetts (Class 1)	Vacant			Vacant due to late election. New senator elected June 8, 1827. Anti-Jacksonian gain.	▌ Y Daniel Webster (Anti-Jacksonian) 202^[4] Others 126

Alabama (special)

Connecticut

Delaware

Delaware had two elections: A special for the class 2 seat and a regular election for the class 1 seat. The elections flipped both seats from Anti-Jacksonian to Jacksonian.

Delaware (special)

Anti-Jacksonian senator Nicholas Van Dyke died May 21, 1826, and Anti-Jacksonian Daniel Rodney was appointed to continue the class 2 term (ending March 3, 1829) until a special election.

Jacksonian Henry M. Ridgely was elected January 12, 1827.

Delaware (regular)

Anti-Jacksonian Thomas Clayton had served since winning an 1824 special election. It is unknown if Clayton was a candidate for re-election in 1827, but that election was won by Jacksonian Louis McLane.

Indiana

Maine

Maryland

Maryland (special)

Ezekiel F. Chambers won election over Philip Reed by a margin of 18.07%, or 15 votes, for the Class 3 seat.^[5]

Maryland (regular)

Samuel Smith won election by a margin of 87.95%, or 73 votes, for the Class 1 seat.^[6]

Massachusetts

Massachusetts (special, class 2)

Massachusetts (regular)

Massachusetts (special, class 1)

Mississippi

Jacksonian interim appointee Powhatan Ellis had served in the class 1 seat since 1825 for the term ending March 3, 1827.

He faced a special election to finish the term and a regular election to the next term.

Mississippi (special)

Jacksonian Thomas Buck Reed was elected January 27, 1826, to finish the term, but not to the next full term.

Mississippi (regular)

Jacksonian interim appointee Powhatan Ellis was elected sometime (date unknown) to the next term, and would go on to serve until 1832.

Missouri

New Jersey

New Jersey (regular)

New Jersey (special)

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina (special)

Tennessee

Vermont

Virginia

Notes

^ ^a ^b In Mississippi, Jacksonian appointee Powhatan Ellis lost the election to finish the term, but was elected to the next term.
^ Appointee elected

References

^ "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
^ "Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page". www.ourcampaigns.com.
^ J. Fred Parker, Secretary of State (1914). Manual, with Rules and Orders, for the use of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island, 1914. State of Rhode Island manual. Providence, RI: E. L. Freeman Company, State Printers. p. 149.
^ "STATE LEGISLATURE.: IN THE SENATE". Christian Register. Vol. 6, no. 21. June 9, 1827. p. 90.
^ "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 24, 1826". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^ "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 09, 1827". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.

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

[Mississippi-2] In Mississippi, Jacksonian appointee Powhatan Ellis lost the election to finish the term, but was elected to the next term.

[Appointee_elected-3] Appointee elected

[1] "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.

[4] "Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page". www.ourcampaigns.com.

[5] J. Fred Parker, Secretary of State (1914). Manual, with Rules and Orders, for the use of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island, 1914. State of Rhode Island manual. Providence, RI: E. L. Freeman Company, State Printers. p. 149.

[6] "STATE LEGISLATURE.: IN THE SENATE". Christian Register. Vol. 6, no. 21. June 9, 1827. p. 90.

[7] "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 24, 1826". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.

[8] "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 09, 1827". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved November 5, 2022.

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