# 1846–47 United States Senate elections

The 1846–47 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 1846 and 1847, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.
The Democratic Party gained four seats in the United States Senate.

## Results

Senate party division, 30th Congress (1847–1849)
* Majority party: Democratic (34–38)
* Minority party: Whig (20–21)
* Other parties: Independent Democratic (1)
* Total seats: 58–60

## Change in composition
### Before the elections

After the February 1846 elections in Texas.
| | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ | D$_7$ | D$_8$ |
| D$_{18}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ |
| D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ Ala. Ran | D$_{26}$ Ark. Ran | D$_{27}$ S.C. Ran | D$_{28}$ Tex. Ran |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | D$_{29}$ N.H. Ran |
| W$_{19}$ Va. Ran | W$_{20}$ Del. Unknown | W$_{21}$ Ky. Unknown | W$_{22}$ Mich. Retired | W$_{23}$ Tenn. Retired | W$_{24}$ La. Died | V$_1$ | D$_{31}$ Ill. Retired | D$_{30}$ Miss. Unknown | D$_{29}$ N.H. Ran |
| W$_{18}$ R.I. Ran | W$_{17}$ N.C. Ran | W$_{16}$ N.J. Ran | W$_{15}$ Mass. Ran | W$_{14}$ Maine. Ran | W$_{13}$ Ga. Ran | W$_{12}$ | W$_{11}$ | W$_{10}$ | W$_9$ |
| | | W$_1$ | W$_2$ | W$_3$ | W$_4$ | W$_5$ | W$_6$ | W$_7$ | W$_8$ |

### As a result of the regular elections

| | V$_3$ Iowa New state | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ | D$_7$ | D$_8$ |
| D$_{18}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ |
| D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ Ala. Appointee elected | D$_{26}$ Ark. Re-elected | D$_{27}$ S.C. Re-elected | D$_{28}$ Tex. Re-elected |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | D$_{29}$ Ill. Hold |
| W$_{19}$ R.I. Hold | V$_1$ Tenn. W Loss | V$_2$ | ID$_1$ N.H. Gain | D$_{34}$ Va. Gain | D$_{33}$ Mich. Gain | D$_{32}$ Maine. Hold | D$_{31}$ Miss. Hold | D$_{30}$ La. Hold | D$_{29}$ Ill. Hold |
| W$_{18}$ Ky. Hold | W$_{17}$ Del. Hold | W$_{16}$ N.C. Re-elected | W$_{15}$ N.J. Re-elected | W$_{14}$ Mass. Re-elected | W$_{13}$ Ga. Re-elected | W$_{12}$ | W$_{11}$ | W$_{10}$ | W$_9$ |
| | V$_4$ Iowa New state | W$_1$ | W$_2$ | W$_3$ | W$_4$ | W$_5$ | W$_6$ | W$_7$ | W$_8$ |

### As a result of the regular elections

| | V$_2$ Iowa | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ | D$_7$ | D$_8$ |
| D$_{18}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{16}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ |
| D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ Va. (sp) Hold | D$_{25}$ | D$_{26}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{28}$ |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | D$_{29}$ |
| W$_{19}$ | W$_{20}$ Tenn. Gain | W$_{21}$ N.C. (sp) Gain | ID$_1$ | D$_{34}$ | D$_{33}$ | D$_{32}$ | D$_{31}$ | D$_{30}$ | D$_{29}$ |
| W$_{18}$ | W$_{17}$ | W$_{16}$ | W$_{15}$ | W$_{14}$ | W$_{13}$ | W$_{12}$ | W$_{11}$ | W$_{10}$ | W$_9$ |
| | V$_3$ Iowa | W$_1$ | W$_2$ | W$_3$ | W$_4$ | W$_5$ | W$_6$ | W$_7$ | W$_8$ |
| Key: | D$_#$ Democratic ID$_#$ Independent Democratic W$_#$ Whig V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Special elections during the 29th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1846 or in 1847 before March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Mississippi (Class 2) | Joseph W. Chalmers | Democratic | 1845 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 10, 1846. | ▌Y Joseph W. Chalmers (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Texas (Class 1) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Texas was admitted to the Union December 29, 1845. Senator elected February 21, 1846. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Thomas Rusk (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Texas (Class 2) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Texas was admitted to the Union December 29, 1845. Senator elected February 21, 1846. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Sam Houston (Democratic) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire (Class 2) | Benning W. Jenness | Democratic | 1845 (appointed) | Appointee lost election to finish the term. New senator elected June 13, 1846. Liberty gain. Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Joseph Cilley (Liberty) ▌Benning W. Jenness (Democratic) [data missing] |
| North Carolina (Class 3) | William H. Haywood Jr. | Democratic | 1843 | Incumbent resigned July 25, 1846 rather than disobey instructions from the N.C. General Assembly. New senator elected November 25, 1846. Whig gain. | ▌Y George E. Badger (Whig) [data missing] |
| Louisiana (Class 2) | Alexander Barrow | Whig | 1840 | Incumbent died December 29, 1846. New senator elected January 21, 1847. Democratic gain. Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Pierre Soulé (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Virginia (Class 1) | Isaac S. Pennybacker | Democratic | 1845 (special) | Incumbent died January 12, 1847. New senator elected January 21, 1847. Democratic hold. | ▌Y James M. Mason (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Iowa (Class 2) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Iowa was admitted to the Union December 28, 1846. Legislature failed to elect due to a three-way split preventing any candidate from earning the required number of 30 legislators' votes. Seats remained vacant until December 7, 1848. | [data missing] |
| Iowa (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Iowa was admitted to the Union December 28, 1846. Legislature failed to elect due to a three-way split preventing any candidate from earning the required number of 30 legislators' votes. Seats remained vacant until December 7, 1848. | [data missing] |

