# 1818–19 United States Senate elections

The 1818–19 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 1818 and 1819, 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 3.
The Democratic-Republican Party gained two seats. The Federalists had only three seats being contested, of which they lost two and the third was left vacant due to a failure to elect.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 16th Congress (1819–1821)
* Majority party: Democratic-Republican (30–37)
* Minority party: Federalist (9)
* Vacant: 3–0
* Total seats: 42–46

## Change in composition
### Before the elections

After the admission of Illinois.
| | | | | | | | | | DR$_1$ |
| DR$_{11}$ | DR$_{10}$ | DR$_9$ | DR$_8$ | DR$_7$ | DR$_6$ | DR$_5$ | DR$_4$ | DR$_3$ Ill. New seat | DR$_2$ |
| DR$_{12}$ | DR$_{13}$ | DR$_{14}$ | DR$_{15}$ | DR$_{16}$ | DR$_{17}$ | DR$_{18}$ | DR$_{19}$ | DR$_{20}$ Ill. Ran | DR$_{21}$ Ind. Ran |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | DR$_{22}$ N.C. Ran |
| F$_{12}$ N.Y. Ran | DR$_{30}$ Vt. Resigned | DR$_{29}$ Pa. Retired | DR$_{28}$ Ohio Retired | DR$_{27}$ La. Retired | DR$_{26}$ N.H. Unknown | DR$_{25}$ Ky. Unknown | DR$_{24}$ Ga. Unknown | DR$_{23}$ S.C. Ran | DR$_{22}$ N.C. Ran |
| F$_{11}$ Md. Ran | F$_{10}$ Conn. Ran | F$_9$ | F$_8$ | F$_7$ | F$_6$ | F$_5$ | F$_4$ | F$_3$ | F$_2$ |
| | | | | | | | | | F$_1$ |

### Result of the general elections

| | | | | | | | | | DR$_1$ |
| DR$_{11}$ | DR$_{10}$ | DR$_9$ | DR$_8$ | DR$_7$ | DR$_6$ | DR$_5$ | DR$_4$ | DR$_3$ | DR$_2$ |
| DR$_{12}$ | DR$_{13}$ | DR$_{14}$ | DR$_{15}$ | DR$_{16}$ | DR$_{17}$ | DR$_{18}$ | DR$_{19}$ | DR$_{20}$ Ill. Re-elected | DR$_{21}$ Ind. Re-elected |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | DR$_{22}$ N.C. Re-elected |
| DR$_{31}$ Conn. Gain | DR$_{30}$ Vt. Hold | DR$_{29}$ Pa. Hold | DR$_{28}$ Ohio Hold | DR$_{27}$ N.H. Hold | DR$_{26}$ La. Hold | DR$_{25}$ Ky. Hold | DR$_{24}$ Ga. Hold | DR$_{23}$ S.C. Re-elected | DR$_{22}$ N.C. Re-elected |
| V$_1$ N.Y. F Loss | V$_2$ Md. F Loss | F$_9$ | F$_8$ | F$_7$ | F$_6$ | F$_5$ | F$_4$ | F$_3$ | F$_2$ |
| | | | | | | | | | F$_1$ |

