# 1816–17 United States Senate elections

The 1816–17 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 1816 and 1817, 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-Republican Party gained a net of two seats from the admission of a new state.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 15th Congress (1817–1819)
* Majority party: Democratic-Republican (25–28)
* Minority party: Federalist (13–12)
* Total seats: 38–42

## Change in composition
### Results of the January 1816 special elections

| DR$_8$ | DR$_7$ | DR$_6$ | DR$_5$ | DR$_4$ | DR$_3$ | DR$_2$ | DR$_1$ |
| DR$_9$ | DR$_{10}$ | DR$_{11}$ | DR$_{12}$ | DR$_{13}$ | DR$_{14}$ | DR$_{15}$ | DR$_{16}$ | DR$_{17}$ | DR$_{18}$ |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | DR$_{19}$ |
| F$_9$ Md. Gain | F$_{10}$ | F$_{11}$ | F$_{12}$ | F$_{13}$ | DR$_{23}$ | DR$_{22}$ | DR$_{19}$ | DR$_{21}$ Va. Gain | DR$_{20}$ |
| F$_8$ | F$_7$ | F$_6$ | F$_5$ | F$_4$ | F$_3$ | F$_2$ | F$_1$ |

### Before the general elections

| DR$_9$ | DR$_8$ | DR$_7$ | DR$_6$ | DR$_5$ | DR$_4$ | DR$_3$ | DR$_2$ | DR$_1$ | |
| DR$_{10}$ | DR$_{11}$ | DR$_{12}$ | DR$_{13}$ | DR$_{14}$ | DR$_{15}$ Ga. Resigned | DR$_{16}$ La. Ran | DR$_{17}$ Mass. Unknown | DR$_{18}$ N.J. Unknown | DR$_{19}$ N.C. Resigned |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | DR$_{20}$ R.I. Retired |
| F$_{10}$ | F$_{11}$ Del. Ran | F$_{12}$ Ky. Retired | F$_{13}$ N.H. Unknown | TBD$_1$ Ind. New seat | TBD$_2$ Ind. New seat | DR$_{23}$ Va. Unknown | DR$_{22}$ Tenn. Unknown | DR$_{21}$ S.C. Resigned | DR$_{20}$ R.I. Retired |
| F$_9$ | F$_8$ | F$_7$ | F$_6$ | F$_5$ | F$_4$ | F$_3$ | F$_2$ | F$_1$ |

### Results of the general elections

| DR$_9$ | DR$_8$ | DR$_7$ | DR$_6$ | DR$_5$ | DR$_4$ | DR$_3$ | DR$_2$ | DR$_1$ | |
| DR$_{10}$ | DR$_{11}$ | DR$_{12}$ | DR$_{13}$ | DR$_{14}$ | DR$_{15}$ Ga. Hold | DR$_{16}$ Ind. Gain | DR$_{17}$ Ind. Gain | DR$_{18}$ Ky. Gain | DR$_{19}$ La. Hold |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | DR$_{20}$ N.H. Gain |
| F$_{10}$ | F$_{11}$ Del. Hold | F$_{12}$ Mass. Gain | F$_{13}$ R.I. Gain | V$_1$ Tenn. DR Loss | DR$_{24}$ Va. Hold | DR$_{23}$ S.C. Hold | DR$_{22}$ N.C. Hold | DR$_{21}$ N.J. Hold | DR$_{20}$ N.H. Gain |
| F$_9$ | | | | | | | | | |
| F$_9$ | F$_8$ | F$_7$ | F$_6$ | F$_5$ | F$_4$ | F$_3$ | F$_2$ | F$_1$ |

### Results of the 1817 special elections

| DR$_{10}$ | DR$_9$ | DR$_8$ | DR$_7$ | DR$_6$ | DR$_5$ | DR$_4$ | DR$_3$ | DR$_2$ | DR$_1$ |
| DR$_{11}$ | DR$_{12}$ | DR$_{13}$ | DR$_{14}$ | DR$_{15}$ | DR$_{16}$ | DR$_{17}$ | DR$_{18}$ | DR$_{19}$ | DR$_{20}$ |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | DR$_{21}$ |
| F$_{11}$ | F$_{12}$ | DR$_{28}$ Tenn. Elected | DR$_{27}$ N.H. Gain | DR$_{26}$ Miss. New seat | DR$_{25}$ Miss. New seat | DR$_{24}$ Vt. Hold | DR$_{23}$ | DR$_{22}$ | DR$_{21}$ |
| F$_{10}$ | F$_9$ | 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
### Elections during the preceding Congress

