# 1896–97 United States Senate elections

The 1896–97 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 1896 and 1897, 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 Party lost seven seats, mostly to smaller third parties.

## Results summary

Senate party division, 55th Congress (1897–1899)
* Majority party: Republican (43)
* Minority party: Democratic (33)
* Other parties: Populist (5); Silver (5); Silver Republican (2)
* Total seats: 90
* Vacant: 2, later filled by 1 Republican and 1 Democrat.

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

| | | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| D$_{35}$ Retired | D$_{34}$ Retired | D$_{33}$ Unknown | D$_{32}$ Ran | D$_{31}$ Ran | D$_{30}$ Ran | D$_{29}$ Ran | D$_{28}$ Ran | D$_{27}$ Ran | D$_{26}$ Ran |
| D$_{36}$ Retired | D$_{37}$ Retired | D$_{38}$ Retired | D$_{39}$ Retired | V$_1$ | P$_4$ Ran | P$_3$ Ran | P$_2$ | P$_1$ | S$_2$ Ran |
| Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | S$_1$ |
| R$_{36}$ Ran | R$_{37}$ Ran | R$_{38}$ Ran | R$_{39}$ Ran | R$_{40}$ Ran | R$_{41}$ Ran | R$_{42}$ Ran | R$_{43}$ Retired | R$_{44}$ Retired | S$_1$ |
| R$_{35}$ Ran | R$_{34}$ Ran | R$_{33}$ Ran | R$_{32}$ Ran | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| 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$_6$ |
| | | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ |

### Result of the general elections

| | | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| P$_3$ Re-elected | P$_4$ Hold | P$_5$ Gain from R | D$_{32}$ Gain from R | D$_{31}$ Hold | D$_{30}$ Hold | D$_{29}$ Hold | D$_{28}$ Hold | D$_{27}$ Re-elected | D$_{26}$ Re-elected |
| P$_2$ | P$_1$ | S$_2$ Re-elected | S$_1$ | SR$_2$ Re-elected was R | SR$_1$ Gain from R | R$_{46}$ Gain from D | R$_{45}$ Gain from D | R$_{44}$ Gain from D | V$_1$ D Loss |
| Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | Majority → | R$_{44}$ Gain from D | V$_2$ |
| R$_{36}$ Re-elected | R$_{37}$ Re-elected | R$_{38}$ Re-elected | R$_{39}$ Hold | R$_{40}$ Gain from D | R$_{41}$ Gain from D | R$_{42}$ Gain from D | R$_{43}$ Gain from D | R$_{44}$ Gain from D | V$_3$ R Loss |
| R$_{35}$ Re-elected | R$_{34}$ Re-elected | R$_{33}$ Re-elected | R$_{32}$ Re-elected | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| 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$_6$ |
| | | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ |

### Beginning of the next Congress

| | | | | | D$_1$ | D$_2$ | D$_3$ | D$_4$ | D$_5$ |
| D$_{15}$ | D$_{14}$ | D$_{13}$ | D$_{12}$ | D$_{11}$ | D$_{10}$ | D$_9$ | D$_8$ | D$_7$ | D$_6$ |
| D$_{16}$ | D$_{17}$ | D$_{18}$ | D$_{19}$ | D$_{20}$ | D$_{21}$ | D$_{22}$ | D$_{23}$ | D$_{24}$ | D$_{25}$ |
| P$_4$ | P$_5$ | D$_{33}$ Gain | D$_{32}$ | D$_{31}$ | D$_{30}$ | D$_{29}$ | D$_{28}$ | D$_{27}$ | D$_{26}$ |
| P$_3$ | P$_2$ | P$_1$ | S$_2$ | S$_1$ | SR$_1$ | SR$_2$ | SR$_3$ Changed | SR$_4$ Changed | V$_1$ |
| V$_1$ ||||||||
| Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | Plurality ↓ | SR$_5$ Changed | V$_2$ |
| R$_{36}$ | R$_{37}$ | R$_{38}$ | R$_{39}$ | R$_{40}$ | R$_{41}$ | R$_{42}$ | R$_{43}$ | SR$_5$ Changed | V$_2$ |
| R$_{35}$ | R$_{34}$ | R$_{33}$ | R$_{32}$ | R$_{31}$ | R$_{30}$ | R$_{29}$ | R$_{28}$ | R$_{27}$ | R$_{26}$ |
| 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$_6$ |
| | | | | | R$_1$ | R$_2$ | R$_3$ | R$_4$ | R$_5$ |
| Key: | D$_#$ Democratic P$_#$ Populist R$_#$ Republican S$_#$ Silver SR$_#$ Silver Republican V$_#$ Vacant |

