The 1800–01 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with Thomas Jefferson being elected to the White House. 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 1800 and 1801, 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 3.

Quick Facts 10 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 17 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...
1800–01 United States Senate elections

 1798 & 1799 Dates vary by state 1802 & 1803 

10 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
17 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Federalist Democratic-Republican
Seats before 21 (65.6%) 11 (34.4%)
Seats after 17 (54.8%) 14 (45.2%)
Seat change Decrease 4 Increase 3
Seats up 7 3
Races won 3 6

Thumb
Results:
     Federalist hold      Federalist gain
     Dem-Republican hold      Dem-Republican gain

Majority Party before election


Federalist

Elected Majority Party


Federalist

Close

Although the Federalists began the 7th Congress with a slim majority, Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party took over the majority shortly thereafter due to mid-year special elections. By the time the first proper session of the 7th Congress met in December 1801, three seats had been gained by the Democratic-Republicans, leaving them with an overall majority of 17 seats and a government trifecta.

Change in composition

Before the November elections

After the November 6, 1800 special election in New York.

DR6 DR5 DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1
DR7 DR8 DR9
N.H.
Ran
DR10
N.Y.
Ran
DR11
N.C.
Retired
F21
Vt.
Ran
F20
S.C.
Ran
F19
Pa.
Retired
F18
Md.
Unknown
F17
Ky.
Ran
Majority →
F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 F13 F14 F15
Conn.
Ran
F16
Ga.
Retired
F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1

Result of the November elections

DR6 DR5 DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1
DR7 DR8 DR9
Ga.
Gain
DR10
Ky.
Gain
DR11
N.Y.
Re-elected
DR12
N.C.
Hold
DR13
Pa.
Gain
DR14
S.C.
Gain
V1
Md.
F loss
F17
Vt.
Re-elected
Majority →
F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 F13 F14 F15
Conn.
Re-elected
F16
N.H.
Gain
F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1

Beginning of the 7th Congress, March 4, 1801

DR6 DR5 DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1
DR7 DR8 DR9 DR10 DR11 DR12 DR13 DR14 F18
Md.
Appointed
F17
Majority →
F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 F13 F14 F15 F16
F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1

End of 1801

DR6 DR5 DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1
DR7 DR8 DR9 DR10 DR11 DR12 DR13
Md.
Gain
DR14
Pa.
Hold
DR15
R.I.
Gain
DR16
S.C.
Hold
Majority → DR17
Vt.
Gain
F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12 F13 F14 F15
N.H.
Hold
F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1
More information Key ...
Key
DR# Democratic-Republican
F# Federalist
V# Vacant
Close

Race summaries

Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.

Special elections during the preceding Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1801; ordered by election date.

More information State, Incumbent ...
State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral
history
New York
(Class 1)
James Watson Federalist 1798 (special) Incumbent resigned March 19, 1800, to become Naval Officer of the Port of New York.
New senator elected April 3, 1800.
Federalist hold.
Massachusetts
(Class 2)
Samuel Dexter Federalist 1798 Incumbent resigned May 30, 1800 to become U.S. Secretary of War.
New senator elected June 6, 1800.
Federalist hold.
New York
(Class 3)
John Laurance Federalist 1796 (special) Incumbent resigned August 1800.
New senator elected November 6, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Massachusetts
(Class 1)
Benjamin Goodhue Federalist 1796 (special)
1796
Incumbent resigned November 8, 1800.
New senator elected November 14, 1800.
Federalist hold.
Maryland
(Class 3)
James Lloyd Federalist 1797 (special) Incumbent resigned December 1, 1800.
New senator elected December 12, 1800.
Federalist hold.
  • Green tickY William Hindman (Federalist) 49 (55.1%)
  • Richard T. Earle (Democratic-Republican) 40 (44.9%)[5]
New Jersey
(Class 1)
James Schureman Federalist 1799 (special) Incumbent resigned February 16, 1801.
New senator elected February 28, 1801.
Federalist hold.
Close

