Resignation from the United States Senate - wikipedia Resignation from the United States Senate A member of the United States Senate can resign by writing a letter of resignation to the governor of the state that the senator represents. Whenever a senator needs to be appointed or elected, the Secretary of the Senate mails one of three forms to the state 's governor to inform them of the proper wording to certify the appointment of a new Senator. The first resignation from the Senate was that of William Paterson of New Jersey on November 13, 1790, who resigned in order to accept the office of Governor of New Jersey. His resignation was only the third time a person ceased to hold a seat in the Senate, which had first convened during the preceding year, 1789. The earlier ones resulted from the death of Senator William Grayson of Virginia, and the expiration of the term of the temporary senator John Walker of Virginia, who was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to hold that office until a successor could be elected in November. Before 1796, eight senators resigned. Nine senators resigned during that year -- a record high number that stands to this day. Most resignations have been motivated either by declining health or a decision to accept another office. Sixteen persons have resigned from the Senate twice and two have resigned three times. List of resignations by date Name State Date of resignation Notes William Paterson New Jersey November 13, 1790 Resigned to become Governor of New Jersey Samuel Johnson Connecticut March 3, 1791 Richard Lee Virginia October 8, 1792 Charles Carroll Maryland November 30, 1792 George Read Delaware September 18, 1793 James Monroe Virginia March 27, 1794 John Taylor of Caroline Virginia May 11, 1794 James Jackson Georgia November 16, 1795 Oliver Ellsworth Connecticut March 8, 1796 Rufus King New York May 23, 1796 Caleb Strong Massachusetts June 1, 1796 George Cabot Massachusetts June 9, 1796 Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. Connecticut June 10, 1796 Moses Robinson Vermont October 15, 1796 Richard Potts Maryland October 24, 1796 Pierce Butler South Carolina October 25, 1796 Frederick Frelinghuysen New Jersey November 12, 1796 William Cocke Tennessee September 26, 1797 William Bradford Rhode Island October ? ?, 1797 Isaac Tichenor Vermont October 17, 1797 Resigned to become Governor of Vermont John Henry Maryland December 10, 1797 Philip Schuyler New York January 3, 1798 John Vining Delaware January 19, 1798 Andrew Jackson Tennessee April 1, 1798 John Sloss Hobart New York April 16, 1798 John Hunter South Carolina November 26, 1798 John Rutherfurd New Jersey December 5, 1798 Joseph Anderson Tennessee March 3, 1799 Samuel Dexter Massachusetts May 30, 1800 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of War John Laurance New York August 1, 1800 Benjamin Goodhue Massachusetts November 8, 1800 James Lloyd Maryland December 1, 1800 James Schureman New Jersey February 16, 1801 Henry Latimer Delaware February 28, 1801 Ray Greene Rhode Island March 5, 1801 Charles Pinckney South Carolina June 6, 1801 Samuel Livermore New Hampshire June 12, 1801 Elijah Paine Vermont September 1, 1801 John Armstrong, Jr. New York February 5, 1802 James Sheafe New Hampshire June 14, 1802 Dwight Foster Massachusetts March 2, 1803 DeWitt Clinton New York November 4, 1803 Theodorus Bailey New York January 16, 1804 John Armstrong, Jr. New York February 23, 1804 Abraham Venable Virginia June 7, 1804 John Armstrong, Jr. New York June 30, 1804 William Wells Delaware November 6, 1804 William Giles Virginia December 3, 1804 Andrew Moore Virginia December 3, 1804 John Breckinridge Kentucky August 7, 1805 Robert Wright Maryland November 12, 1806 John Adair Kentucky November 18, 1806 David Stone North Carolina February 17, 1807 James Fenner Rhode Island September ? ?, 1807 Israel Smith Vermont October 1, 1807 John Smith Ohio April 25, 1808 Resigned after being indicted but not expelled in a 19 -- 10 vote Quincy Adams Massachusetts June 8, 1808 Samuel Maclay Pennsylvania January 4, 1809 Aaron Kitchell New Jersey March 3, 1809 Daniel Smith Tennessee March 31, 1809 John Milledge Georgia November 14, 1809 Buckner Thruston Kentucky December 18, 1809 Nahum