List of special elections to the United States Senate - wikipedia List of special elections to the United States Senate Special elections to the United States Senate are held to fill the vacancies that occur when a Senator dies or resigns before the completion of his or her six - year term. Winners of these special elections typically serve the remainder of the term of the senator who has caused the vacancy. General elections to the U.S. Congress are held in November of even - numbered years. New Congresses convened on March 4 of the following year until 1934, and since then, new Congresses have begun on January 3 of the following year. Because of the cost of conducting a special election, most states hold elections to fill a Senate vacancy in conjunction with the next general election, while some states, such as Alabama and Texas, allow for special elections to the Senate to be held before a general election ( similar to special elections to the U.S. House of Representatives, though special elections are on a state - wide basis ). Special election can alter the balance of power in the Senate, as can temporary appointments. Contents 1 Appointments by Governors 2 List of special elections 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External links Appointments by governors Prior to ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1913, most state legislatures elected senators, as well as replacement senators. Some states empowered their governor to make temporary appointments until the legislature was in session. The Seventeenth Amendment now requires the governor of the state to issue a writ for a special election to fill a vacant Senate seat, but no timeframe is specified in the provision for when the special election is to be held. State legislatures may also empower the governor to fill a vacancy by a temporary appointment, until the winner of the special election is certified. The constitution does not set out how the temporary appointee is to be selected ( eg., there is no federal requirement that the appointee be of the same party, as happened most recently in New Jersey in 2013 ), and the state legislature can legislate as to how the replacement is to be selected. As of 2010, Oregon, and Wisconsin do not empower their governor to make temporary appointments and require special elections ; and Oklahoma permits its governor to appoint only the winner of a special election. Between 2004 and 2008, Massachusetts denied the power of the governor to appoint a replacement ; in 2004, the Democratic - controlled legislature wanted to limit the power of the Republican governor ( Gov. Mitt Romney ) to appoint a successor to then - Sen. John Kerry if he were elected president that year. With the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy, the legislature chose to revert the rules to allow the Democratic governor ( Gov. Deval Patrick ) to appoint a temporary replacement Senator while awaiting the results of a special election to complete the existing term. Hawaii allows the Governor to appoint an interim Senator `` who serves until the next regularly - scheduled general election, chosen from a list of three prospective appointees that the prior incumbent 's political party submits ''. Alaska in 2004 enacted conflicting legislation and a separate ballot referendum law that took effect on the same day. It is uncertain if the Alaska governor may successfully appoint an interim Senator to serve until the mandated special election occurs 60 to 90 days after the vacancy happens. The ballot - approved law fails to specifically authorize the governor to appoint, though the legislative law does. List of special elections This is an incomplete list of special elections to the United States Senate. The list only includes vacancies that were filled by special election. Not included are those situations in which vacancies were only filled by appointment or general election, or new seats. This list is sorted by the date of the special election. This list is incomplete ; you can help by expanding it. State ( Class ) Original Appointee Election winner Senator Vacancy event Senator Date Senator Date ↑ Virginia ( Class 1 ) William Grayson ( A ) Died March 12, 1790 John Walker ( P ) March 31, 1790 James Monroe ( A ) November 9, 1790 New Jersey ( Class 2 ) William Paterson ( P ) Resigned November 13, 1790 No appointment Philemon Dickinson ( P ) November 23, 