Contents
The 1882–83 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 1882 and 1883, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.[2] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The Republicans retained a narrow majority — 39 (and later 40) out of 76 seats — with the Readjusters in their caucus.
Results summary
Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.
Parties | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Independent | Readjuster | Republican | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before these elections | 37 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 76 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Not up | 23 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class 1 (1880/81 → 1886/87) | 9 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class 3 (1878/79 → 1884/85) | 14 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Up | 15 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 29 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular: Class 2 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Special: Class 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Special: Class 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Special: Class 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent retired | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Held by same party | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Replaced by other party | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Result | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent ran | 11 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Won re-election | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lost re-election and gained by other party | ![]() ![]() |
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Lost re-election without an elected successor | ![]() |
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Lost renomination but held by same party | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Result | 10 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total elected | 13 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net change | ![]() |
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Result | 36 | 0 | 2 | 37 | 75 |
Change in Senate composition
Before the elections
After the November 15, 1882 special election in Georgia.
D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 | D2 | D1 | ||
D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 | D14 | D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 |
D28 Ran |
D27 Ran |
D26 Ran |
D25 Ran |
D24 Ran |
D23 | D22 | D21 | D20 | D19 |
D29 Ran |
D30 Ran |
D31 Ran |
D32 Ran |
D33 Ran |
D34 Ran |
D35 Retired |
D36 Retired |
D37 Retired |
I1 Retired |
Plurality, with Readjuster in caucus and VP tie-breaking vote ↓ | RA1 | ||||||||
R29 Ran |
R30 Ran |
R31 Ran |
R32 Ran |
R33 Ran |
R34 Ran |
R35 Retired |
R36 Retired |
R37 Retired | |
R28 Ran |
R27 Ran |
R26 | R25 | R24 | R23 | R22 | R21 | R20 | R19 |
R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 |
R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 | R4 | R3 | R2 | R1 |
After the elections
D8 | D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 | D2 | D1 | ||
D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 | D14 | D15 | D16 | D17 | D18 |
D28 Re-elected |
D27 Re-elected |
D26 Re-elected |
D25 Re-elected |
D24 Re-elected |
D23 | D22 | D21 | D20 | D19 |
D29 Re-elected |
D30 Re-elected |
D31 Re-elected |
D32 Re-elected |
D33 Re-elected |
D34 Hold |
D35 Hold |
D36 Gain |
V1 R Loss |
RA2 Gain |
Majority, with Readjusters in caucus ↓ | RA1 | ||||||||
R29 Re-elected |
R30 Re-elected |
R31 Hold |
R32 Hold |
R33 Hold |
R34 Hold |
R35 Hold |
R36 Gain |
R37 Gain | |
R28 Re-elected |
R27 Re-elected |
R26 | R25 | R24 | R23 | R22 | R21 | R20 | R19 |
R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 |
R8 | R7 | R6 | R5 | R4 | R3 | R2 | R1 |
Key: |
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Race summaries
Special elections during the 47th Congress
In these elections, the winners were seated during 1882 or in 1883 before March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Iowa (Class 2) |
James W. McDill | Republican | 1881 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 25, 1882. Winner did not run for re-election, see below. |
|
Georgia (Class 2) |
Benjamin H. Hill | Democratic | 1877 | Incumbent died August 16, 1882. Winner elected November 15, 1882. Democratic hold. Winner did not run for re-election, see below. |
|
Colorado (Class 2) |
George M. Chilcott | Republican | 1882 (Appointed) | Interim appointee retired. Winner elected January 27, 1883. Republican hold. Winner did not run for re-election, see below. |
|
Races leading to the 48th Congress
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1883; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | John Tyler Morgan | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected in 1882. |
|
Arkansas | Augustus Garland | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected in 1883. |
|
Colorado | Horace Tabor | Republican | 1883 (special) | Incumbent retired. Winner's election date unknown. Republican hold. |