Parker New Hampshire June 1, 1810 James Hillhouse Connecticut June 10, 1810 Return Meigs, Jr. Ohio December 8, 1810 Thomas Sumter South Carolina December 16, 1810 Jenkin Whiteside Tennessee October 8, 1811 Christopher Champlin Rhode Island October 12, 1811 Jean Noel Destréan Louisiana October 1, 1812 James Bayard Delaware March 3, 1813 Dudley Chase Vermont March 3, 1813 William Crawford Georgia March 23, 1813 James Lloyd Massachusetts May 1, 1813 Chauncey Goodrich Connecticut May 13, 1813 George Campbell Tennessee February 11, 1814 Michael Leib Pennsylvania February 14, 1814 George Bibb Kentucky August 23, 1814 Thomas Worthington Ohio December 1, 1814 Jesse Bledsoe Kentucky December 24, 1814 David Stone North Carolina December 24, 1814 William Giles Virginia March 3, 1815 Francis Locke North Carolina December 5, 1815 William Barry Kentucky May 1, 1816 Christopher Gore Massachusetts May 30, 1816 John Taylor South Carolina November ? ?, 1816 Wyatt Bibb Georgia November 9, 1816 James Turner North Carolina November 21, 1816 Goodloe Harper Maryland December 6, 1816 Jeremiah Mason New Hampshire June 16, 1817 James Fisk Vermont January 8, 1818 George Campbell Tennessee April 20, 1818 Eli Ashmun Massachusetts May 10, 1818 George Troup Georgia September 23, 1818 John Forsyth Georgia February 17, 1819 John Crittenden Kentucky March 3, 1819 John Eppes Virginia December 4, 1819 Prentis Mellen Massachusetts May 15, 1820 Walter Leake Mississippi May 15, 1820 William Logan Kentucky May 28, 1820 James Wilson New Jersey January 8, 1821 Freeman Walker Georgia August 6, 1821 Gray Otis Massachusetts May 30, 1822 Williams Walker Alabama December 12, 1822 James Pleasants Virginia December 15, 1822 Caesar Rodney Delaware January 29, 1823 Samuel Southard New Jersey March 3, 1823 James Brown Louisiana December 10, 1823 Ninian Edwards Illinois March 3, 1824 Henry Johnson Louisiana May 27, 1824 James Barbour Virginia March 7, 1825 David Holmes Mississippi September 25, 1825 Andrew Jackson Tennessee October 14, 1825 James DeWolf Rhode Island October 31, 1825 Edward Lloyd Maryland January 14, 1826 James Lloyd Massachusetts May 23, 1826 Henry Harrison Ohio May 20, 1828 Albion Parris Maine August 26, 1828 Thomas Cobb Georgia November 7, 1828 Nathaniel Macon North Carolina December 14, 1828 Ephraim Bateman New Jersey January 12, 1829 Mahlon Dickerson New Jersey January 30, 1829 John Berrien Georgia March 9, 1829 John Branch North Carolina March 9, 1829 John Eaton Tennessee March 9, 1829 Louis McLane Delaware April 16, 1829 Edward Livingston Louisiana May 24, 1831 Issac Barnard Pennsylvania December 6, 1831 Powhatan Ellis Mississippi July 16, 1832 Littleton Tazewell Virginia July 16, 1832 Robert Hayne South Carolina December 13, 1832 William Marcy New York January 1, 1833 George Troup Georgia November 8, 1833 William Rives Virginia February 22, 1834 John Forsyth Georgia June 27, 1834 Ezekiel Chambers Maryland December 20, 1834 Peleg Sprague Maine January 1, 1835 Charles Gayarré Louisiana January ? ?, 1836 John Tyler Virginia February 29, 1836 Ether Shepley Maine March 3, 1836 Willie Mangum North Carolina March 19, 1836 Isaac Hill New Hampshire May 30, 1836 Arnold Naudain Delaware June 16, 1836 Benjamin Leigh Virginia July 4, 1836 John Clayton Delaware December 29, 1836 Alexander Porter Louisiana January 5, 1837 Richard Parker Virginia March 13, 1837 John McKinley Alabama April 22, 1837 Pendleton King Georgia November 1, 1837 John Black Mississippi January 22, 1838 Felix Grundy Tennessee July 4, 1838 James Trotter Mississippi July 10, 1838 Ephraim Foster Tennessee March 3, 1839 Richard Bayard Delaware September 19, 1839 Lawson White Tennessee January 13, 1840 Robert Strange North Carolina November 16, 1840 Bedford Brown North Carolina November 16, 1840 John Davis Massachusetts January 5, 1841 Daniel Webster Massachusetts February 22, 1841 Resigned to become United States Secretary of State Comer Clay Alabama November 15, 1841 Franklin Pierce New Hampshire February 28, 1842 Alexander Mouton Louisiana March 1, 1842 Henry Clay Kentucky March 31, 1842 Samuel Prentiss Vermont April 11, 1842 Samuel Southard New Jersey June 26, 1842 Reuel Williams Maine February 15, 1843 John Calhoun South Carolina March 3, 1843 William