1802–03 United States Senate elections

The 1802–03 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 1802 and 1803, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.

1802–03 United States Senate elections
Dates vary by state
11 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
17 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic-Republican Federalist
Seats before 17 15
Seats after 22 9
Seat change Increase 5 Decrease 6
Seats up 2 9
Races won 7 3
Results:
     Dem-Republican hold      Dem-Republican gain
     Federalist hold      Legislature failed to elect
Majority Party before election


Democratic-Republican

 Elected Majority Party


Democratic-Republican

The Democratic-Republican Party maintained and greatly expanded their majority of seats to over two-thirds of the Senate.

Change in composition

Before the elections

Accounting for the 1802 special elections in New York, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.

DR6 DR5 DR4 DR3 DR2
S.C. (sp)
Hold		 DR1
N.Y. (sp)
Hold
DR7 DR8 DR9 DR10 DR11 DR12 DR13 DR14 DR15 DR16
Va. (reg)
Ran
Majority → DR17
Tenn.
Unknown
F7
Conn.
Ran		 F8
Del.
Ran		 F9
Md.
Ran		 F10
N.J. (reg)
Ran		 F11
N.Y. (reg)
Ran		 F12
Vt.
Ran		 F13
R.I.
Retired		 F14
Pa.
Retired		 F15
Mass.
Retired
F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1
R.I. (sp)
Hold

Result of the regular elections
DR6 DR5 DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1
DR7 DR8 DR9 DR10 DR11 DR12 DR13 DR14 DR15 DR16
Md.
Re-elected
Majority → DR17
N.Y. (reg)
Gain
F7
Conn.
Re-elected		 F8
Del.
Re-elected		 F9
Mass.
Hold		 V1
N.J. (reg)
Fed loss		 V2
Tenn.
DR loss		 DR21
Va. (reg)
Gain		 DR20
Vt.
Gain		 DR19
R.I.
Gain		 DR18
Pa.
Gain
F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1

Beginning of the first session, October 17, 1803
DR7 DR6 DR5 DR4 DR3 DR2 DR1
DR8 DR9 DR10 DR11 DR12 DR13 DR14 DR15 DR16 DR17
Majority → DR18
F8 F9 DR25
Ohio
New state		 DR24
Ohio
New state		 DR23
N.J. (reg)
Appointee elected		 DR22
Tenn.
Re-elected		 DR21 DR20 DR19
F7 F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1
Key:
DR# Democratic-Republican
F# Federalist
V# Vacant

Race summaries

Unless noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.

Special elections during the 7th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1803; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
New York
(Class 3)		 John Armstrong, Jr. Democratic-Republican 1800 (special) Incumbent resigned February 5, 1802.
Winner elected February 11, 1802.
Democratic-Republican hold.
New Hampshire
(Class 3)		 James Sheafe Federalist 1800 Incumbent resigned June 14, 1802.
Winner elected June 17, 1802.
Federalist hold.
South Carolina
(Class 3)		 John E. Colhoun Democratic-Republican 1800 Incumbent died October 26, 1802.
Winner elected November 4, 1802.
Democratic-Republican hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Pierce Butler (Democratic-Republican) 103
  • ▌Thomas Edwards 3
  • ▌R. Anderson 1
  • ▌John Douglass 1
  • ▌E. More 1
  • ▌Pickens 1
  • ▌A. B. Stark 1
  • ▌Tucker 1
  • ▌B. Waring 1
  • ▌Nothing 1
  • ▌Blank 11[4]

Races leading to the 8th Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1803; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Connecticut James Hillhouse Federalist 1796 Incumbent re-elected October 27, 1802.
Delaware Samuel White Federalist 1801 (Appointed) Incumbent re-elected January 11, 1803.
Maryland John E. Howard Federalist 1796 (special)
1796		 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected November 17, 1802.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Massachusetts Jonathan Mason Federalist 1800 (special) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected February 7, 1803, on the fourth ballot.
Federalist hold.
New Jersey Aaron Ogden Federalist 1801 (special) Incumbent lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect.
Federalist loss.
New York Gouverneur Morris Federalist 1800 (special) Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected February 1, 1803, on the 2nd ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Pennsylvania James Ross Federalist 1794 (special)
1797		 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected December 14, 1802.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Rhode Island Theodore Foster Federalist 1796 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1802.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Tennessee Joseph Anderson Democratic-
Republican		 1799 (special) Legislature did not elect until September 22, 1803, after the term began, see below.
Democratic-Republican loss.		 None.
Vermont Nathaniel Chipman Federalist 1797 (special) Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1802.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Virginia Stevens Mason Democratic-
Republican		 1794 (special)
1796		 Incumbent re-elected in 1803.

Special elections during the 8th Congress

In this special election, the winner was seated in 1803 after March 4.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Ohio
(Class 1)		 New seat Ohio joined the Union in 1803.
Winner elected April 1, 1803.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Ohio
(Class 3)		 New seat Ohio joined the Union in 1803.
Winner elected April 1, 1803.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Tennessee
(Class 1)		 Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.
Predecessor re-elected late September 22, 1803 on the 4th ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
New Jersey
(Class 1)		 John Condit Democratic-Republican 1803 (Appointed) Legislature had failed to elect.
Condit was then appointed September 1, 1803, to continue the term.
He was then elected November 3, 1803.
Virginia
(Class 1)		 John Taylor Democratic-Republican 1792 (special)
1793		 Predecessor Stevens T. Mason (DR) had died May 10, 1803, having just begun the new term.
Interim appointee served from June 4, 1803, and did not seek election to finish the term.
Winner elected December 7, 1803.
Democratic-Republican hold.

Early race leading to the Congress-after-next

In this regular election, the winner was seated on March 4, 1805; ordered by state.