|
Delaware | Eli Saulsbury | Democratic | 1870 1876 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1883. |
|
Georgia | Middleton P. Barrow | Democratic | 1882 (special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1883. Democratic hold. |
|
Illinois | David Davis | Independent | 1876 or 1877 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1882. Republican gain. |
|
Iowa | James W. McDill | Republican | 1881 (Appointed) 1882 (special) |
Incumbent retired. Winner elected January 25, 1882. Republican hold. |
|
Kansas | Preston B. Plumb | Republican | 1877 | Incumbent re-elected January 24, 1883.[4] |
|
Kentucky | James B. Beck | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected in 1882. |
|
Louisiana | Joseph R. West | Republican | 1876 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1882. Democratic gain. |
|
Maine | William P. Frye | Republican | 1881 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1883. |
|
Massachusetts | George Frisbie Hoar | Republican | 1877 | Incumbent re-elected in 1883. |
|
Michigan | Thomas W. Ferry | Republican | 1871 1877 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1882 or 1883. Republican hold. |
|
Minnesota | William Windom | Republican | 1870 (Appointed) 1871 1877 1881 (special) |
Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1883. Republican hold. |
|
Mississippi | Lucius Q. C. Lamar II | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected in 1883. |
|
Nebraska | Alvin Saunders | Republican | 1877 | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1883. Republican hold. |
|
New Hampshire | Edward H. Rollins | Republican | 1876 | Incumbent lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. |
None. |
New Jersey | John R. McPherson | Democratic | 1877 | Incumbent re-elected in 1883. |
|
North Carolina | Matt W. Ransom | Democratic | 1872 (special) 1876 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1883. |
|
Oregon | La Fayette Grover | Democratic | 1882 or 1883 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1882. Republican gain. |
|
Rhode Island | Henry B. Anthony | Republican | 1858 1864 1870 1876 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1882. |
|
South Carolina | Matthew Butler | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected in 1882. |
|
Tennessee | Isham G. Harris | Democratic | 1877 | Incumbent re-elected in 1883. |
|
Texas | Richard Coke | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected in 1882. |
|
Virginia | John W. Johnston | Democratic | 1871 1877 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected early December 21, 1881.[5] Readjuster gain. Winner caucused with the Republicans.[5] |
|
West Virginia | Henry G. Davis | Democratic | 1871 1877 |
Incumbent retired. Winner's election date unknown. Democratic hold. |
|
Elections during the 48th Congress
In this election, the winner was elected in 1883 after March 4.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
New Hampshire | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. Winner elected August 2, 1883.[6] Republican gain. |
|
Iowa
On January 25, 1882, the Iowa General Assembly elected James W. McDill (Republican) to finish the term over M. M. Ham and Daniel Campbell.[3] James F. Wilson (Republican) was elected to the full six-year term on January 25, 1882, over L. G. Kinne and D. P. Subbs.[3]
West Virginia
On January 23, 1883, each House of the West Virginia Legislature chose a senator to replace retiring incumbent, Henry G. Davis. In both chambers, the ballot was a three-way race between John E. Kenna, a Democratic congressman, George Loomis, a state judge and former state senator, and Berkeley County resident John Tabb Janney.[7] In the House, the final count was 37 votes for Kenna, 22 votes for Loomis, and 3 votes for Janney. In the Senate, the final count was 17 votes for Kenna, 7 votes for Loomis, and 2 votes for Janney.[8] Kenna, having received the majority of votes in both chambers, was declared duly elected as senator.
See also
Notes
- ^ And other dates for special elections
- ^ as Republican Conference Chair
- ^ as Democratic Caucus Chair
References
- ^ a b The Readjusters caucused with the Republicans.
- ^ "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Clark, p. 199
- ^ a b Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. ... Kansas: Standard Publishing Company. p. 757. ISBN 9780722249055.
- ^ a b Jones Salmon, Emily. "Harrison H. Riddleberger (1843–1890)". Encyclopedia Virginia/Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "A Long Dead-Lock Broken: Austin F. Pike Elected Senator from New-Hampshire". New York Times. August 3, 1883. p. 1. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
- ^ Atkinson, George Wesley (1890). Prominent Men of West Virginia. W.L. Callin. p. 381.
- ^ Journal of the House of Delegates of the State of West Virginia. West Virginia Legislature. January 24, 1883. p. 100.
- Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov
- Clark, Dan Elbert (1912). History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa. Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa.