# 1864–65 United States Senate elections

The 1864–65 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. They occurred during the American Civil War and Abraham Lincoln's re-election. 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 1864 and 1865, 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 Republican Party gained two seats. Most of the Southern states were absent because of the Civil War.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 39th Congress (1865–1867)
* Majority party: Republican (37)
* Minority party: Democratic (9)
* Other parties: Unconditional Unionist (1); Unionist (1)
* Vacant: (24)
* Total seats: 72

## Change in Senate composition
### Before the elections

| V$_5$ Seceded | V$_4$ Seceded | V$_3$ Seceded | V$_2$ | V$_1$ | | | | | |
| V$_6$ Seceded | V$_7$ Seceded | V$_8$ Seceded | V$_9$ Seceded | V$_{10}$ Seceded | V$_{11}$ Seceded | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ |
| UU$_5$ Ran | U$_1$ | U$_2$ | U$_3$ Retired | D$_{10}$ Ran | D$_9$ Retired | D$_8$ Unknown | D$_7$ Retired | D$_6$ | D$_5$ |
| UU$_4$ | UU$_3$ | UU$_2$ | UU$_1$ | R$_{31}$ Ran | R$_{30}$ Ran | R$_{29}$ Retired | R$_{28}$ Ran | R$_{27}$ Ran | R$_{26}$ Retired |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | R$_{25}$ Unknown |
| R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ Ran | R$_{24}$ Ran | R$_{25}$ Unknown |
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ |
| V$_{16}$ | V$_{15}$ | V$_{14}$ | V$_{13}$ | V$_{12}$ | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ |
| V$_{17}$ | V$_{18}$ | V$_{19}$ | V$_{20}$ | V$_{21}$ | | | | | |

### As a result of the elections

| V$_5$ Seceded | V$_4$ Seceded | V$_3$ Seceded | V$_2$ | V$_1$ | | | | | |
| V$_6$ Seceded | V$_7$ Seceded | V$_8$ Seceded | V$_9$ Seceded | V$_{10}$ Seceded | V$_{11}$ Seceded | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ |
| UU$_2$ | UU$_3$ | UU$_4$ | U$_1$ | U$_2$ | D$_9$ Gain | D$_8$ Hold | D$_7$ Re-elected | D$_6$ | D$_5$ |
| UU$_1$ | R$_{33}$ Gain | R$_{32}$ Gain | R$_{31}$ Re-elected new party | R$_{30}$ Hold | R$_{29}$ Hold | R$_{28}$ Hold | R$_{27}$ Re-elected | R$_{26}$ Re-elected | R$_{25}$ Re-elected |
| R$_{25}$ Re-elected |||||||||
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ Re-elected | R$_{24}$ Re-elected |
| R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ | R$_5$ |
| V$_{17}$ | V$_{16}$ | V$_{15}$ | V$_{14}$ | V$_{13}$ | V$_{12}$ U Loss | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ |
| V$_{18}$ | V$_{19}$ | V$_{20}$ | V$_{21}$ | V$_{22}$ | | | | | |

### Beginning of the next Congress

| V$_6$ | V$_5$ | V$_4$ | V$_3$ | V$_2$ | V$_1$ | | | | |
| V$_7$ | V$_8$ | V$_9$ | V$_{10}$ | V$_{11}$ | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ |
| R$_{36}$ Changed | R$_{37}$ Changed | UU$_1$ | V$_{13}$ UU Loss | U$_1$ | V$_{12}$ D Loss | D$_9$ Gain | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ |
| R$_{35}$ New state | R$_{34}$ New state | R$_{33}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | R$_{25}$ |
| R$_{16}$ | R$_{17}$ | R$_{18}$ | R$_{19}$ | R$_{20}$ | R$_{21}$ | R$_{22}$ | R$_{23}$ | R$_{24}$ | R$_{25}$ |
| R$_{15}$ | R$_{14}$ | R$_{13}$ | R$_{12}$ | R$_{11}$ | R$_{10}$ | R$_9$ | R$_8$ | R$_7$ | R$_6$ |
| V$_{18}$ | V$_{17}$ | V$_{16}$ | V$_{15}$ | V$_{14}$ | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ |
| V$_{19}$ | V$_{20}$ | V$_{21}$ | V$_{22}$ | V$_{23}$ | V$_{24}$ | | | | |
| Key: | D$_#$ Democratic R$_#$ Republican UU$_#$ Unconditional Unionist U$_#$ Unionist V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Elections during the 38th Congress