1790 Connecticut ( Class 3 ) William S. Johnson ( P ) Resigned March 4, 1791 No appointment Roger Sherman ( P ) June 13, 1791 Virginia ( Class 2 ) Richard Henry Lee ( A ) Resigned October 8, 1792. No appointment John Taylor ( A ) October 18, 1792 Maryland ( Class 1 ) Charles Carroll ( P ) Resigned November 30, 1792 No appointment Richard Potts ( P ) January 10, 1793 Pennsylvania ( Class 1 ) Vacant Failure to elect elect successor prior to March 4, 1791 No appointment Albert Gallatin ( A ) February 28, 1793 Connecticut ( Class 3 ) Roger Sherman ( P ) Died July 23, 1793 No appointment Stephen Mitchell ( P ) December 2, 1793 New York ( Class 3 ) Rufus King ( F ) Resigned May 23, 1796 No appointment John Laurance ( F ) November 9, 1796 New York ( Class 1 ) Philip Schuyler ( F ) Resigned January 3, 1798 No appointment John Sloss Hobart ( F ) January 11, 1798 New York ( Class 1 ) John Sloss Hobart ( F ) Resigned April 16, 1798 William North ( F ) May 5, 1798 James Watson ( F ) August 17, 1798 New York ( Class 1 ) James Watson ( F ) Resigned March 19, 1800 No appointment Gouverneur Morris ( F ) April 3, 1800 New York ( Class 3 ) John Laurance ( F ) Resigned August 1800 No appointment John Armstrong, Jr. ( DR ) November 6, 1800 New York ( Class 3 ) John Armstrong, Jr. ( DR ) Resigned February 5, 1802 No appointment DeWitt Clinton ( DR ) February 9, 1802 New York ( Class 1 ) Theodorus Bailey ( DR ) Resigned January 16, 1804 No appointment John Armstrong, Jr. ( DR ) February 3, 1804 New York ( Class 3 ) John Armstrong, Jr. ( DR ) Resigned February 23, 1804 No appointment John Smith ( DR ) February 3, 1804 New York ( Class 1 ) John Armstrong, Jr. ( DR ) Resigned June 30, 1804 No appointment Samuel L. Mitchill ( DR ) November 9, 1804 Alabama ( Class 3 ) John Williams Walker ( DR ) Resigned December 12, 1822 No appointment William Kelly ( DR ) December 12, 1822 Delaware ( Class 1 ) Caesar A. Rodney ( DR ) Resigned January 29, 1823 No appointment Thomas Clayton ( F ) January 8, 1824 Louisiana ( Class 3 ) Henry Johnson ( DR ) Resigned May 27, 1824 No appointment Charles Bouligny ( DR ) November 19, 1824 Illinois ( Class 3 ) Ninian Edwards ( DR ) Resigned March 4, 1824 No appointment John McLean ( DR ) November 24, 1824 Georgia ( Class 2 ) Nicholas Ware ( DR ) Died January 29, 1823 No appointment Thomas W. Cobb ( F ) December 6, 1824 Virginia ( Class 2 ) John Taylor ( DR ) Died August 21, 1824 No appointment Littleton Tazewell ( DR ) December 7, 1824 Alabama ( Class 3 ) Henry H. Chambers ( DR ) Died January 24, 1826 Israel Pickens ( DR ) February 17, 1826 John McKinley ( J ) November 27, 1826 New York ( Class 1 ) Martin Van Buren ( DR ) Resigned December 20, 1828 No appointment Charles E. Dudley ( D ) January 15, 1829 New York ( Class 3 ) William L. Marcy ( D ) Resigned January 1, 1833 No appointment Silas Wright ( D ) January 4, 1833 Alabama ( Class 3 ) John McKinley ( D ) Resigned April 22, 1837 Clement Comer Clay ( D ) June 19, 1837 Arthur P. Bagby ( D ) November 24, 1841 Arkansas ( Class 2 ) William S. Fulton ( D ) Died August 15, 1844 No appointment Chester Ashley ( D ) November 8, 1844 New York ( Class 1 ) Nathaniel P. Tallmadge ( W ) Resigned June 17, 1844 Daniel S. Dickinson ( D ) November 30, 1844 Daniel S. Dickinson ( D ) January 18, 1845 New York ( Class 3 ) Silas Wright ( D ) Resigned November 26, 1844 Henry A. Foster ( D ) November 30, 1844 John Adams Dix ( D ) January 18, 1845 Arkansas ( Class 2 ) Chester Ashley ( D ) Died April 29, 1848 William K. Sebastian ( D ) May 12, 1848 William K. Sebastian ( D ) November 17, 1848 Alabama ( Class 2 ) Dixon Hall Lewis ( D ) Died October 24, 1848 Benjamin Fitzpatrick ( D ) November 25, 1848 Jeremiah Clemens ( D ) November 30, 1849 New Hampshire ( Class 3 ) James Bell ( R ) Died May 26, 1857 No appointment Daniel Clark ( R ) June 26, 1857 Tennessee ( Class 1 ) Vacant Failure to elect successor prior to March 4, 1857 ? Andrew Johnson ( D ) October 8, 1857 South Carolina ( Class 3 ) Andrew Butler Died May 25, 1857 No appointment James Henry Hammond ( D ) December 6, 1857 North Carolina ( Class 3 ) Asa Biggs Resigned May 5, 1858 Appointed judge of US District Court of North Carolina Thomas Lanier Clingman ( D ) May 7, 1858 Thomas Lanier Clingman ( D ) November 23, 1858 California ( Class 3 ) David C. Broderick ( D ) Died September 16, 1859 Henry P. Haun ( D ) November 3, 1859 Milton S. Latham ( D ) January 11, 1860 California ( Class 1 ) Eugene Casserly ( D ) Resigned November 29, 1873 No appointment John S. Hager ( D ) December 23, 1873 Alabama ( Class 3 ) George S. Houston ( D ) Died December 31, 1879 Luke Pryor ( D ) January 7, 1880 James L. Pugh ( D ) November 24, 1880 New York ( Class 1 ) Thomas C. Platt ( R ) Resigned May 16, 1881 No appointment Warner Miller ( R ) July 16, 1881 New York ( Class 3 ) Roscoe Conkling ( R ) Resigned May 16, 1881 No appointment Elbridge G. Lapham ( R ) July 22, 1881 Arkansas ( Class 2 ) Augustus Garland ( D ) Resigned March 6, 1885 No appointment James H. Berry ( D ) March 20, 1885 California ( Class 1 ) John Franklin Miller ( R ) Died March 8, 1886 George Hearst ( D ) March 23, 1886 Abram P. Williams ( R ) August 4, 1886 California ( Class 1 ) George Hearst ( D ) Died February 28, 1891 No appointment Charles N. Felton ( R ) March 19, 1891 California ( Class 3 ) Leland Stanford ( R ) Died June 21, 1893 George C. Perkins ( R ) July 26, 1893 George C. Perkins ( R ) January 22, 1895 Mississippi ( Class 2 ) Edward C. Walthall ( D ) Resigned January 24, 1894 No appointment Anselm J. McLaurin ( D ) February 7, 1894 Louisiana ( Class 3 ) Edward D. White ( D ) Resigned March 12, 1894 Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court Newton C. Blanchard ( D ) March 12, 1894 Newton C. Blanchard ( D ) May 16, 1894 Georgia ( Class 2 ) Alfred H. Colquitt ( D ) Died March 26, 1894 Patrick Walsh ( D ) April 2, 1894 Patrick Walsh ( D ) November 2, 1894 North Carolina ( Class 3 ) Zebulon B. Vance Died April 14, 1894 Thomas J. Jarvis ( D ) April 19, 1894 Jeter C. Pritchard ( D ) January 23, 1895 Michigan ( Class 1 ) Francis B. Stockbridge ( R ) Died April 3, 1894 John Patton, Jr. ( R ) May 5, 1894 Julius C. Burrows ( R ) January 24, 1895 Montana ( Class 1 ) Vacant Failure to elect ? Lee Mantle ( R ) January 16, 1895 Wyoming ( Class 1 ) Vacant Failure to elect ? Clarence D. Clark ( R ) January 23, 1895 Washington ( Class 1 ) Vacant Failure to elect ? John L. Wilson ( R ) February 19, 1895 Mississippi ( Class 2 ) Edward C. Walthall ( D ) Died April 21, 1898 William V. Sullivan ( D ) May 31, 1898 William V. Sullivan ( D ) January 16, 1900 Alabama ( Class 3 ) Edmund Pettus ( D ) Died July 27, 1907 No appointment Joseph F. Johnston ( D ) August 6, 1907 Pennsylvania ( Class 1 ) Philander C. Knox ( R ) Resigned March 4, 1909 No appointment George T. Oliver ( R ) March 17, 1909 Mississippi ( Class 2 ) Anselm J. McLaurin ( D ) Died December 22, 1909 James Gordon ( D ) December 27, 1909 LeRoy Percy ( D ) February 22, 1910 Louisiana ( Class 3 ) Samuel D. McEnery ( D ) Died June 28, 1910 John Thornton ( D ) August 27, 1910 John Thornton ( D ) December 6, 1910 North Dakota ( Class 3 ) Martin N. Johnson ( R ) Died October 12, 1909 Fountain L. Thompson ( D ) November 10, 1909 Asle Gronna ( R ) February 1, 1911 William E. Purcell ( D ) February 1, 1910 West Virginia ( Class 2 ) Stephen Benton Elkins ( R ) Died January 4, 1911 Davis Elkins ( R ) January 9, 1911 Clarence Wayland Watson ( D ) February 1, 1911 Iowa ( Class 3 ) Jonathan P. Dolliver ( R ) Died October 15, 1910 Lafayette Young ( R ) November 4, 1910 William S. Kenyon ( R ) April 11, 1911 Georgia ( Class 3 ) Alexander S. Clay ( D ) Died November 13, 1910 Joseph M. Terrell ( D ) November 17, 1910 M. Hoke Smith ( D ) July 12, 1911 Maine ( Class 2 ) William P. Frye ( R ) Died August 8, 1911 No appointment Obadiah Gardner ( D ) April 2, 1912 Colorado ( Class 3 ) Charles J. Hughes, Jr. ( D ) Died January 11, 1911 No appointment Charles S. Thomas ( D ) January 15, 1913 Tennessee ( Class 2 ) Robert Love Taylor ( D ) Died March 31, 1912 Newell Sanders ( R ) April 11, 1912 William R. Webb ( D ) January 23, 1913 Nevada ( Class 1 ) George S. Nixon ( R ) Died June 5, 1912 William A. Massey ( R ) July 1, 1912 Key Pittman ( D ) January 23, 1913 Texas ( Class 2 ) Joseph Weldon Bailey ( D ) Resigned January 3, 1913 Rienzi Melville Johnston ( D ) January 4, 1913 Morris Sheppard ( D ) January 23, 1913 Arkansas ( Class 2 ) Jeff Davis Died January 3, 1913 John N. Heiskell ( D ) January 6, 1913 William Marmaduke Kavanaugh ( D ) January 23, 1913 Idaho ( Class 3 ) Weldon B. Heyburn ( R ) Died October 17, 1912 Kirtland Irving Perky ( D ) November 18, 1912 James H. Brady ( R ) January 24, 1913 Arkansas ( Class 2 ) John N. Heiskell ( D ) did not run for election to the term ending March 4, 1919 No appointment Joseph Taylor Robinson ( D ) January 27, 1913 Illinois ( Class 3 ) William Lorimer ( R ) Election declared invalid July 13, 1912 No appointment Lawrence Yates Sherman ( R ) March 26, 1913 Seventeenth Amendment ratified April 8, 1913. All subsequent Senate elections are by popular vote. Maryland ( Class 1 ) Isidor Rayner ( D ) Died November 25, 1912 William P. Jackson ( R ) November 29, 1912 Blair Lee ( D ) November 4, 1913 Alabama ( Class 3 ) Joseph F. Johnston ( D ) Died August 8, 1913 No appointment Francis S. White ( D ) May 11, 1914 Georgia ( Class 2 ) Augustus Octavius Bacon ( D ) Died February 14, 1914 William S. West ( D ) March 1, 1914 Thomas W. Hardwick ( D ) November 3, 1914 Kentucky ( Class 3 ) William O. Bradley ( R ) Died May 23, 1914 Johnson N. Camden ( D ) June 16, 1914 Johnson N. Camden ( D ) November 3, 1914 Maine ( Class 2 ) Edwin C. Burleigh ( R ) Died June 16, 1916 No appointment Bert M. Fernald ( R ) September 11, 1916 Indiana ( Class 3 ) Benjamin F. Shively ( D ) Died March 14, 1916 Thomas Taggart ( D ) March 20, 1916 James Eli Watson ( R ) November 7, 1916 Arkansas ( Class 3 ) James Paul Clarke ( D ) Died October 1, 1916 No appointment William F. Kirby ( D ) November 7, 1916 Wisconsin ( Class 3 ) Paul O. Husting ( D ) Died October 21, 1917 No appointment Irvine L. Lenroot ( R ) April 18, 1918 Oregon ( Class 2 ) Harry Lane ( D ) Died May 23, 1917 Charles L. McNary ( R ) May 29, 1917 Frederick W. Mulkey ( R ) November 5, 1918 Nevada ( Class 3 ) Francis G. Newlands ( D ) Died December 24, 1917 Charles B. Henderson ( D ) January 12, 1918 Charles B. Henderson ( D ) November 5, 1918 Idaho ( Class 3 ) James H. Brady ( R ) Died January 13, 1918 John F. Nugent ( D ) January 22, 1918 John F. Nugent ( D ) November 5, 1918 New Jersey ( Class 2 ) William Hughes ( D ) Died January 30, 1918 David Baird ( R ) February 23, 1918 David Baird ( R ) November 5, 1918 Louisiana ( Class 3 ) Robert F. Broussard ( D ) Died April 12, 1918 Walter Guion ( D ) April 22, 1918 Edward Gay ( D ) November 5, 1918 Missouri ( Class 3 ) William J. Stone ( D ) Died April 14, 1918 Xenophon P. Wilfley ( D ) April 30, 1918 Selden P. Spencer ( R ) November 5, 1918 South Carolina ( Class 2 ) Benjamin R. Tillman ( D ) Died July 3, 1918 Christie Benet ( D ) July 6, 1918 William P. Pollock ( D ) November 5, 1918 New Hampshire ( Class 3 ) Jacob H. Gallinger ( R ) Died August 17, 1918 Irving W. Drew ( R ) September 2, 1918 George H. Moses ( R ) November 5, 1918 Virginia ( Class 2 ) Thomas S. Martin ( D ) Died November 12, 1919 Carter Glass ( D ) November 18, 1919 Carter Glass ( D ) November 2, 1920 Alabama ( Class 3 ) John H. Bankhead ( D ) Died March 1, 1920 B.B. Comer ( D ) March 5, 1920 J. Thomas Heflin ( D ) November 2, 1920 Delaware ( Class 1 ) Josiah O. Wolcott ( D ) Resigned July 2, 1921 T. Coleman du Pont ( R ) July 7, 1921 Thomas F. Bayard, Jr. ( D ) November 7, 1922 Pennsylvania ( Class 1 ) Philander C. Knox ( R ) Died October 12, 1921 William E. Crow ( R ) October 17, 1921 -- August 2, 1922 ( died ) David A. Reed ( R ) November 7, 1922 David A. Reed ( R ) August 8, 1922 Pennsylvania ( Class 3 ) Boies Penrose ( R ) Died December 31, 1921 George W. Pepper ( R ) January 9, 1922 George W. Pepper ( R ) November 7, 1922 Iowa ( Class 2 ) William S. Kenyon ( R ) Resigned February 24, 1922 Charles A. Rawson ( R ) February 24, 1922 Smith W. Brookhart ( R ) November 7, 1922 Georgia ( Class 3 ) Thomas E. Watson ( D ) Died September 26, 1922 Rebecca Felton ( D ) November 21, 1922 Walter F. George ( D ) November 7, 1922 Colorado ( Class 2 ) Samuel D. Nicholson ( R ) Died March 24, 1923 Alva B. Adams ( D ) May 17, 1923 Rice W. Means ( R ) November 4, 1924 Connecticut ( Class 3 ) Frank B. Brandegee ( R ) Died October 14, 1924 No appointment Hiram Bingham III ( R ) December 16, 1924 Arkansas ( Class 3 ) Thaddeus H. Caraway ( D ) Died November 6, 1931 Hattie Caraway ( D ) December 9, 1931 Hattie Caraway ( D ) January 12, 1932 New Jersey ( Class 2 ) Dwight Morrow ( R ) Died October 5, 1931 William Warren Barbour ( R ) December 1, 1931 William Warren Barbour ( R ) November 2, 1932 Georgia ( Class 3 ) William J. Harris ( D ) Died April 18, 1932 John S. Cohen ( D ) April 25, 1932 Richard Russell, Jr. ( D ) November 2, 1932 Vermont ( Class 3 ) Porter H. Dale ( R ) Died October 6, 1933 Ernest W. Gibson ( R ) November 21, 1933 Ernest W. Gibson ( R ) January 16, 1934 Montana ( Class 3 ) Thomas J. Walsh ( D ) Died March 