### Results of the 1819 special elections

| | | | | | | | | DR$_1$ | DR$_2$ |
| DR$_{12}$ | DR$_{11}$ | DR$_{10}$ Va. Hold | DR$_9$ Tenn. Hold | DR$_8$ Ky. Hold | DR$_7$ Ga. Hold | DR$_6$ | DR$_5$ | DR$_4$ | DR$_3$ |
| DR$_{13}$ | DR$_{14}$ | DR$_{15}$ | DR$_{16}$ | DR$_{17}$ | DR$_{18}$ | DR$_{19}$ | DR$_{20}$ | DR$_{21}$ | DR$_{22}$ |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | DR$_{23}$ |
| DR$_{32}$ Ala. Cl.2 New seat | DR$_{31}$ | DR$_{30}$ | DR$_{29}$ | DR$_{28}$ | DR$_{27}$ | DR$_{26}$ | DR$_{25}$ | DR$_{24}$ | DR$_{23}$ |
| DR$_{33}$ Ala. Cl.3 New seat | DR$_{34}$ Md. Cl.1 Gain | DR$_{35}$ Md. Cl.3 Gain | V$_1$ | F$_8$ | F$_7$ | F$_6$ | F$_5$ | F$_4$ | F$_3$ |
| | | | | | | | | F$_2$ | F$_1$ |
| Key: | DR$_#$ Democratic-Republican F$_#$ Federalist V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Special elections during the 15th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1818 or before March 4, 1819; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Louisiana (Class 2) | William C. C. Claiborne | Democratic- Republican | 1817 | Incumbent died November 23, 1817. New senator elected January 12, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y Henry Johnson (Democratic-Republican) 30 ▌Mr. Livingston (Unknown) 5 ▌John MacDonough (Unknown) 4 ▌Dr. Hood (Unknown) 2 |
| Massachusetts (Class 1) | Eli P. Ashmun | Federalist | 1816 (special) | Incumbent resigned May 10, 1818. New senator elected June 5, 1818. Federalist hold. | ▌Y Prentiss Mellen (Democratic-Republican) 85 ▌William King (Democratic-Republican) 37 ▌James Bridge (Unknown) 2 ▌Mark L. Hill (Democratic-Republican) 1 |
| Illinois (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | New state. New senators elected October 7, 1818 on the first and third ballot. Lots were drawn to assign them, respectively, to Classes 3 and 2. The Class 3 senator had to run again for re-election in 1819; see below. Two Democratic-Republican gains. | First ballot: ▌Y Ninian Edwards (Democratic-Republican) 32 ▌Y Leonard White (Unknown) 17 ▌Y Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 15 ▌Y Michael Jones (Unknown) 10 ▌Joseph M. Street (Unknown) 3 ▌Robert Morrison (Unknown) 3 Second ballot: ▌Leonard White (Unknown) 16 ▌Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 14 ▌Michael Jones (Unknown) 10 Third ballot: ▌Y Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 21 ▌Leonard White (Unknown) 18 ▌Michael Jones (Unknown) 1 |
| Illinois (Class 2) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | New state. New senators elected October 7, 1818 on the first and third ballot. Lots were drawn to assign them, respectively, to Classes 3 and 2. The Class 3 senator had to run again for re-election in 1819; see below. Two Democratic-Republican gains. | First ballot: ▌Y Ninian Edwards (Democratic-Republican) 32 ▌Y Leonard White (Unknown) 17 ▌Y Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 15 ▌Y Michael Jones (Unknown) 10 ▌Joseph M. Street (Unknown) 3 ▌Robert Morrison (Unknown) 3 Second ballot: ▌Leonard White (Unknown) 16 ▌Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 14 ▌Michael Jones (Unknown) 10 Third ballot: ▌Y Jesse B. Thomas (Democratic-Republican) 21 ▌Leonard White (Unknown) 18 ▌Michael Jones (Unknown) 1 |
| Vermont (Class 3) | James Fisk | Democratic- Republican | 1817 (special) | Incumbent resigned January 8, 1818 to serve as collector of customs for the district of Vermont. New senator elected October 20, 1818 to finish the term. Winner also elected to the following term, see below. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y William Palmer (Democratic-Republican) 116 ▌Dudley Chase (Federalist) 54 ▌William A. Griswold (Democratic-Republican) 11 ▌Paul Brigham (Democratic-Republican) 7 Scattering 4 |
| Georgia (Class 2) | George M. Troup | Democratic- Republican | 1816 (special) 1816 | Incumbent resigned September 23, 1818. New senator elected November 7, 1818 on the fourth ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y John Forsyth (Democratic-Republican) 86 ▌Nicholas Ware (Democratic-Republican) 29 ▌John M. Dooley (Unknown) 10 |

### Races leading to the 16th Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1819 (except where noted due to late election); ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Connecticut | David Daggett | Federalist | 1813 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected October 22, 1818 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y James Lanman (Democratic-Republican) 114 ▌David Daggett (Federalist) 84 ▌Elijah Boardman (Democratic-Republican) 7 ▌Nathan Smith (Democratic-Republican) 3 ▌William Bristol (Democratic-Republican) 1 |
| Georgia | Charles Tait | Democratic- Republican | 1809 (special) 1813 | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected November 11, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y John Elliot (Democratic-Republican) 72 ▌John Forsyth (Democratic-Republican) 53 |
| Illinois | Ninian Edwards | Democratic- Republican | 1818 | Incumbent re-elected in early February 1819. | ▌Y Ninian Edwards (Democratic-Republican) 23 ▌Michael Jones (Unknown) 19 |
| Indiana | Waller Taylor | Democratic- Republican | 1816 | Incumbent re-elected December 16, 1818. | ▌Y Waller Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 21 ▌James Scott (Unknown) 15 ▌Isaac Blackford (Democratic-Republican) 2 |
| Kentucky | Isham Talbot | Democratic- Republican | 1814 (special) | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected December 17, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y William Logan (Democratic-Republican) 67 ▌Richard Mentor Johnson (Democratic-Republican) 55 |
| Louisiana | Eligius Fromentin | Democratic- Republican | 1813 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected on January 11, 1819, on the second ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y James Brown (Democratic-Republican) ▌John McDonough (Unknown) 9 ▌Abner Lawson Duncan (Democratic-Republican) 12 ▌Eligius Fromentin (Democratic-Republican) 1 |
| Maryland | Robert Goldsborough | Federalist | 1813 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. Legislature failed to elect and the seat became vacant. Federalist loss. | None. |
| New Hampshire | Clement Storer | Democratic- Republican | 1817 (special) | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected in 1818 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y John Fabyan Parrott (Democratic-Republican) 97 ▌William Plumer (Democratic-Republican) 54 ▌Jeremiah Smith (Federalist) 11 ▌Josiah Butler (Democratic-Republican) 5 ▌Clement Storer (Democratic-Republican) 1 |
| New York | Rufus King | Federalist | 1813 | Incumbent ran for re-election. Legislature failed to elect and the seat became vacant. Federalist loss. Incumbent was later re-elected in 1820, late in the next Congress. | ▌John C. Spencer (Democratic-Republican/Clintonian) ▌Philetus Swift (Democratic-Republican) ▌Rufus King (Federalist) ▌John Van Ness Yates (Democratic-Republican/Bucktail) ▌John Wells (Federalist) ▌Samuel Young (Democratic-Republican/Bucktail) |
| North Carolina | Nathaniel Macon | Democratic- Republican | 1815 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1818. | ▌Y Nathaniel Macon (Democratic-Republican) 166 Unopposed |
| Ohio | Jeremiah Morrow | Democratic- Republican | 1812 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 30, 1819 on the fourth ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y William Trimble (Democratic-Republican) 48 ▌Thomas Worthington (Democratic-Republican) 25 ▌John E. Hamm (Democratic-Republican) 18 |
| Pennsylvania | Abner Lacock | Democratic- Republican | 1812 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected December 8, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y Walter Lowrie (Democratic-Republican) 87 ▌Isaac Weaver Jr. (Democratic-Republican) 32 ▌John Tod (Democratic-Republican) 1 Not voting 8 |
| South Carolina | John Gaillard | Democratic- Republican | 1812 | Incumbent re-elected in 1818. | ▌Y John Gaillard (Democratic-Republican) 96 ▌John R. Richardson (Unknown) 61 |
| Vermont | James Fisk | Democratic- Republican | 1817 (special) | Incumbent resigned January 8, 1818 to serve as collector of customs for the district of Vermont. New senator elected October 20, 1818. Winner also elected to finish the term; see above. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y William A. Palmer (Democratic-Republican) 133 ▌Dudley Chase (Federalist) 49 ▌William A. Griswold (Democratic-Republican) 7 ▌Paul Brigham (Democratic-Republican) 5 |