## Race summaries
### Elections during the 54th Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1896 or in 1897 before March 4; ordered by election date.
| State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| Utah (Class 1) | None (new state) | Utah became a state January 4, 1896. First senators elected January 22, 1896. Republican gain. | ▌Y Frank J. Cannon (Republican) [data missing] |
| Utah (Class 3) | None (new state) | Utah became a state January 4, 1896. First senators elected January 22, 1896. Republican gain. Winner did not run for the next term; see below. | ▌Y Arthur Brown (Republican) [data missing] |
| Delaware (Class 2) | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. New senator elected January 19, 1897. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Richard R. Kenney (Democratic) [data missing] |

### Elections leading to the 55th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1897; 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 | James L. Pugh | Democratic | 1880 (special) 1884 1890 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1897. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Edmund Pettus (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Arkansas | James K. Jones | Democratic | 1885 1891 | Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1897. | ▌Y James K. Jones (Democratic) 114 ▌James Sovereign (Populist) 9 ▌Powell Clayton (Republican) 10 |
| California | George Perkins | Republican | 1895 (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 13, 1897. | ▌Y George Perkins (Republican) [data missing] |
| Colorado | Henry M. Teller | Republican | 1885 1891 | Incumbent re-elected as a Silver Republican January 20, 1897. Silver Republican gain. | ▌Y Henry M. Teller (Silver Republican) 92 ▌George W. Allen (Populist) 6 |
| Connecticut | Orville H. Platt | Republican | 1879 1885 1891 | Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1897. | ▌Y Orville H. Platt (Republican) Unopposed |
| Florida | Wilkinson Call | Democratic | 1879 1885 1891 | Incumbent retired. Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. A new senator was later elected; see below. | None. |
| Georgia | John B. Gordon | Democratic | 1873 1879 1880 (resigned) 1890 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1896. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Alexander S. Clay (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Idaho | Fred Dubois | Republican | 1890 | Incumbent lost re-election as a Silver Republican. New senator elected January 28, 1897. Populist gain. | ▌Y Henry Heitfeld (Populist) 39 ▌Fred Dubois (Silver Republican) 30 ▌Thomas F. Nelson (Populist) 1 |
| Illinois | John M. Palmer | Democratic | 1890 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 20, 1897. Republican gain. | ▌Y William E. Mason (Republican) 125 ▌ John P. Altgeld (Democratic) 77 |
| Indiana | Daniel W. Voorhees | Democratic | 1877 (appointed) 1879 (special) 1885 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 20, 1897. Republican gain. | ▌Y Charles W. Fairbanks (Republican) 85 ▌Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic) 58 ▌Leroy Templeton (Populist) 6 |
| Iowa | William B. Allison | Republican | 1872 1878 1884 1890 | Incumbent re-elected January 22, 1896. | ▌Y William B. Allison (Republican) 79 ▌Washington Irving Babb (Democratic) 25 ▌Frank Q. Stuart (Unknown) 1 |
| Kansas | William A. Peffer | Populist | 1891 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 27, 1897. Populist hold. | ▌Y William A. Harris (Populist) ▌William A. Peffer (Populist) [data missing] |
| Kentucky | J. C. S. Blackburn | Democratic | 1884 1890 | Legislature failed to elect. Democratic loss. A new senator was later elected; see below. | None. |
| Louisiana | Newton C. Blanchard | Democratic | 1894 (appointed) 1894 (special) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected May 28, 1896. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Samuel D. McEnery (Democratic) ▌Denegree (Citizen's League) 3-vote majority |
| Maryland | Charles H. Gibson | Democratic | 1891 (appointed) 1892 (special) | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. New senator elected January 22, 1896. Republican gain. | ▌Y George L. Wellington (Republican) 63 ▌Phillips Lee Goldsborough (Republican) 1 ▌John Water Smith (Democratic) 24 ▌John R. Pattison (Democratic) 7 ▌James E. Elegood (Unknown) 1 |