4, 1933 John E. Erickson ( D ) March 13, 1933 James E. Murray ( D ) November 6, 1934 Tennessee ( Class 2 ) Cordell Hull ( D ) Resigned March 4, 1933 Appointed U.S. Secretary of State Nathan L. Bachman ( D ) March 4, 1933 Nathan L. Bachman ( D ) November 6, 1934 New Mexico ( Class 2 ) Sam G. Bratton ( D ) Resigned June 24, 1933 Appointed as a federal judge Carl A. Hatch ( D ) October 10, 1933 Carl A. Hatch ( D ) November 6, 1934 Louisiana ( Class 2 ) Huey Long ( D ) Died September 10, 1935 Rose Long ( D ) January 31, 1936 Rose Long ( D ) April 21, 1936 Arkansas ( Class 3 ) Joseph T. Robinson ( D ) Died July 14, 1937 No appointment John E. Miller ( D ) November 15, 1937 Alabama ( Class 3 ) Hugo Black ( D ) Resigned August 19, 1937 Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court Dixie Graves ( D ) August 20, 1937 Lister Hill ( D ) April 26, 1938 Lister Hill ( D ) January 11, 1938 Tennessee ( Class 2 ) Nathan L. Bachman ( D ) Died April 23, 1937 George L. Berry ( D ) May 6, 1937 Tom Stewart ( D ) November 8, 1938 New York ( Class 1 ) Royal Copeland ( D ) Died June 17, 1938 No appointment James M. Mead ( D ) November 8, 1938 South Dakota ( Class 3 ) Herbert E. Hitchcock ( D ) Resigned November 8, 1938 No appointment Gladys Pyle ( R ) November 9, 1938 Texas ( Class 2 ) Morris Sheppard ( D ) Died April 9, 1941 Andrew Houston ( D ) April 21, 1941 W. Lee O'Daniel ( D ) June 28, 1941 Mississippi ( Class 2 ) Pat Harrison ( D ) Died June 22, 1941 James Eastland ( D ) June 30, 1941 Wall Doxey ( D ) September 23, 1941 South Carolina ( Class 2 ) James F. Byrnes ( D ) Resigned July 17, 1941 Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court Alva Lumpkin ( D ) July 22, 1941 Burnet Maybank ( D ) November 5, 1941 Roger Peace ( D ) August 5, 1941 Colorado ( Class 3 ) Alva B. Adams ( D ) Died December 1, 1941 Eugene Millikin ( R ) December 20, 1941 Eugene Millikin ( R ) November 3, 1942 West Virginia ( Class 2 ) Matthew M. Neely ( D ) Resigned January 12, 1941 Elected Governor of West Virginia Joseph Rosier ( D ) January 13, 1941 Hugh Ike Shott ( R ) November 3, 1942 Nevada ( Class 1 ) Key Pittman ( D ) Died November 10, 1940 Berkeley Bunker ( D ) November 27, 1940 James G. Scrugham ( D ) November 3, 1942 Indiana ( Class 3 ) Frederick Van Nuys ( D ) Died January 25, 1944 Samuel D. Jackson ( D ) January 28, 1944 William E. Jenner ( R ) November 7, 1944 Oregon ( Class 2 ) Charles L. McNary ( R ) Died February 25, 1944 Guy Cordon ( R ) March 4, 1944 Guy Cordon ( R ) November 7, 1944 New Jersey ( Class 1 ) William Warren Barbour ( R ) Died November 22, 1943 Arthur Walsh ( D ) November 26, 1943 H. Alexander Smith ( R ) November 7, 1944 Massachusetts ( Class 2 ) Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. ( R ) Resigned February 3, 1944 Military deployment Sinclair Weeks ( R ) February 8, 1944 Leverett Saltonstall ( R ) November 7, 1944 Alabama ( Class 2 ) John H. Bankhead II ( D ) Died June 12, 1946 George R. Swift ( D ) June 15, 1946 John Sparkman ( D ) November 5, 1946 California ( Class 1 ) Hiram Johnson ( R ) Died August 6, 1945 William F. Knowland ( R ) August 26, 1945 William F. Knowland ( R ) November 5, 1946 Connecticut ( Class 1 ) Francis T. Maloney ( D ) Died January 16, 1945 Thomas C. Hart ( R ) February 15, 1945 Raymond E. Baldwin ( R ) November 5, 1946 Idaho ( Class 2 ) John W. Thomas ( R ) Died November 10, 1945 Charles C. Gossett ( D ) November 17, 1945 Henry Dworshak ( R ) November 5, 1946 Kentucky ( Class 2 ) Happy Chandler ( D ) Resigned November 1, 1945 Appointed Commissioner of Baseball William A. Stanfill ( R ) November 19, 1945 John Sherman Cooper ( R ) November 5, 1946 North Dakota ( Class 2 ) John Moses ( D ) Died March 3, 1945 Milton R. Young ( R ) March 12, 1945 Milton R. Young ( R ) November 5, 1946 Ohio ( Class 1 ) Harold H. Burton ( R ) Resigned September 30, 1945 Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court James W. Huffman ( D ) October 8, 1945 Kingsley A. Taft ( R ) November 5, 1946 Virginia ( Class 2 ) Carter Glass ( D ) Died May 28, 1946 Thomas G. Burch ( D ) May 31, 1946 A. Willis Robertson ( D ) November 5, 1946 Mississippi ( Class 1 ) Theodore G. Bilbo ( D ) Died August 24, 1947 No appointment John C. Stennis ( D ) November 5, 1947 South Dakota ( Class 2 ) Harlan J. Bushfield ( R ) Died September 27, 1948 Vera C. Bushfield ( R ) October 6, 1948 Karl E. Mundt ( R ) December 31, 1948 New York ( Class 3 ) Robert F. Wagner ( D ) Resigned June 28, 1949 John Foster Dulles ( R ) July 7, 1949 Herbert Lehman ( D ) November 8, 1949 North Carolina ( Class 2 ) J. Melville Broughton ( D ) Died March 6, 1949 Frank Porter Graham ( D ) March 29, 1949 Willis Smith ( D ) November 7, 1950 Kansas ( Class 3 ) Clyde M. Reed ( R ) Died November 8, 1949 Harry Darby ( R ) December 2, 1949 Frank Carlson ( R ) November 7, 1950 Idaho ( Class 2 ) Bert H. Miller ( D ) Died October 8, 1949 Henry Dworshak ( R ) October 14, 1949 Henry Dworshak ( R ) November 7, 1950 Connecticut ( Class 3 ) Brien McMahon ( D ) Died July 28, 1952 William A. Purtell ( R ) August 29, 1952 Prescott Bush ( R ) November 4, 1952 Kentucky ( Class 2 ) Virgil Chapman ( D ) Died March 8, 1951 Thomas R. Underwood ( D ) March 19, 1951 John Sherman Cooper ( R ) November 4, 1952 Michigan ( Class 1 ) Arthur Vandenberg ( R ) Died April 18, 1951 Blair Moody ( D ) April 23, 1951 Charles E. Potter ( R ) November 4, 1952 Nebraska ( Class 2 ) Kenneth S. Wherry ( R ) Died November 29, 1951 Fred A. Seaton ( R ) December 10, 1951 Dwight Griswold ( R ) November 4, 1952 California ( Class 3 ) Richard Nixon ( R ) Resigned January 1, 1953 Elected Vice President Thomas Kuchel ( R ) January 2, 1953 Thomas Kuchel ( R ) November 2, 1954 North Carolina ( Class 3 ) Clyde R. Hoey ( D ) Died May 12, 1954 Sam Ervin ( D ) June 5, 1954 Sam Ervin ( D ) November 2, 1954 Nebraska ( Class 1 ) Hugh Butler ( R ) Died July 1, 1954 Sam Reynolds ( R ) July 7, 1954 Roman Hruska ( R ) November 2, 1954 North Carolina ( Class 2 ) Willis Smith ( D ) Died June 26, 1953 Alton Lennon ( D ) July 15, 1953 Kerr Scott ( D ) November 2, 1954 Nebraska ( Class 2 ) Dwight Griswold ( R ) Died April 12, 1954 Eva Bowring ( R ) April 26, 1954 Hazel Abel ( R ) November 2, 1954 Kentucky ( Class 2 ) Alben Barkley ( D ) Died April 30, 1956 Robert Humphreys ( D ) June 25, 1956 John Sherman Cooper ( R ) November 6, 1956 West Virginia ( Class 1 ) Harley M. Kilgore ( D ) Died February 28, 1956 William R. Laird, III ( D ) March 13, 1956 W. Chapman Revercomb ( R ) November 6, 1956 South Carolina ( Class 2 ) Strom Thurmond ( D ) Resigned April 4, 1956 Thomas A. Wofford ( D ) April 5, 1956 Strom Thurmond ( D ) November 6, 1956 Texas ( Class 1 ) Price Daniel ( D ) Resigned January 14, 1957 Elected Governor of Texas William Blakley ( D ) January 17, 1957 Ralph Yarborough ( D ) April 2, 1957 Wisconsin ( Class 1 ) Joseph McCarthy ( R ) Died May 2, 1957 No appointment William Proxmire ( D ) August 27, 1957 West Virginia ( Class 1 ) Matthew M. Neely ( D ) Died January 18, 1958 John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. ( R ) January 25, 1958 Jennings Randolph ( D ) November 4, 1958 North Carolina ( Class 2 ) W. Kerr Scott ( D ) Died April 16, 1958 B. Everett Jordan ( D ) April 19, 1958 B. Everett Jordan ( D ) November 4, 1958 North Dakota ( Class 1 ) William Langer ( R ) Died November 8, 1959 Clarence Brunsdale ( R ) November 19, 1959 Quentin Burdick ( D - NPL ) June 28, 1960 Missouri ( Class 1 ) Thomas C. Hennings, Jr. ( D ) Died September 13, 1960 Edward V. Long ( D ) September 23, 1960 Edward V. Long ( D ) November 8, 1960 Oregon ( Class 2 ) Richard Neuberger ( D ) Died March 9, 1960 Hall Lusk ( D ) March 16, 1960 Maurine Neuberger ( D ) November 8, 1960 Texas ( Class 2 ) Lyndon Johnson ( D ) Resigned January 3, 1961 Elected Vice President William Blakley ( D ) January 3, 1961 John Tower ( R ) May 27, 1961 Massachusetts ( Class 1 ) John F. Kennedy ( D ) Resigned December 22, 1960 Elected President Benjamin Smith II ( D ) December 27, 1960 Ted Kennedy ( D ) November 6, 1962 New Hampshire ( Class 2 ) Styles Bridges ( R ) Died November 26, 1961 Maurice Murphy, Jr. ( R ) December 7, 1961 Thomas McIntyre ( D ) November 6, 1962 Kansas ( Class 2 ) Andrew Schoeppel ( R ) Died January 21, 1962 James Pearson ( R ) January 31, 1962 James Pearson ( R ) November 6, 1962 Idaho ( Class 2 ) Henry Dworshak ( R ) Died July 23, 1962 Len Jordan ( R ) August 6, 1962 Len Jordan ( R ) November 6, 1962 Wyoming ( Class 2 ) Senator - elected Edwin Keith Thomson ( R ) died December 9, 1960 John J. Hickey ( D ) January 3, 1961 Milward L. Simpson ( R ) November 6, 1962 New Mexico ( Class 1 ) Dennis Chavez ( D ) Died November 18, 1962 Edwin Mechem ( R ) November 30, 1962 Joseph Montoya ( D ) November 3, 1964 Oklahoma ( Class 2 ) Robert S. Kerr ( D ) Died January 1, 1963 J. Howard Edmondson ( D ) January 6, 1963 Fred R. Harris ( D ) November 3, 1964 Tennessee ( Class 2 ) Estes Kefauver ( D ) Died August 10, 1963 Herbert Walters ( D ) August 20, 1963 Ross Bass ( D ) November 3, 1964 South Carolina ( Class 3 ) Olin Johnston ( D ) Died April 18, 1965 Donald Russell ( D ) April 22, 1965 Ernest Hollings ( D ) November 8, 1966 Virginia ( Class 1 ) Harry F. Byrd, Sr. ( D ) Resigned November 10, 1965 Harry F. Byrd, Jr. ( D ) November 12, 1965 Harry F. Byrd, Jr. ( D ) November 8, 1966 Alaska ( Class 2 ) Bob Bartlett ( D ) Died December 11, 1968 Ted Stevens ( R ) December 24, 1968 Ted Stevens ( R ) November 3, 1970 Illinois ( Class 3 ) Everett Dirksen ( R ) Died September 7, 1969 Ralph Tyler Smith ( R ) September 17, 1969 Adlai Stevenson III ( D ) November 3, 1970 Vermont ( Class 1 ) Winston L. Prouty ( R ) Died September 10, 1971 Robert Stafford ( R ) September 16, 1971 Robert Stafford ( R ) January 7, 1972 Georgia ( Class 2 ) Richard Russell ( D ) Died January 21, 1971 David Gambrell ( D ) February 1, 1971 Sam Nunn ( D ) November 7, 1972 New Hampshire ( Class 3 ) Seat declared vacant from beginning of term, January 3, 1975, due to a failure to elect a senator Norris H. Cotton ( R ) August 8, 1975 John A. Durkin ( D ) September 16, 1975 Minnesota ( Class 1 ) Hubert Humphrey ( D ) Died January 13, 1978 Muriel Humphrey ( D ) January 25, 1978 David Durenberger ( R ) November 7, 1978 Alabama ( Class 3 ) James Allen ( D ) Died June 1, 1978 Maryon Allen ( D ) June 8, 1978 Donald Stewart ( D ) November 7, 1978 Washington ( Class 1 ) Henry `` Scoop '' Jackson ( D ) Died September 1, 1983 Dan Evans ( R ) September 8, 1983 Dan Evans ( R ) November 8, 1983 North Carolina ( Class 3 ) John East ( R ) Died June 29, 1986 Jim Broyhill ( R ) July 14, 1986 Terry Sanford ( D ) November 4, 1986 Indiana ( Class 3 ) Dan Quayle ( R ) Resigned January 3, 1989 Elected Vice President Dan Coats ( R ) January 3, 1989 Dan Coats ( R ) November 6, 1990 Hawaii ( Class 1 ) Spark Matsunaga ( D ) Died April 15, 1990 Daniel Akaka ( D ) May 16, 1990 Daniel Akaka ( D ) November 6, 1990 Pennsylvania ( Class 1 ) John Heinz III ( R ) Died April 4, 1991 Harris Wofford ( D ) May 9, 1991 Harris Wofford ( D ) November 5, 1991 California ( Class 1 ) Pete Wilson ( R ) Resigned January 7, 1991 Elected Governor of California John Seymour ( R ) January 10, 1991 Dianne Feinstein ( D ) November 3, 1992 North Dakota ( Class 1 ) Quentin Burdick ( D ) Died September 8, 1992 Jocelyn Burdick ( D ) September 16, 1992 Kent Conrad ( D ) December 4, 1992 Texas ( Class 1 ) Lloyd Bentsen ( D ) Resigned January 20, 1993 Appointed U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Bob Krueger ( D ) January 21, 1993 Kay Bailey Hutchison ( R ) June 5, 1993 Tennessee ( Class 2 ) Al Gore ( D ) Resigned January 3, 1993 Elected Vice President Harlan Mathews ( D ) January 3, 1993 Fred Thompson ( R ) November 8, 1994 Oklahoma ( Class 2 ) David Boren ( D ) Resigned November 15, 1994 No appointment Jim Inhofe ( R ) November 8, 1994 Oregon ( Class 3 ) Bob Packwood ( R ) Resigned October 1, 1995 No appointment Ron Wyden ( D ) January 30, 1996 Kansas ( Class 3 ) Bob Dole ( R ) Resigned June 11, 1996. To run for President Sheila Frahm ( R ) June 11, 1996 Sam Brownback ( R ) November 5, 1996 Georgia ( Class 3 ) Paul Coverdell ( R ) Died July 18, 2000 Zell Miller ( D ) July 24, 2000 Zell Miller ( D ) November 7, 2000 Missouri ( Class 1 ) Mel Carnahan ( D ) died October 16, 2000 and was elected posthumously Jean Carnahan ( D ) January 3, 2001 Jim Talent ( R ) November 5, 2002 Wyoming ( Class 1 ) Craig Thomas ( R ) Died June 4, 2007 John Barrasso ( R ) June 25, 2007 John Barrasso ( R ) November 4, 2008 Mississippi ( Class 1 ) Trent Lott ( R ) Resigned December 18, 2007 Roger Wicker ( R ) December 31, 2007 Roger Wicker ( R ) November 4, 2008 Massachusetts ( Class 1 ) Ted Kennedy ( D ) Died August 25, 2009 Paul G. Kirk ( D ) September 24, 2009 Scott Brown ( R ) January 19, 2010 Illinois ( Class 3 ) Barack Obama ( D ) Resigned November 16, 2008 Elected President Roland Burris ( D ) January 12, 2009 Mark Kirk ( R ) November 2, 2010 Delaware ( Class 2 ) Joe Biden ( D ) Resigned January 15, 2009 Elected Vice President Ted Kaufman ( D ) January 16, 2009 Chris Coons ( D ) November 2, 2010 New York ( Class 1 ) Hillary Clinton ( D ) Resigned January 21, 2009 Appointed U.S. Secretary of State Kirsten Gillibrand ( D ) January 27, 2009 Kirsten