# 1908–09 United States Senate elections

The 1908–09 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 primarily chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1906 and 1907, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. However, some states had already begun direct elections during this time. Oregon pioneered direct election and experimented with different measures over several years until it succeeded in 1907. Soon after, Nebraska followed suit and laid the foundation for other states to adopt measures reflecting the people's will. By 1912, as many as 29 states elected senators either as nominees of their party's primary or in conjunction with a general election.
The 31 Class 3 seats were up for election, as well as various special elections to fill vacancies or confirm appointments. The Republicans lost two seats overall.
In Illinois and Florida, the legislature failed to elect until after the beginning of the 61st Congress on March 4.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 61st Congress (1909–1911)
* Majority party: Republican (60 seats)
* Minority party: Democratic (32 seats)
* Other parties: 0
* Total seats: 92

## Change in composition
### Before the elections

After the December 10, 1907, elections in Oklahoma and the January 21, 1908, special election in Rhode Island.
| | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ |
| D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ Ran | D$_{20}$ Ran | D$_{21}$ Ran | D$_{22}$ Ran | D$_{23}$ Ran | D$_{24}$ Ran | D$_{25}$ Ran | D$_{26}$ Ran |
| R$_{57}$ Ran | R$_{58}$ Ran | R$_{59}$ Ran | R$_{60}$ Retired | R$_{61}$ Retired | D$_{31}$ Retired | D$_{30}$ Retired | D$_{29}$ Retired | D$_{28}$ Unknown | D$_{27}$ Ran |
| R$_{56}$ Ran | R$_{55}$ Ran | R$_{54}$ Ran | R$_{53}$ Ran | R$_{52}$ Ran | R$_{51}$ Ran | R$_{50}$ Ran | R$_{49}$ Ran | R$_{48}$ Ran | R$_{47}$ Ran |
| R$_{47}$ Ran |||||||||
| R$_{37}$ | R$_{38}$ | R$_{39}$ | R$_{40}$ | R$_{41}$ | R$_{42}$ | R$_{43}$ | R$_{44}$ Ran | R$_{45}$ Ran | R$_{46}$ Ran |
| R$_{36}$ | R$_{35}$ | R$_{34}$ | R$_{33}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ |
| R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{25}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| R$_{16}$ | R$_{15}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ |
| | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ | R$_6$ |

### Result of the general elections

| | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ |
| D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ Re-elected | D$_{20}$ Re-elected | D$_{21}$ Re-elected | D$_{22}$ Re-elected | D$_{23}$ Re-elected | D$_{24}$ Re-elected | D$_{25}$ Re-elected | D$_{26}$ Re-elected |
| R$_{57}$ Hold | R$_{58}$ Hold | R$_{59}$ Gain | V$_1$ R loss | V$_2$ D loss | D$_{31}$ Gain | D$_{30}$ Gain | D$_{29}$ Hold | D$_{28}$ Hold | D$_{27}$ Hold |
| R$_{56}$ Hold | R$_{55}$ Hold | R$_{54}$ Hold | R$_{53}$ Re-elected | R$_{52}$ Re-elected | R$_{51}$ Re-elected | R$_{50}$ Re-elected | R$_{49}$ Re-elected | R$_{48}$ Re-elected | R$_{47}$ Re-elected |
| Majority due to vacancies→ | Majority due to vacancies→ | Majority due to vacancies→ | Majority due to vacancies→ | Majority due to vacancies→ | Majority due to vacancies→ | Majority due to vacancies→ | Majority due to vacancies→ | Majority due to vacancies→ | R$_{46}$ Re-elected |
| R$_{37}$ | R$_{38}$ | R$_{39}$ | R$_{40}$ | R$_{41}$ | R$_{42}$ | R$_{43}$ | R$_{44}$ Re-elected | R$_{45}$ Re-elected | R$_{46}$ Re-elected |
| R$_{36}$ | R$_{35}$ | R$_{34}$ | R$_{33}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ |
| R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{25}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| R$_{16}$ | R$_{15}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ |
| | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ | R$_6$ |
| Key: | D$_#$ Democratic R$_#$ Republican V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Special elections during the 60th Congress