| Missouri | George G. Vest | Democratic | 1879 1885 1891 | Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1897. | ▌Y George G. Vest (Democratic) [data missing] |
| Nevada | John P. Jones | Silver | 1873 1879 1885 1891 | Incumbent re-elected January 26, 1897. | ▌Y John P. Jones (Silver) 40 ▌William McMillan (Republican) 4 ▌A. L. Fitzgerald (Populist) 1 |
| New Hampshire | Jacob H. Gallinger | Republican | 1891 | Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1897. | ▌Y Jacob H. Gallinger (Republican) Unopposed |
| New York | David B. Hill | Democratic | 1891 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 20, 1897. Republican gain. | ▌Y Thomas C. Platt (Republican) 147 ▌David B. Hill (Democratic) 42 ▌Henry George (Ind. Democratic) 4 |
| North Carolina | Jeter Pritchard | Republican | 1894 (special) | Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1897. | ▌Y Jeter Pritchard (Republican) 88 ▌[FNU] Thompson (Populist) 43 ▌[FNU] Doughton (Democratic) 33 |
| North Dakota | Henry C. Hansbrough | Republican | 1891 | Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1897. | ▌Y Henry C. Hansbrough (Republican) [data missing] |
| Ohio | Calvin S. Brice | Democratic | 1890 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 14, 1896. Republican gain. | ▌Y Joseph B. Foraker (Republican) [data missing] |
| Oregon | John H. Mitchell | Republican | 1885 (late) 1890 | Legislature failed to elect. Republican loss. A new senator was later elected; see below. | ▌John H. Mitchell (Republican) |
| Pennsylvania | J. Donald Cameron | Republican | 1877 (special) 1879 1885 1891 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 19, 1897. Republican hold. | ▌Y Boies Penrose (Republican) 83.00% ▌Chauncey F. Black (Democratic) 15.42% ▌John Wanamaker (Republican) 0.40% |
| South Carolina | John L. M. Irby | Democratic | 1884 | Incumbent retired. New senator elected January 26, 1897. Democratic hold. | ▌Y Joseph Earle (Democratic) Unopposed |
| South Dakota | James H. Kyle | Populist | 1891 | Incumbent re-elected February 18, 1897. | ▌Y James H. Kyle (Populist) [data missing] |
| Utah | Arthur Brown | Republican | 1896 (new state) | Incumbent retired. New senator elected February 3, 1897. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Joseph L. Rawlins (Democratic) 32 ▌Moses Thatcher (Democratic) 29 ▌[FNU] Henderson (Unknown) 1 ▌[FNU] Brown (Unknown) 1 |
| Vermont | Justin S. Morrill | Republican | 1866 1872 1878 1884 1890 | Incumbent re-elected in 1896. | ▌Y Justin S. Morrill (Republican) [data missing] |
| Washington | Watson C. Squire | Republican | 1889 1891 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected January 29, 1897. Silver Republican gain. | ▌Y George Turner (Silver Republican) 67 [data missing] |
| Wisconsin | William F. Vilas | Democratic | 1890 | Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected January 26, 1897. Republican gain. | ▌Y John C. Spooner (Republican) ▌Edward S. Bragg (Gold Democratic) ▌Willis C. Silverthorn (Democratic) |

### Elections during the 55th Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1897 after March 4; ordered by date.
| State | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Results | Candidates |
| State | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Results | Candidates |
| Ohio (Class 1) | John Sherman | Republican | 1861 (special) 1866 1872 1877 (resigned) 1881 1886 1892 | Incumbent resigned March 4, 1897. New senator elected March 5, 1897. Republican hold. | ▌Y Mark Hanna (Republican) [data missing] |
| Florida (Class 3) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect; see above. New senator elected May 14, 1897. Democratic gain. | ▌Y Stephen Mallory II (Democratic) 53 ▌[FNU] Chipley (Unknown) 44 ▌[FNU] Call (Unknown) 1 |
| Kentucky | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect; see above. New senator elected April 28, 1897. Republican gain. | ▌Y William J. Deboe (Republican) 71 ▌J. C. S. Blackburn (Democratic) 50 ▌Henry L. Martin (Democratic) 13 ▌William J. Stone (Democratic) 1 |
| Oregon (Class 3) | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect; see above. New senator elected May 15, 1897. Republican gain. | ▌Y Joseph Simon (Republican) [data missing] |

## Maryland

George L. Wellington was elected by an unknown margin, for the Class 3 seat.