Sprague Rhode Island January 17, 1844 William King Alabama April 15, 1844 Nathaniel Tallmadge New York June 17, 1844 Silas Wright, Jr. New York November 26, 1844 John Berrien Georgia March 1, 1845 Elliot Huger South Carolina March 3, 1845 Levi Woodbury New Hampshire September 20, 1845 William Haywood, Jr. North Carolina July 25, 1846 Walter Colquitt Georgia February 4, 1848 Ambrose Sevier Arkansas March 15, 1848 Lewis Cass Michigan May 29, 1848 John Crittenden Kentucky June 12, 1848 Arthur Bagby Alabama June 16, 1848 John Clayton Delaware February 2, 1849 Reverdy Johnson Maryland March 7, 1849 Daniel Webster Massachusetts July 22, 1850 Resigned again to again take office as United States Secretary of State Jefferson Davis Mississippi September 23, 1851 Resigned to run for Governor of Mississippi Robert Rhett South Carolina May 7, 1852 John Berrien Georgia May 28, 1852 William King Alabama December 20, 1852 Robert Stockton New Jersey January 10, 1853 Solon Borland Arkansas April 11, 1853 Pierre Soulé Louisiana April 11, 1853 Edward Everett Massachusetts June 1, 1854 Augustus Dodge Iowa February 22, 1855 Hannibal Hamlin Maine January 7, 1857 Resigned to become Governor of Maine Asa Biggs North Carolina May 5, 1858 Hannibal Hamlin Maine January 17, 1861 Resigned to become Vice President of the United States Jefferson Davis Mississippi January 21, 1861 Became president of the Confederacy John Slidell Louisiana February 4, 1861 Thomas Bragg North Carolina March 6, 1861 Salmon Chase Ohio March 6, 1861 Thomas Clingman North Carolina March 11, 1861 Andrew Johnson Tennessee March 4, 1862 James Simmons Rhode Island August 15, 1862 Resigned after a case for explusion was declined Waitman Willey Virginia March 3, 1863 James Bayard, Jr. Delaware January 29, 1864 Resigned in protest of new Senate Loyalty Oath William Fessenden Maine July 1, 1864 James Harlan Iowa May 15, 1865 Daniel Clark New Hampshire July 27, 1866 James Guthrie Kentucky February 7, 1868 Reverdy Johnson Maryland July 10, 1868 James Grimes Iowa December 6, 1869 Charles Drake Missouri December 19, 1870 William Kellogg Louisiana November 1, 1872 Henry Wilson Massachusetts March 3, 1873 Alexander Caldwell Kansas March 24, 1873 Eugene Casserly California November 29, 1873 Adelbert Ames Mississippi January 4, 1874 Lot Morrill Maine July 7, 1876 John Sherman Ohio March 8, 1877 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury Isaac Christiancy Michigan February 10, 1879 Brown Gordon Georgia May 26, 1880 James G. Blaine Maine March 5, 1881 Samuel Kirkwood Iowa March 7, 1881 William Windom Minnesota March 7, 1881 Thomas Platt New York May 16, 1881 Resigned in support of fellow Senator Conkling 's protest Roscoe Conkling New York May 16, 1881 Resigned in protest of the appointment of a New York City customs collector by President James A. Garfield Henry Teller Colorado April 17, 1882 Augustus Garland Arkansas March 6, 1885 Thomas Bayard Delaware March 6, 1885 Howell Jackson Tennessee April 14, 1886 Jonathan Chace Rhode Island April 9, 1889 John Henninger Reagan Texas June 10, 1891 Resigned to take office as the chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas John Carlisle Kentucky February 4, 1893 Edward White Louisiana March 12, 1894 John Sherman Ohio March 4, 1897 William Clark Montana May 15, 1900 Charles Fairbanks Indiana March 3, 1905 Joseph Burton Kansas June 4, 1906 Resigned following corruption charges ( Burton v. United States ) Coit Spooner Wisconsin April 30, 1907 Philander Knox Pennsylvania March 4, 1909 Fountain Thompson North Dakota January 31, 1910 Joseph Terrell Georgia July 14, 1911 Weldon Bailey Texas January 3, 1913 Warren G. Harding Ohio January 13, 1921 First President of the United States to be elected during his term as a Senator John Nugent Idaho January 14, 1921 Albert Fall New Mexico March 4, 1921 Josiah Wolcott Delaware July 2, 1921 William Kenyon Iowa February 24, 1922 Truman Newberry Michigan November 18, 1922 Resigned after being condemned for violating campaign financing rules Frank Smith Illinois December 7, 1926 T. Coleman du Pont Delaware December 8, 1928 Charles Curtis Kansas March 3, 1929 Evans Edge New Jersey November 21, 1929 Fred Sackett Kentucky January 9, 1930 Cordell Hull Tennessee