In these elections — some special and some initial — the winners were seated during 1864 or in 1865 before March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Maryland (Class 3) | Thomas Holliday Hicks | Unconditional Unionist | 1862 (appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 11, 1864 to finish the term. | ▌Y Thomas Holliday Hicks (Unconditional Unionist) [data missing] |
| Delaware (Class 1) | James A. Bayard Jr. | Democratic | 1851 1857 1863 | Incumbent resigned January 29, 1864. Winner elected January 29, 1864. Democratic hold. | ▌Y George R. Riddle (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Nevada (Class 1) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Nevada's first Senators were elected February 1, 1865. Republican gain. | ▌Y William M. Stewart (Republican) [data missing] |
| Nevada (Class 3) | None (new state) | None (new state) | None (new state) | Nevada's first Senators were elected February 1, 1865. Republican gain. | ▌Y James W. Nye (Republican) [data missing] |
| Virginia (Class 1) | Lemuel J. Bowden | Unionist | 1863 | Incumbent died January 2, 1864. Winner elected sometime in 1865. The Senate refused to seat him to avoid setting a precedent for allowing premature re-entry of Confederate states. Unionist loss. Seat remained vacant until 1870. | ▌Y Joseph Segar (Unionist) [data missing] |

### Elections leading to the 39th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1865; 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 | Vacant since January 21, 1861 when Clement Claiborne Clay (D) withdrew. | Vacant since January 21, 1861 when Clement Claiborne Clay (D) withdrew. | Vacant since January 21, 1861 when Clement Claiborne Clay (D) withdrew. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1868. | None. |
| Arkansas | Vacant since July 11, 1861 when William K. Sebastian (D) was expelled. | Vacant since July 11, 1861 when William K. Sebastian (D) was expelled. | Vacant since July 11, 1861 when William K. Sebastian (D) was expelled. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1868. | None. |
| Delaware | Willard Saulsbury Sr. | Democratic | 1858 | Incumbent re-elected in 1864. | ▌Y Willard Saulsbury Sr. (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Georgia | Vacant since February 4, 1861 when Robert Toombs (D) withdrew. | Vacant since February 4, 1861 when Robert Toombs (D) withdrew. | Vacant since February 4, 1861 when Robert Toombs (D) withdrew. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1871. | None. |
| Illinois | William A. Richardson | Democratic | 1863 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1864 or 1865. Republican gain. | ▌Y Richard Yates (Republican) [data missing] |
| Iowa | James W. Grimes | Republican | 1858 | Incumbent re-elected January 11, 1864. | ▌Y James W. Grimes (Republican) 128 ▌John D. Jennings (Unknown) 5 ▌"Mr. Love" (Unknown) 1 |
| Kansas | James H. Lane | Republican | 1861 | Incumbent re-elected in 1865. | ▌Y James H. Lane (Republican) [data missing] |
| Kentucky | Lazarus W. Powell | Democratic | 1858 | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1865. Democratic hold. | ▌Y James Guthrie (Democratic) ▌Lovell H. Rousseau (Unconditional Unionist) [data missing] |
| Louisiana | Vacant since February 4, 1861 when Judah P. Benjamin (D) withdrew. | Vacant since February 4, 1861 when Judah P. Benjamin (D) withdrew. | Vacant since February 4, 1861 when Judah P. Benjamin (D) withdrew. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1868. | None. |
| Maine | Nathan A. Farwell | Republican | 1864 (appointed) | Interim appointee retired. New senator elected in 1864 or 1865. Republican hold. | ▌Y William P. Fessenden (Republican) [data missing] |
| Massachusetts | Henry Wilson | Republican | 1855 (special) 1859 | Incumbent re-elected in 1865. | ▌Y Henry Wilson (Republican) [data missing] |
| Michigan | Jacob M. Howard | Republican | 1862 (special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1865. | ▌Y Jacob M. Howard (Republican) [data missing] |
| Minnesota | Morton S. Wilkinson | Republican | 1858 or 1859 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1865. Republican hold. | ▌Y Daniel S. Norton (Republican) 46 votes (77.97%) ▌James George (Democratic) 13 votes (22.03%) |
| Mississippi | Vacant since January 12, 1861 when Albert G. Brown (D) withdrew. | Vacant since January 12, 1861 when Albert G. Brown (D) withdrew. | Vacant since January 12, 1861 when Albert G. Brown (D) withdrew. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1870. | None. |
| New Hampshire | John P. Hale | Republican | 1846 1853 (retired) 1855 (special) | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected in 1864. Republican hold. | ▌Y Aaron H. Cragin (Republican) [data missing] |
| New Jersey | John C. Ten Eyck | Republican | 1858 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1864. Democratic gain. Election was later disputed and seat declared vacant. | ▌Y John P. Stockton (Democratic) ▌John C. Ten Eyck (Republican) [data missing] |
| North Carolina | Vacant since March 6, 1861 when Thomas Bragg (D) resigned. | Vacant since March 6, 1861 when Thomas Bragg (D) resigned. | Vacant since March 6, 1861 when Thomas Bragg (D) resigned. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1868. | None. |
| Oregon | Benjamin F. Harding | Democratic | 1862 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1864. Republican gain. | ▌Y George H. Williams (Republican) [data missing] |
| Rhode Island | Henry B. Anthony | Republican | 1858 | Incumbent re-elected in 1864. | ▌Y Henry B. Anthony (Republican) [data missing] |
| South Carolina | Vacant since November 10, 1860 when James Chesnut Jr. (D) withdrew. | Vacant since November 10, 1860 when James Chesnut Jr. (D) withdrew. | Vacant since November 10, 1860 when James Chesnut Jr. (D) withdrew. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1868. | None. |
| Tennessee | Vacant since March 3, 1861 when Alfred O. P. Nicholson (D) withdrew. | Vacant since March 3, 1861 when Alfred O. P. Nicholson (D) withdrew. | Vacant since March 3, 1861 when Alfred O. P. Nicholson (D) withdrew. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1866. | None. |
| Texas | Vacant since July 11, 1861 when John Hemphill (D) was expelled. | Vacant since July 11, 1861 when John Hemphill (D) was expelled. | Vacant since July 11, 1861 when John Hemphill (D) was expelled. | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1870. | None. |
| Virginia | John S. Carlile | Unionist | 1861 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1865. The Senate refused to seat him to avoid setting a precedent for allowing premature re-entry of Confederate states. Unionist loss. Seat remained vacant until 1870. | ▌Y John Curtiss Underwood (Unionist) [data missing] |
| West Virginia | Waitman T. Willey | Unconditional Unionist | 1863 | Incumbent re-elected in 1865 as a Republican. Republican gain. | ▌Y Waitman T. Willey (Republican) 53 votes ▌Lee Roy Kramer (Republican) 7 votes ▌Daniel Polsley (Republican) 6 votes ▌Archibald Campbell (Republican) 2 votes ▌David Hunter Strother (Unknown) 1 vote |