Races leading to the next Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1801; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

More information State, Incumbent ...
State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral
history
Connecticut Uriah Tracy Federalist 1796 (special) Incumbent re-elected in May 1801.
Georgia James Gunn Federalist 1789
1794
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 19, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Kentucky Humphrey Marshall Federalist 1794 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected November 20, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Maryland William Hindman Federalist 1797 (special) Legislature failed to elect.
Incumbent was later appointed to begin the next term.
None.
New Hampshire John Langdon Democratic-
Republican
1788
1794 or 1795
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected June 21, 1800.
Federalist gain.
New York John Armstrong Democratic-
Republican
1800 (special) Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1801.
North Carolina Timothy Bloodworth Democratic-
Republican
1795 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 27, 1800.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Pennsylvania William Bingham Federalist 1795 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected February 18, 1801.[12]
Democratic-Republican gain.
South Carolina Jacob Read Federalist 1794 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1800 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Vermont Elijah Paine Federalist 1794 Incumbent re-elected October 21, 1800.
Close

Special elections during the next Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated after March 4, 1801; ordered by election date.

More information State, Incumbent ...
State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral
history
Rhode Island
(Class 2)
Ray Greene Federalist 1797 (special)
1798
Incumbent resigned March 5, 1801.
New senator elected May 6, 1801.
Democratic-Republican gain.
New Hampshire
(Class 2)
Samuel Livermore Federalist 1798 (special) Incumbent resigned June 12, 1801.
New senator elected June 17, 1801.
Federalist hold.
Vermont
(Class 3)
Elijah Paine Federalist 1794
1800
Incumbent resigned September 1, 1801.
New senator elected October 14, 1801.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Maryland
(Class 3)
William Hindman Federalist 1800 (Appointed) Incumbent appointee did not run to finish the term
New senator elected November 12, 1801 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
South Carolina
(Class 2)
Charles Pinckney Democratic-
Republican
1798 (special)
1798
Incumbent resigned June 6, 1801.
New senator elected December 3, 1801.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Pennsylvania
(Class 3)
Peter Muhlenberg Democratic-
Republican
1801 Incumbent resigned June 30, 1801.
New senator elected December 17, 1801.[19]
Democratic-Republican hold.
Close

Connecticut

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Senator Uriah Tracy

Federalist Uriah Tracy was easily re-elected.

Georgia

Kentucky

Maryland

Maryland (special, 1800)

Quick Facts 80 members of the Maryland General Assembly, Candidate ...
1800 United States Senate special election in Maryland
 1797 December 9, 1800 1801 

80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
 
Candidate William Hindman Richard Tilghman Earle
Party Federalist
Legislative vote 45 44
Percentage 50.56% 49.44%
Close

William Hindman won election over Richard Tilghman Earle by a margin of 10.11%, or 9 votes, for the Class 3 seat.[20]

Maryland (regular)

The Maryland legislature failed to elect a senator before the March 4, 1801 beginning of the term. As such, William Hindman was appointed to fill the vacancy, and retired when a successor was elected.

Maryland (special, 1801)

Quick Facts 80 members of the Maryland General Assembly, Candidate ...
1801 United States Senate special election in Maryland
 1800 December 9, 1800 1806 

80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
  Thumb
Candidate Robert Wright William Winder
Party Democratic-Republican Democratic-Republican
Legislative vote 60 26
Percentage 50.56% 30.23%
Close

Robert Wright won election over William Winder by a margin of 39.53%, or 34 votes, for the Class 3 seat.[21]

Massachusetts

Massachusetts (special, class 2)

Massachusetts (special, class 1)

New Hampshire

New Hampshire (regular)

New Hampshire (special)

New Jersey (special)

New York

New York (regular)

New York (special, class 1)

New York (special, class 3)

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (regular)

Pennsylvania (special)

Rhode Island (special)

South Carolina

South Carolina (regular)

South Carolina (special)

Vermont

Vermont (regular)

Vermont (special)

See also

References

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