### Special elections during the 16th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated in 1819 after March 4; ordered by election date. The new Congress was seated December 6, 1819, so some of these late-elected senators were seated after that.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Tennessee (Class 1) | John H. Eaton | Democratic- Republican | 1818 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected October 9, 1819. | ▌Y John Eaton (Democratic-Republican) 31 ▌Parry W. Humphreys (Democratic-Republican) 29 |
| Georgia (Class 2) | John Forsyth | Democratic- Republican | 1818 (special) | Incumbent resigned February 17, 1819 to become U.S. Minister to Spain. New senator elected November 6, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y Freeman Walker (Democratic-Republican) Unopposed |
| Kentucky (Class 2) | John Crittenden | Democratic- Republican | 1816 | Incumbent resigned March 3, 1819 to return to private practice. New senator elected December 10, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y Richard Mentor Johnson (Democratic-Republican) 68 ▌John Adair (Federalist) 53 |
| Virginia (Class 2) | John Eppes | Democratic- Republican | 1816 | Incumbent resigned December 4, 1819 because of ill health. New senator elected December 10, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y James Pleasants (Democratic-Republican) 146 ▌John Taliaferro (Democratic-Republican) 42 |
| Alabama (Class 2) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | New state. New senator elected December 14, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y William R. King (Democratic-Republican) 56 ▌John W. Walker (Democratic-Republican) 11 ▌Thomas D. Crabb (Unknown) 2 |
| Alabama (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | New state. New senator elected December 14, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y John W. Walker (Democratic-Republican) 59 ▌Thomas D. Crabb (Unknown) 7 ▌George Phillips (Unknown) 2 ▌William R. King (Democratic-Republican) 1 |
| Maryland (Class 3) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect; see above. New senator elected late December 14, 1819 and qualified December 21, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y Edward Lloyd (Democratic-Republican) 50 ▌Y William Pinkney (Democratic-Republican) 49 ▌Charles Carroll (Federalist) 37 ▌Robert Goldsborough (Federalist) 34 ▌Charles Goldsborough (Federalist) 4 ▌Samuel Smith (Unknown) 1 ▌John Graham (Democratic-Republican) 1 |
| Maryland (Class 1) | Alexander Hanson | Federalist | 1816 (special) | Incumbent died April 23, 1819. New senator elected December 14, 1819 and qualified December 21, 1819. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y Edward Lloyd (Democratic-Republican) 50 ▌Y William Pinkney (Democratic-Republican) 49 ▌Charles Carroll (Federalist) 37 ▌Robert Goldsborough (Federalist) 34 ▌Charles Goldsborough (Federalist) 4 ▌Samuel Smith (Unknown) 1 ▌John Graham (Democratic-Republican) 1 |

## Maryland

Due to both the Class 3 seat falling vacant at the normal end of the term and the Class 1 seat falling vacant due to the death of Alexander Contee Hanson, the legislature voted for both seats simultaneously. Edward Lloyd received the most votes and won the Class 3 seat. William Pinkney received the second-most votes and won the Class 1 seat.