In this election, the winner was seated in 1908 before March 4; ordered by state.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Maryland (Class 3) | William P. Whyte | Democratic | 1906 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 14, 1908. | ▌Y William P. Whyte (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Rhode Island (Class 2) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected January 21, 1908. Republican gain. | ▌Y George P. Wetmore (Republican) 68 votes ▌Robert H. I. Goddard (Democratic) 36 votes ▌Samuel P. Colt (Republican) 7 votes |
| South Carolina (Class 3) | Asbury Latimer | Democratic | 1903 | Incumbent died February 20, 1908. New senator elected March 6, 1908. Democratic hold. Winner did not run for the next term; see below. | ▌Y Frank B. Gary (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Maryland (Class 3) | William P. Whyte | Democratic | 1906 (appointed) 1908 | Incumbent died March 17, 1908. New senator elected March 24, 1908, having already been elected to the next term; see below. Democratic hold. | ▌Y John Walter Smith (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Vermont (Class 1) | John W. Stewart | Republican | 1908 (appointed) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected October 20, 1908. Republican hold. | ▌Y Carroll S. Page (Republican) 229 votes ▌Vernon A. Bullard (Democratic) 39 votes |
| Iowa (Class 3) | William B. Allison | Republican | 1872 1878 1884 1890 1896 1902 | Incumbent renominated for the next term but died August 4, 1908. New senator elected November 24, 1908. Republican hold. Winner was later elected to the next term; see below. | ▌Y Albert B. Cummins (Republican) ▌Claude R. Porter (Democratic) |
In this election, the winner was elected three years early, to be seated in the 62nd Congress starting March 4, 1911.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Mississippi (Class 1) | Hernando Money | Democratic | 1897 (appointed) 1899 1904 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected early January 21, 1908. Democratic hold. | ▌Y John Sharp Williams (Democratic) Unopposed |