## New York

The election in New York was held on January 19, 1897, by the New York State Legislature. Democrat David B. Hill had been elected to this seat in 1891, and his term would expire on March 3, 1897. At the State election in November 1895, 36 Republicans and 14 Democrats were elected for a three-year term (1896–1898) in the state senate. At the State election in November 1896, 114 Republicans and 36 Democrats were elected for the session of 1897 to the Assembly. The 120th New York State Legislature met from January 6 to April 24, 1897, at Albany, New York.
The Republican caucus met on January 14. 149 State legislators attended, and State Senator Cornelius R. Parsons (43rd D.), Ex-Mayor of Rochester, presided. The caucus nominated the Republican boss Thomas C. Platt, who had been briefly a U.S. Senator in 1881, on the first ballot.
1897 Republican caucus for United States Senator result :
| Candidate | First ballot |
| Y Thomas C. Platt | 142 |
| Joseph H. Choate | 7 |
The Democratic caucus met on January 18. 46 State legislators attended, but 5 walked out before the roll was called, after making speeches against Hill. The incumbent U.S. Senator David B. Hill was re-nominated.
1897 Democratic caucus for United States Senator result :
| Candidate | First ballot |
| Y David B. Hill | 36 |
| Wilbur F. Porter | 3 |
| Robert C. Titus | 2 |
Thomas C. Platt was the choice of both the Assembly and the state senate, and was declared elected. Four anti-Hill Democrats voted for Labor leader Henry George, who later the same year ran for Mayor of New York as a "Jefferson Democrat" but died a few days before the election.
1897 United States Senator election result :
| House | Republican | Republican | Democrat | Democrat | | |
| State Senate (50 members) | Y Thomas C. Platt | 35 | David B. Hill | 11 | Henry George | 2 |
| State Assembly (150 members) | Thomas C. Platt | 112 | David B. Hill | 31 | Henry George | 2 |
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

The election in Pennsylvania was held January 19, 1897. Boies Penrose was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Incumbent Republican J. Donald Cameron, who was elected in an 1877 special election and subsequently re-elected in 1879, 1885, and 1891, was not a candidate for re-election. The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 19, 1897, to elect a new senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1897. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
State Legislature Results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Boies Penrose | 210 | 83.00 |
| | Democratic | Chauncey F. Black | 39 | 15.42 |
| | Republican | John Wanamaker | 1 | 0.40 |
| | N/A | Not voting | 3 | 1.19 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 253 | 100.00% |

## South Carolina

The election in South Carolina was a unanimous election of the Democratic nominee on January 26, 1897. The Democratic primary election was held on August 26, 1896, and September 9. The Democratic Party of South Carolina organized primary elections for the U.S. Senate beginning in 1896 and the General Assembly would confirm the choice of the Democratic voters. Conservative Democratic Joseph H. Earle won the Democratic primary and was elected by the General Assembly for a six-year term.
In 1896, Governor of South Carolina John Gary Evans entered the first ever election in the state of South Carolina for the U.S. Senate. He had the backing of Senator Ben Tillman and much of the farming interests in the state. However, the farmers' movement had largely run its course and the Tillmanite reform movement had angered a considerable number of voters in the state. Conservative Joseph H. Earle and Newberry native John T. Duncan announced their candidacy's in opposition to Governor Evans. In the primary on August 26 Evans emerged as the frontrunner, but did not garner over 50% of the vote and was forced to face Earle in a runoff election. Those who had voted for Duncan threw their support to Earle and it provided him with the margin he needed for victory over Evans.
South Carolina U.S. Senate Primary Election, 1896 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | John Gary Evans | 38,802 | 49.6 |
| Democratic | Joseph H. Earle | 31,092 | 39.8 |
| Democratic | John T. Duncan | 8,327 | 10.6 |
South Carolina U.S. Senate Primary Election Runoff, 1896 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Joseph H. Earle | 42,915 | 52.0 | +12.2 |
| | Democratic | John Gary Evans | 39,576 | 48.0 | −1.6 |