In these special and general elections, the winners were seated during 1816 or before March 4, 1817; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Virginia (Class 2) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | William B. Giles (DR) resigned March 3, 1815. John Wayles Eppes (DR) was elected December 7, 1815, but declined to serve. New senator elected January 3, 1816 on the fourth ballot despite being too young to serve. Democratic-Republican gain. Winner later lost re-election to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Armistead T. Mason (Democratic-Republican) 128 Scattering 33 |
| Maryland (Class 1) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | The Maryland General Assembly failed to elect in time for the March 4, 1815 beginning of the term. New senator elected January 29, 1816. Federalist gain. | ▌Y Robert Harper (Federalist) 45 ▌John T. Mason (Democratic-Republican) 44 |
| Massachusetts (Class 1) | Christopher Gore | Federalist | 1813 (appointed) 1815 (special) | Incumbent resigned May 30, 1816, unhappy with the politics of Washington and suffering from poor health. New senator elected June 12, 1816. Federalist hold. | ▌Y Eli P. Ashmun (Federalist) 158 Scattering 137 |
| Indiana (Class 1) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Indiana was admitted to the Union December 11, 1816. New senator elected November 8, 1816. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y James Noble (Democratic-Republican) 26 ▌Y Waller Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 20 ▌James Scott (Unknown) 16 ▌Jesse L. Holman (Unknown) 3 ▌Ezra Ferris (Unknown) 2 ▌Davis Floyd (Democratic-Republican) 2 ▌Walter Wilson (Unknown) 2 ▌Elias MacNamee (Unknown) 1 |
| Indiana (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Indiana was admitted to the Union December 11, 1816. New senator elected November 8, 1816. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y James Noble (Democratic-Republican) 26 ▌Y Waller Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 20 ▌James Scott (Unknown) 16 ▌Jesse L. Holman (Unknown) 3 ▌Ezra Ferris (Unknown) 2 ▌Davis Floyd (Democratic-Republican) 2 ▌Walter Wilson (Unknown) 2 ▌Elias MacNamee (Unknown) 1 |
| Georgia (Class 2) | William W. Bibb | Democratic- Republican | 1813 (special) | Incumbent resigned November 9, 1816. New senator elected November 13, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y George M. Troup (Democratic-Republican) 62 ▌[FNU] Clark (Unknown) 49 ▌[FNU] Spalding (Unknown) 6 |
| North Carolina (Class 2) | James Turner | Democratic- Republican | 1804 1810 | Incumbent resigned November 21, 1816 due to ill health. New senator elected December 4, 1816 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Montfort Stokes (Democratic-Republican) 98 ▌John Branch (Democratic-Republican) 87 |
| South Carolina (Class 2) | John Taylor | Democratic- Republican | 1810 (special) 1810 | Incumbent resigned November 1816. New senator elected December 4, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y William Smith (Democratic-Republican) 101 ▌James R. Pringle (Unknown) 51 |
| Kentucky (Class 2) | Martin D. Hardin | Federalist | 1814 (appointed) | Incumbent appointee elected December 5, 1816. Winner was not later a candidate for the next term; see below. | ▌Y Martin D. Hardin (Democratic-Republican) 74 ▌Samuel H. Woodson (Democratic-Republican) 31 ▌Norborn B. Beall (Democratic-Republican) 12 ▌Matthew Lyon (Democratic-Republican) 2 |
| Maryland (Class 1) | Robert Goodloe Harper | Federalist | 1816 (special) | Incumbent resigned December 6, 1816. New senator elected December 20, 1816. Federalist hold. | ▌Y Alexander C. Hanson (Federalist) 46 ▌William H. Winder (Federalist) 39 ▌Scattering (Federalist) 3 |