### Races leading to the 61st Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1909; 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 |
| Alabama | Edmund Pettus | Democratic | 1903 | Incumbent re-elected early January 22, 1907. Winner died July 27, 1907, and new senator elected early August 6. | January 22, 1907: ▌Y Edmund Pettus (Democratic) Unopposed August 6, 1907: ▌Y Joseph F. Johnston (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Arkansas | James P. Clarke | Democratic | 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. | ▌Y James P. Clarke (Democratic) 132 ▌H. H. Myers (Republican) 3 |
| California | George C. Perkins | Republican | 1895 (special) 1897 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 12, 1909. | ▌Y George C. Perkins (Republican) 88 ▌ John O. Davis 19 |
| Colorado | Henry M. Teller | Democratic | 1885 1891 1897 1903 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 19, 1909. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Charles J. Hughes Jr. (Democratic) 73 ▌Joseph Helm (Republican) 17 ▌James W. McCreery (Republican) 7 ▌Robert W. Bonynge (Republican) 2 |
| Connecticut | Frank B. Brandegee | Republican | 1905 (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. | ▌Y Frank B. Brandegee (Republican) 201 ▌A. Heaton Robertson (Democratic) 52 ▌E. J. Hill (Republican) 14 |
| Florida | William Milton | Democratic | 1908 (appointed) | Interim appointee retired. Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. New senator appointed to start the term, and subsequently elected; see below. | [data missing] |
| Georgia | Alexander S. Clay | Democratic | 1896 1902 | Incumbent re-elected July 6, 1909. | ▌Y Alexander S. Clay (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Idaho | Weldon Heyburn | Republican | 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 12, 1909. | ▌Y Weldon Heyburn (Republican) 55 ▌Charles Stockslager (Democratic) 13 ▌W. W. Woods (Democratic) 6 |
| Illinois | Albert J. Hopkins | Republican | 1903 | Incumbent renominated but couldn't secure the full support of his party. Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. Seat remained vacant until May 26, 1909; see below. | ▌Albert J. Hopkins (Republican) ▌George E. Foss (Republican) ▌William E. Mason (Republican) ▌Lawrence B. Stringer (Democratic) ▌Edward D. Shurtleff (Republican) |
| Indiana | James A. Hemenway | Republican | 1905 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 20, 1909. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Benjamin F. Shively (Democratic) 82 ▌James H. Hemenway (Republican) 67 |
| Iowa | Albert B. Cummins | Republican | 1908 | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. | ▌Y Albert B. Cummins (Republican) 112 ▌Claude R. Porter (Democratic) 40 |
| Kansas | Chester I. Long | Republican | 1903 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected January 26, 1909. Republican hold. | ▌Y Joseph L. Bristow (Republican) 115 ▌Hugh P. Farrelly (Democratic) 56 |
| Kentucky | James B. McCreary | Democratic | 1902 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected February 28, 1908. Republican gain. | ▌Y William O. Bradley (Republican) 64 ▌J. C. W. Beckham (Democratic) 60 Scattering 3 |
| Louisiana | Samuel D. McEnery | Democratic | 1896 1900 (early) | Incumbent re-elected May 19, 1908. | ▌Y Samuel D. McEnery (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Maryland | William P. Whyte | Democratic | 1906 (appointed) | Interim appointee retired or lost election to the next term. New senator elected January 15, 1908. Democratic hold. | ▌Y John Walter Smith (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Missouri | William J. Stone | Democratic | 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1909. | ▌Y William J. Stone (Democratic) 91 votes ▌John C. McKinley (Republican) 84 votes |
| Nevada | Francis G. Newlands | Democratic | 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 26, 1909, ratifying the popular selection made in 1908 state elections. | ▌Y Francis G. Newlands (Democratic) Unopposed less 1 voteIn state election: ▌Francis G. Newlands (Democratic) 53.34% ▌P. L. Flanigan (Republican) 38.37% ▌T. C. Lutz (Socialist) 8.29% |
| New Hampshire | Jacob H. Gallinger | Republican | 1891 1897 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. | ▌Y Jacob H. Gallinger (Republican) 258 ▌Oliver E. Branch (Democratic) 108 |
| New York | Thomas C. Platt | Republican | 1881 1881 (resigned) 1897 1903 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 19, 1909. Republican hold. | ▌Y Elihu Root (Republican) 125 ▌Lewis S. Chanler (Democratic) 44 |
| North Carolina | Lee S. Overman | Democratic | 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. | ▌Y Lee S. Overman (Democratic) 126 ▌Spencer B. Adams (Republican) 34 |
| North Dakota | Henry C. Hansbrough | Republican | 1891 1897 1903 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected January 19, 1909. Republican hold. | ▌Y Martin N. Johnson (Republican) 126 ▌J. L. Cashel (Democratic) 14 ▌William E. Purcell (Democratic) 1 |
| Ohio | Joseph B. Foraker | Republican | 1896 1902 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 12, 1909. Republican hold. | ▌Y Theodore E. Burton (Republican) 89 ▌James E. Campbell (Democratic) 58 ▌Judson Harmon (Democratic) 1 |
| Oklahoma | Thomas Gore | Democratic | 1907 | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. | ▌Y Thomas Gore (Democratic) 96 ▌Dennis T. Flynn (Republican) 49 |
| Oregon | Charles W. Fulton | Republican | 1903 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 19, 1909, ratifying the popular selection made in 1908 state elections. Democratic gain. | ▌Y George E. Chamberlain (Democratic) 53 ▌Charles W. Fulton (Republican) 19 ▌Henry M. Coke (Republican) 17 ▌Robert S. Bean (Republican) 1In state election: ▌George E. Chamberlain (Democratic) 46.65% ▌Henry M. Coke (Republican) 45.30% ▌J. Cooper (Socialist) 4.68% ▌I. H. Amos (Prohibition) 3.37% |
| Pennsylvania | Boies Penrose | Republican | 1897 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. | ▌Y Boies Penrose (Republican) 198 ▌George M. Dimeling (Democratic) 42 ▌Edwin S. Stuart (Republican) 2 ▌John O. Sheatz (Republican) 1 ▌William Potter (Democratic) 1 |
| South Carolina | Frank B. Gary | Democratic | 1908 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 26, 1909. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Ellison D. Smith (Democratic) Unopposed |
| South Dakota | Alfred B. Kittredge | Republican | 1901 (appointed) 1903 (special) 1903 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected January 19, 1909. Republican hold. | ▌Y Coe I. Crawford (Republican) 134 ▌Andrew E. Lee (Democratic) 17 |
| Utah | Reed Smoot | Republican | 1903 | Incumbent re-elected January 19, 1909. | ▌Y Reed Smoot (Republican) 61 ▌William H. King (Democratic) 2 |
| Vermont | William P. Dillingham | Republican | 1900 (special) 1902 | Incumbent re-elected October 20, 1908. | ▌Y William P. Dillingham (Republican) 230 ▌Elisha May (Democratic) 38 |
| Washington | Levi Ankeny | Republican | 1903 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected January 19, 1909. Republican hold. | ▌Y Wesley L. Jones (Republican) 128 ▌George F. Cottrill (Democratic) 6 ▌William Goodyear (Democratic) 1 |
| Wisconsin | Isaac Stephenson | Republican | 1907 (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1909. Legislature failed to declare the result and ordered a new election. Incumbent was finally re-elected March 4, 1909, after many ballots. | ▌Y Isaac Stephenson (Republican) ▌Neal Brown (Democratic) ▌Jacob Rummel (Socialist) ▌Samuel A. Cook (Republican) ▌Henry A. Cooper (Republican) ▌J. J. Esch (Republican) ▌James H. Stout (Republican) |