Gillibrand ( D ) November 2, 2010 West Virginia ( Class 1 ) Robert Byrd ( D ) Died June 28, 2010 Carte Goodwin ( D ) July 20, 2010 Joe Manchin ( D ) November 2, 2010 Massachusetts ( Class 2 ) John Kerry ( D ) Resigned February 1, 2013 Appointed U.S. Secretary of State Mo Cowan ( D ) February 1, 2013 Ed Markey ( D ) June 25, 2013 New Jersey ( Class 2 ) Frank Lautenberg ( D ) Died June 3, 2013 Jeffrey Chiesa ( R ) June 10, 2013 Cory Booker ( D ) October 16, 2013 South Carolina ( Class 3 ) Jim DeMint ( R ) Resigned January 1, 2013 Tim Scott ( R ) January 2, 2013 Tim Scott ( R ) November 4, 2014 Hawaii ( Class 3 ) Daniel Inouye ( D ) Died December 17, 2012 Brian Schatz ( D ) December 26, 2012 Brian Schatz ( D ) November 4, 2014 Oklahoma ( Class 3 ) Tom Coburn ( R ) Resigned January 3, 2015 No appointment James Lankford ( R ) November 4, 2014 Alabama ( Class 2 ) Jeff Sessions ( R ) Resigned February 8, 2017 Appointed U.S. Attorney General Luther Strange ( R ) February 9, 2017 Doug Jones ( D ) December 12, 2017 Minnesota ( Class 2 ) Al Franken ( D ) Resigned January 2, 2018 Tina Smith ( D ) January 3, 2018 TBD November 6, 2018 Mississippi ( Class 2 ) Thad Cochran ( R ) Resigned April 1, 2018 Cindy Hyde - Smith April 2, 2018 TBD November 6, 2018 State Senator Vacancy event Senator Date Senator Date ↑ Original Appointee Election winner See also List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives Notes Jump up ^ Resigned due to ill health. Jump up ^ Senator Bunker was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the November 10, 1940 death of Key Pittman, who had just won re-election. Bunker was appointed both to complete the term that would end January 3, 1941 and to begin the term that would end January 3, 1947. Jump up ^ The 1974 election result was contested. Eventually, the Senate declared the seat vacant. Norris Cotton, who had retired at the election, was subsequently appointed to the seat until a special election could be held. References Jump up ^ `` No special election to replace Sessions ; Bentley says move could save $16 million ''. Al.com. Retrieved January 15, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Governor Ivey Moves US Senate Special Election to Adhere with State Law ''. Office of the Governor of Alabama. April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Alabama Senate race : Trump records message for Roy Moore ''. BBC. December 12, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Neale, Thomas H. ( March 10, 2009 ). `` Filling U.S. Senate Vacancies : Perspectives and Contemporary Developments '' ( PDF ). Congressional Research Service. p. 8. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on July 19, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Closest election in Senate history ''. Senate Historical Office. External links Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774 -- 2005 Contains complete listing of all Congresses United States Senate elections Multiple - date elections 1788 / 89 1790 / 91 1792 / 93 1794 / 95 1796 / 97 1798 / 99 1800 / 01 1802 / 03 1804 / 05 1806 / 07 1808 / 09 1810 / 11 1812 / 13 1814 / 15 1816 / 17 1818 / 19 1820 / 21 1822 / 23 1824 / 25 1826 / 27 1828 / 29 1830 / 31 1832 / 33 1834 / 35 1836 / 37 1838 / 39 1840 / 41 1842 / 43 1844 / 45 1846 / 47 1848 / 49 1850 / 51 1852 / 53 1854 / 55 1856 / 57 1858 / 59 1860 / 61 1862 / 63 1864 / 65 1866 / 67 1868 / 69 1870 / 71 1872 / 73 1874 / 75 1876 / 77 1878 / 79 1880 / 81 1882 / 83 1884 / 85 1886 / 87 1888 / 89 1890 / 91 1892 / 93 1894 / 95 1896 / 97 1898 / 99 1900 / 01 1902 / 03 1904 / 05 1906 / 07 1908 / 09 1910 / 11 1912 / 13 Single - date elections 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1998 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Special elections Election disputes Results by state List of elections in the United States House elections Presidential elections Gubernatorial elections Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_special_elections_to_the_United_States_Senate&oldid=835730066 '' Categories : United States Senate special elections Lists of elections in the United States Lists of by - elections Hidden categories : Incomplete lists from August 2008 Data missing Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 10 April 2018, at 12 : 34. 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Question: who calls a special election to fill a vacancy in the senate
Answer: the governor