### Elections during the 39th Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1865 after March 4.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Maryland (Class 3) | Thomas Holliday Hicks | Unconditional Unionist | 1862 (appointed) 1864 (special) | Incumbent died February 14, 1865. New senator elected March 9, 1865. Unconditional Unionist hold. | ▌Y John Creswell (Unconditional Unionist) [data missing] |

## Maryland
### Maryland (1864 special)

James Pearce died, and Thomas Holliday Hicks was appointed to his seat. He then won election to finish the rest of the term by an unknown margin of votes, for the Class 3 seat.

### Maryland (1865 special)

Thomas Holliday Hicks died, and John Creswell was appointed to his seat. He then won election to finish the rest of the term by an unknown margin of votes, for the Class 3 seat.

## West Virginia

Incumbent Waitman T. Willey was re-elected by the legislature to his first full term as United States Senator, with Willey being elected as a Republican. Willey would serve his term until 1871.
Willey was the only candidate to be formally nominated, though attempted nominations were made of Archibald Campbell and House Speaker Lee Roy Kramer. Campbell's nomination was promptly withdrawn, and Kramer declined his.
| Party | Party | Candidate | 1st Ballot | 1st Ballot |
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Waitman Willey | 53 | 76.8 |
| | Republican | Lee Roy Kramer | 7 | 10.1 |
| | Republican | Daniel Polsley | 6 | 8.7 |
| | Republican | Archibald Campbell | 2 | 2.9 |
| | Republican | David Hunter Strother | 1 | 1.4 |
| Total | Total | Total | 69 | 100 |
| Needed to win | Needed to win | Needed to win | 35 | >50 |