### Elections during the 61st Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1909 after March 4; ordered by date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Pennsylvania (Class 1) | Philander C. Knox | Republican | 1904 (appointed) 1905 (special) 1905 | Incumbent resigned March 4, 1909, to become U.S. Secretary of State. New senator elected March 16, 1909. Republican hold. | ▌Y George T. Oliver (Republican) 201 ▌Webster Grim (Democratic) 39 ▌Nathaniel Ewing (Republican) 1 |
| Florida (Class 3) | Duncan U. Fletcher | Democratic | 1909 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected April 20, 1909. | ▌Y Duncan U. Fletcher (Democratic) Unopposed |
| Illinois (Class 3) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect; see above. New senator elected May 26, 1909. Republican gain. | ▌Y William Lorimer (Republican) 108 ▌Albert J. Hopkins (Republican) 70 ▌Lawrence B. Stringer (Democratic) 23 |

## Maryland
### Maryland (special)

William Pinkney Whyte was elected by an unknown margin, for the Class 3 seat.

### Maryland (regular)

William Pinkney Whyte died, and John Walter Smith was elected by an unknown margin, for the Class 3 seat.

## New York

The election was held on January 19, 1909, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Thomas C. Platt had been re-elected to this seat in 1903, and his term would expire on March 3, 1909. At the State election in November 1908, 35 Republicans and 16 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1909–1910) in the state senate; and 99 Republicans and 51 Democrats were elected for the session of 1909 to the Assembly. The 132nd New York State Legislature met from January 5 to April 30, 1909, at Albany, New York.
The Republican caucus met on January 18. State Senator J. Mayhew Wainwright presided. The caucus nominated U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root unanimously. Root was the choice of President Theodore Roosevelt. President pro tempore of the State Senate John Raines lauded warmly Root's nomination, eulogized the retiring U.S. Senator Platt, and declared war on Governor Charles Evans Hughes's reforms. The Democratic caucus met also on January 18. They nominated Ex-Lieutenant Governor Lewis S. Chanler unanimously. Chanler had been elected lieutenant governor in 1906 on the Democratic/Independence League ticket, and had served under Republican governor Hughes. Chanler had just been defeated when running against Hughes for governor in November 1908.
Elihu Root was the choice of both the Assembly and the state senate, and was declared elected.
| House | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic |
| State Senate (50 members) | Y Elihu Root | 35 | Lewis S. Chanler | 15 |
| State Assembly (150 members) | Y Elihu Root | 90 | Lewis S. Chanler | 30 |
Note: The votes were cast on January 19, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 20 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

## Pennsylvania
### Pennsylvania (regular)

The regularly-scheduled general election in Pennsylvania was held January 19, 1909. Boies Penrose was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. This was the last Class III U.S. Senate election to be decided by the Pennsylvania General Assembly before the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which mandated direct election of U.S. Senators.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 19, 1909, to elect a senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1909. Incumbent Republican Boies Penrose, who was elected in 1897 and re-elected in 1903, was a successful candidate for re-election to another term. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
State Legislature Results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Boies Penrose (Incumbent) | 198 | 77.04% |
| | Democratic | George M. Dimeling | 42 | 16.34% |
| | Republican | Edwin S. Stuart | 2 | 0.78% |
| | Republican | John O. Sheatz | 1 | 0.39% |
| | Democratic | William Potter | 1 | 0.39% |
| | N/A | Not voting | 13 | 5.06% |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 257 | 100.00% |

### Pennsylvania (special)

A special election was held March 16, 1909. George T. Oliver was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Republican Philander C. Knox was appointed to the Senate in June 1904 after the death of Matthew Quay. Knox was subsequently elected to a full term in the Senate by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in January 1905. Knox served in the U.S. Senate until his resignation on March 4, 1909, to become United States Secretary of State in the William Howard Taft administration, leaving the seat vacant until a successor was elected.
Following Knox's resignation, the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on March 16, 1909, to elect a new senator to fill the vacancy. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
State Legislature Results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | George T. Oliver | 201 | 78.21 |
| | Democratic | Webster Grim | 39 | 15.18 |
| | Republican | Nathaniel Ewing | 1 | 0.39 |
| | N/A | Not voting | 16 | 6.23 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 257 | 100.00% |