### Races leading to the 30th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1847; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Alabama | Dixon Hall Lewis | Democratic | 1844 (appointed) | Incumbent elected to full term in 1847. | ▌Y Dixon Hall Lewis (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Arkansas | Chester Ashley | Democratic | 1844 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1846. | ▌Y Chester Ashley (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Delaware | Thomas Clayton | Whig | 1837 (special) 1841 | Incumbent lost re-election or retired. Winner elected in 1846 or 1847. Whig hold. | ▌Y Presley Spruance (Whig) [data missing] |
| Georgia | John M. Berrien | Whig | 1825 1829 (resigned) 1840 1845 (resigned) 1845 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1846. | ▌Y John M. Berrien (Whig) [data missing] |
| Illinois | James Semple | Democratic | 1843 (appointed) ? (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1846. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Stephen A. Douglas (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Kentucky | James T. Morehead | Whig | 1841 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1846 or 1847. Whig hold. | ▌Y Joseph R. Underwood (Whig) [data missing] |
| Louisiana | Pierre Soulé | Democratic | 1847 (special) | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1847. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Solomon W. Downs (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Maine | George Evans | Whig | 1840 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1846. Democratic gain. | ▌Y James W. Bradbury (Democratic) ▌George Evans (Whig) [data missing] |
| Massachusetts | John Davis | Whig | 1835 1841 (resigned) 1845 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1847. | ▌Y John Davis (Whig) [data missing] |
| Michigan | William Woodbridge | Whig | 1841 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in February 1847. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Alpheus Felch (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Mississippi | Joseph W. Chalmers | Democratic | 1845 (appointed) ? (special) | Incumbent lost re-election or retired. New senator elected in 1846 or 1847. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Henry S. Foote (Democratic) [data missing] |
| New Hampshire | Joseph Cilley | Liberty | 1846 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1846. Independent Democratic gain. | ▌Y John P. Hale (Independent Democratic) ▌Joseph Cilley (Liberty) [data missing] |
| New Jersey | Jacob W. Miller | Whig | 1841 | Incumbent re-elected in 1846. | ▌Y Jacob W. Miller (Whig) [data missing] |
| North Carolina | Willie Mangum | Whig | 1840 (special) 1841 | Incumbent re-elected in 1847. | ▌Y Willie Mangum (Whig) [data missing] |
| Rhode Island | James F. Simmons | Whig | 1841 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected in 1846 or 1847. Whig hold. | ▌Y John Hopkins Clarke (Whig) ▌James F. Simmons (Whig) [data missing] |
| South Carolina | John C. Calhoun | Democratic | 1832 (special) 1834 1840 1843 (resigned) 1845 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1846. | ▌Y John C. Calhoun (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Tennessee | Spencer Jarnagin | Whig | 1843 (special) | Incumbent retired. Legislature failed to elect. Whig loss. | [data missing] |
| Texas | Sam Houston | Democratic | 1846 | Incumbent re-elected in 1847 | ▌Y Sam Houston (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Virginia | William S. Archer | Whig | 1840 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1846. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Robert M. T. Hunter (Democratic) ▌William S. Archer (Whig) [data missing] |

### Special elections during the 30th Congress

In this special election, the winner was elected in 1847 after March 4.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Tennessee (Class 2) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had earlier failed to elect. New senator elected November 22, 1847. Whig gain. | ▌Y John Bell (Whig) [data missing] |

## Iowa

Iowa became a state in December 1846, but did not elect its senators until December 1848.

## Louisiana

Alexander Barrow (W) died December 29, 1846. Pierre Soulé (D) was elected January 21, 1847 just to finish the term. Solomon W. Downs (D) was elected to the next term.

## New Hampshire

Democratic appointee Benning W. Jenness lost the June 13, 1846 election to finish the term and the election the same day to the next term. Joseph Cilley (Liberty) was elected to finish the term, but lost the election to the next term. John P. Hale was (Independent Democratic) was elected to the next term and would later become a Free Soiler.

## Virginia

William S. Archer (W) lost re-election to Democrat Robert M. T. Hunter.

## Virginia (special)

Isaac S. Pennybacker (D), who was not up for election, died January 12, 1847. James Murray Mason (D) was elected January 21, 1847.