### Races leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winners were seated March 4, 1817; 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 |
| Delaware | William H. Wells | Federalist | 1799 (special) 1799 1804 (resigned) 1813 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 31, 1817 on the third ballot. Federalist hold. | ▌Y Nicholas Van Dyke (Federalist) 14 ▌William Hill Wells (Federalist) 11 ▌James Tilton (Democratic-Republican) 1 |
| Georgia | William W. Bibb | Democratic- Republican | 1813 (special) | Resigned November 9, 1816. New senator elected November 13, 1816 on the second ballot. Winner was also elected to finish the previous term; see above. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y George M. Troup (Democratic-Republican) 62 ▌[FNU] Clark (Unknown) 49 ▌[FNU] Spalding (Unknown) 6 |
| Kentucky | Martin D. Hardin | Federalist | 1816 (appointed) 1816 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected December 10, 1816 on the second ballot. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y John J. Crittenden (Democratic-Republican) 72 ▌John Adair (Federalist) 47 |
| Louisiana | James Brown | Democratic- Republican | 1813 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1817. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y William C. C. Claiborne (Democratic-Republican) 27 ▌James Brown (Democratic-Republican) 22 Blank 1 |
| Massachusetts | Joseph Bradley Varnum | Democratic-Republican | 1811 | Incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected June 12, 1816. Federalist gain. | ▌Y Harrison Gray Otis (Federalist) 183 ▌John Holmes (Democratic-Republican) 130 ▌Levi Lincoln Jr. (Democratic-Republican) 6 Scattering 5 |
| New Hampshire | Thomas W. Thompson | Federalist | 1814 (special) | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected in 1816 on the third ballot. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y David L. Morrill (Democratic-Republican) 92 ▌John F. Parrott (Democratic-Republican) 86 Scattering 5 |
| New Jersey | John Condit | Democratic- Republican | 1809 (special) 1810 | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. New senator elected January 23, 1817. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y Mahlon Dickerson (Democratic-Republican) Unopposed |
| North Carolina | James Turner | Democratic- Republican | 1804 1810 | Resigned November 21, 1816 due to ill health. New senator elected December 4, 1816 on the second ballot. Winner was also elected to finish the previous term; see above. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y Montfort Stokes (Democratic-Republican) 96 ▌Bartlett Yancey (Democratic-Republican) 91 [data missing] |
| Rhode Island | Jeremiah Howell | Democratic- Republican | 1810 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected June 21, 1816. Federalist gain. | ▌Y James Burrill Jr. (Federalist) Unanimous |
| South Carolina | John Taylor | Democratic- Republican | 1810 (special) 1810 | Incumbent resigned November 1816. New senator elected December 4, 1816. Winner was also elected to the previous term, see above. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y William Smith (Democratic-Republican) 101 ▌James R. Pringle (Unknown) 51 |
| Tennessee | John Williams | Democratic- Republican | 1815 (special) | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election. Legislature failed to elect. Incumbent was appointed to start the term. Democratic-Republican loss. | None. |
| Virginia | Armistead T. Mason | Democratic-Republican | 1816 (special) | Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election, but he was an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. New senator elected December 9, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y John W. Eppes (Democratic-Republican) 103 ▌John Mercer (Democratic-Republican) 93 |

### Elections during the next Congress

In three special elections and two general elections, the winners were elected in 1817 after March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| New Hampshire (Class 3) | Jeremiah Mason | Federalist | 1813 (special) | Incumbent resigned June 16, 1817. New senator elected June 27, 1817 on the thirteenth ballot. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y Clement Storer (Democratic-Republican) ▌Jeremiah Smith (Federalist) |
| Tennessee (Class 2) | John Williams | Democratic- Republican | 1815 (special) | Legislature had failed to elect and the incumbent was then appointed to start the term. Interim appointee was re-elected October 2, 1817 to finish the term. | ▌Y John Williams (Democratic-Republican) 51 Unopposed |
| Vermont (Class 3) | Dudley Chase | Democratic- Republican | 1812 | Resgined November 3, 1817. New senator elected November 4, 1817. Democratic-Republican hold. | ▌Y James Fisk (Democratic-Republican) [data missing] |
| Mississippi (Class 1) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Mississippi was admitted as a new state. New senator elected December 10, 1817 on the fifth ballot. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y Walter Leake (Democratic-Republican) 15 ▌Christopher Rankin (Democratic-Republican) 8 ▌Cowles Mead (Democratic-Republican) 5 ▌Thomas H. Williams (Democratic-Republican) 1 |
| Mississippi (Class 2) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Mississippi was admitted as a new state. New senator elected December 10, 1817 on the fourth ballot. Democratic-Republican gain. | ▌Y Thomas H. Williams (Democratic-Republican) 16 ▌Cowles Mead (Democratic-Republican) 12 ▌Christopher Rankin (Democratic-Republican) 1 |

## Indiana

The new state of Indiana elected its first two senators, both Democratic-Republicans, James Noble and Waller Taylor. The election was held November 8, 1816 in advance of Indiana's December 11, 1816 admission as a state. In the election legislators cast a single ballot and the first and second place candidates were deemed elected.
* Y James Noble (Democratic-Republican) 265 votes
* Y Waller Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 20 votes
* James Scott 16 votes
* Jesse L. Holman 3 votes
* Ezra Ferris 2 votes
* Davis Floyd 2 votes
* Walter Wilson 2 votes
* Elias MacNamee 1 vote

## Maryland (special)
### Maryland (special, January 1816)

Robert Goodloe Harper won election over John Thomson Mason by a margin of 1.12%, or 1 vote, for the Class 1 seat.

### Maryland (special, December 1816)

Alexander Contee Hanson won election over William Winder by a margin of 8.24%, or 7 votes, for the Class 1 seat.

## Mississippi

The new state of Mississippi elected its first two senators, both Democratic-Republicans, Walter Leake and Thomas H. Williams. Two separate elections were held in which each senator was elected.
First Senator (Class 1) (5th ballot, date and previous ballots unknown)
* Y Walter Leake (Democratic-Republican) 15 votes
* Christopher Rankin 8 votes
* Cowles Mead 5 votes
* Thomas H. Williams 1 vote
Second Senator (Class 2) (4th ballot, date and previous ballots unknown)
* Y Thomas H. Williams (Democratic-Republican) 16 votes
* Cowles Mead 12 votes
* Christopher Rankin 1 vote