March 3, 1933 Claude Swanson Virginia March 3, 1933 Sam Bratton New Mexico June 24, 1933 Hugo Black Alabama August 19, 1937 Bibb Graves Alabama January 10, 1938 Harry Moore New Jersey January 17, 1938 Frederick Steiwer Oregon January 31, 1938 Gibbs McAdoo California November 8, 1938 Matthew Neely West Virginia January 12, 1941 John Miller Arkansas March 31, 1941 James Byrnes South Carolina July 8, 1941 Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Massachusetts February 3, 1944 Homer Bone Washington November 13, 1944 Sinclair Weeks Massachusetts December 19, 1944 Monrad Wallgren Washington January 9, 1945 Harry Truman Missouri January 17, 1945 Resigned to become Vice President of the United States Harold Burton Ohio September 30, 1945 Happy Chandler Kentucky November 1, 1945 Warren Austin Vermont August 2, 1946 Hugh Mitchell Washington December 25, 1946 Vera Bushfield South Dakota December 26, 1948 Alben Barkley Kentucky January 19, 1949 Robert Wagner New York June 28, 1949 Howard McGrath Rhode Island August 23, 1949 Raymond Baldwin Connecticut December 16, 1949 Sheridan Downey California November 30, 1950 Ralph Brewster Maine December 31, 1952 Richard Nixon California January 1, 1953 Resigned to become Vice President of the United States Charles Daniel South Carolina December 23, 1954 Hazel Abel Nebraska December 31, 1954 Strom Thurmond South Carolina April 4, 1956 Price Daniel Texas January 14, 1957 John F. Kennedy Massachusetts December 22, 1960 Resigned to take office as President of the United States Lyndon Johnson Texas January 3, 1961 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States Hubert Humphrey Minnesota December 29, 1964 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States Pierre Salinger California December 31, 1964 Harry Byrd Virginia November 10, 1965 John Williams Delaware December 31, 1970 George Murphy California January 2, 1971 William Saxbe Ohio January 3, 1974 Alan Bible Nevada December 17, 1974 Wallace Bennett Utah December 20, 1974 Howard Metzenbaum Ohio December 23, 1974 Marlow Cook Kentucky December 27, 1974 J. William Fulbright Arkansas December 31, 1974 Edward Gurney Florida December 31, 1974 Sam Ervin North Carolina December 31, 1974 Stuart Symington Missouri December 27, 1976 John Pastore Rhode Island December 28, 1976 Walter Mondale Minnesota December 30, 1976 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States Paul Hatfield Montana December 12, 1978 James Pearson Kansas December 23, 1978 Wendell Anderson Minnesota December 29, 1978 Clifford Hansen Wyoming December 31, 1978 Edmund Muskie Maine May 7, 1980 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of State John Durkin New Hampshire December 29, 1980 Richard Stone Florida December 31, 1980 Harrison Williams New Jersey March 11, 1982 Paul Tsongas Massachusetts January 2, 1985 David Karnes Nebraska December 8, 1988 Dan Quayle Indiana January 3, 1989 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States Gordon Humphrey New Hampshire December 4, 1990 Pete Wilson California January 7, 1991 Resigned to take office as Governor of California Kent Conrad North Dakota December 14, 1992 Al Gore Tennessee January 2, 1993 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States. Lloyd Bentsen Texas January 20, 1993 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury David Boren Oklahoma December 15, 1994 Bob Packwood Oregon October 1, 1995 Bob Dole Kansas June 11, 1996 Resigned to run for President of the United States Frank Murkowski Alaska December 2, 2002 Resigned to become Governor of Alaska Jon Corzine New Jersey January 17, 2006 Resigned to become Governor of New Jersey Trent Lott Mississippi December 18, 2007 Barack Obama Illinois November 16, 2008 Resigned to take office as President of the United States Joe Biden Delaware January 15, 2009 Resigned to become Vice President of the United States Ken Salazar Colorado January 20, 2009 Resigned to become United States Secretary of the Interior Hillary Clinton New York January 21, 2009 Resigned to become Secretary of State. Mel Martínez Florida September 9, 2009 John Ensign Nevada March 3, 2011 Jim DeMint South Carolina January 1, 2013 John Kerry Massachusetts February 1, 2013 Resigned to become Secretary of State Max Baucus Montana February 6, 2014 Resigned to become Ambassador to China Tom Coburn Oklahoma January 3, 2015 Jeff Sessions Alabama February 8, 2017 Resigned to become Attorney General Al Franken Minnesota January 2, 2018 Resigned after allegations of sexual harassment. He said he expected that an investigation would clear him but he could not do his job and undergo investigation at the same time. References Jump up ^ `` The Term of A Senator -- When Does It Begin and End ? -- Senate 98 - 29 '' ( PDF ). United States Senate. United States Printing Office. pp. 14 -- 15. Retrieved 13 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` TICHENOR, Isaac -- Biographical Information ''. bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 13. ^ Jump up to : `` 1787 : From the Senate to the Cabinet, May 13, 1800 ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 24. Jump up ^ `` 1801 : John Smith Resigns Under Fire -- April 25, 1808 ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 13. Jump up ^ `` 1801 : Daniel Webster Quits the Senate -- July 22, 1850 ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 13. Jump up ^ `` U.S. Senate : 1801 : Speech Costs Senator his Seat -- March 7, 1850 ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 24. Jump up ^ `` U.S. Senate : James Simmons expulsion case ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 13. Jump up ^ `` 1851 : Senator Resigns to Protest Civil War Loyalty Oath -- January 29, 1864 ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 13. ^ Jump up to : `` 1878 : Both New York Senators Resign -- May 16, 1881 ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 13. Jump up ^ Senate, United States Congress ( 1903 ). Compilation of Senate Election Cases from 1789 to 1885. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 48. ^ Jump up to : `` U.S. Senate : Expulsion and Censure ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 13. Jump up ^ `` 1921 : Senator Condemned for Excessive Campaign Expenditures -- January 12, 1922 ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 24. Jump up ^ `` The Term of A Senator -- When Does It Begin and End ? -- Senate 98 -- 29 '' ( PDF ). United States Senate. United States Printing Office. p. 5. Retrieved 13 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Term of A Senator -- When Does It Begin and End ? -- Senate 98 -- 29 '' ( PDF ). United States Senate. United States Printing Office. p. 9. Retrieved 13 November 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` 1941 : Two Senators to the White House ''. United States Senate. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 13. Jump up ^ `` The Term of A Senator -- When Does It Begin and End ? -- Senate 98 -- 29 '' ( PDF ). United States Senate. United States Printing Office. p. 11. Retrieved 13 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Term of A Senator -- When Does It Begin and End ? -- Senate 98 -- 29 '' ( PDF ). United States Senate. United States Printing Office. p. 13. Retrieved 13 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Senator Dole Resignation -- Video -- C-SPAN.org ''. C - SPAN. Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 13. Jump up ^ Barack Obama 's letter of resignation from the Senate, address to Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, at Wikisource Jump up ^ Tumulty, Brian ( January 21, 2009 ). `` Clinton sworn in at State Dept. and then resigns Senate ''. The Journal News. Jump up ^ http://www.startribune.com/transition-time-franken-moves-out-smith-moves-in/467678623/ Jump up ^ https://twitter.com/stribrooks/status/948267853668585472/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fhomenews%2Fsenate%2F367105-franken-makes-senate-resignation-official Sen. Franken 's letter of resignation Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Resignation_from_the_United_States_Senate&oldid=826024290 '' Categories : Termination of employment United States Senate Hidden categories : All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from November 2015 Talk About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 16 February 2018, at 19 : 35. About Wikipedia

Question: when was the last time a us senator resigned
Answer: Al Franken