This election involved a Class 2 seat.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral
history
Tennessee William Cocke Democratic-
Republican		 1799 (special) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected early September 23, 1803.
Democratic-Republican hold.

Connecticut
See also: List of United States senators from Connecticut

Federalist incumbent James Hillhouse (originally elected in 1796) was re-elected.

Delaware
See also: List of United States senators from Delaware

Maryland
See also: List of United States senators from Maryland
1802 United States Senate election in Maryland
November 17, 1802
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
 
Candidate Samuel Smith John Eager Howard
Party Democratic-Republican Federalist
Legislative vote 46 30
Percentage 60.53% 39.47%

Samuel Smith won election over John Eager Howard by a margin of 21.05%, or 16 votes, for the Class 1 seat.[18]

Massachusetts
See also: List of United States senators from Massachusetts

New Hampshire (special)
See also: List of United States senators from New Hampshire

New Jersey
Senator John Condit
See also: List of United States senators from New Jersey

There were two elections to the class 1 seat.

New Jersey (regular)

The New Jersey legislature failed to elect by the March 4, 1803, beginning of the term.

New Jersey (special)

The governor appointed Democratic-Republican John Condit September 1, 1803, to continue the term. Condit was then unanimously elected November 3, 1803, to finish the term. No vote totals were recorded.[19]

New York
See also: List of United States senators from New York

New York (special)
Senator DeWitt Clinton

Democratic-Republican John Armstrong Jr., who had held the class 3 seat since 1801, resigned February 5, 1802, and Democratic-Republican DeWitt Clinton was elected February 23, 1802, to finish the term. Clinton, however, resigned November 4, 1803, and Armstrong was appointed December 8, 1803, to his old seat.

New York (regular)
Senator Theodorus Bailey

Federalist Gouverneur Morris lost re-election to the class 1 seat to Democratic-Republican Theodorus Bailey in 1803.

Ohio
See also: List of United States senators from Ohio

Ohio joined the Union in 1803. New Democratic-Republican senators were elected April 1, 1803. Official records indicate that John Smith and Thomas Worthington were elected, and that Smith received the "long" term, while Worthington received the "short" one. They do not indicate if there were other candidates, or what the vote totals were.[20]

Pennsylvania
See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania

Rhode Island
See also: List of United States senators from Rhode Island

South Carolina (special)
See also: List of United States senators from South Carolina

Tennessee
See also: List of United States senators from Tennessee

Vermont
See also: List of United States senators from Vermont

Federalist Senator Nathaniel Chipman lost re-election to Democratic-Republican Israel Smith. Smith received 102 votes in the Vermont House of Representatives and 9 from the Governor and Council.[12] Spencer received 75 votes from the House and 4 from the Governor and Council.[12]

Virginia
See also: List of United States senators from Virginia

There were two elections to the same seat as the newly-re-elected senator died at the beginning of the next term.

Virginia (regular)

Two-term Democratic-Republican Stevens Mason was re-elected in 1803.

Virginia (special)
Senator Abraham B. Venable

Mason died May 10, 1803, having just begun the new term. Democratic-Republican John Taylor was appointed but chose not to run to finish the term. Democratic-Republican Abraham B. Venable was elected December 7, 1803, as the unanimous choice of the Virginia General Assembly. No vote totals were recorded.[16]

See also

References
  1. "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
  2. "New York 1802 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing The Poughkeepsie Journal (Poughkeepsie, NY). February 16, 1802.
  3. "New Hampshire 1802 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Courier of New Hampshire (Concord, NH). June 24, 1802. The Providence Gazette (Providence, RI). July 3, 1802.
  4. "South Carolina 1802 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Original Election Returns. South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia. The Carolina Gazette (Charleston, SC). December 16, 1802. National Intelligencer and Washington Advertiser (Washington, DC). December 22, 1802.
  5. "Connecticut 1802 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing American Mercury (Hartford, CT). November 4, 1802.
  6. "Delaware 1803 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Journal of the Delaware State Senate, 1803. 13-14.
  7. "Maryland 1802 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Votes and Proceedings of the Maryland State Senate, 1802. 10.
  8. "Massachusetts 1803 U.S. Senate, Ballot 4". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Columbian Centinel. Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). February 5, 1803. The Independent Chronicle (Boston, MA). February 7, 1803. Columbian Centinel. Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). February 9, 1803. Hampshire Gazette (Northampton, MA). February 9, 1803. Boston Gazette (Boston, MA). February 10, 1803. Republican Star or Eastern Shore General Advertiser (Easton, MD). March 1, 1803. Frederick-Town Herald (Fredericktown, MD). March 5, 1803.
  9. "New Jersey 1802 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Middlebury Mercury (Middlebury, VT). December 15, 1802.
  10. "New York 1803 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1803. 39-40.
  11. "Rhode Island 1802 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 31, 2018., citing The Providence Phoenix (Providence, RI). November 2, 1802.
  12. "Bennington: October 25, 1802". City Gazette. Charleston, South Carolina. November 20, 1802. p. 2 – via GenealogyBank.com.
  13. "Tennessee 1803 U.S. Senate, Ballot 4". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 1, 2018., citing Journal of the Tennessee House of Representatives, 1803. 21-22.
  14. "New Jersey 1803 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing The Centinel of Freedom (Newark, NJ). November 8, 1803.
  15. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - John Condit". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 5, 2019."Our Campaigns - Candidate - John Condit". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  16. "Richmond: December 10, 1803". Wilmington, North Carolina: Wilmington Gazette. December 27, 1803. p. 4. Mr. Taylor having declined to serve longer, Abraham B. Venable, esq., was on Wednesday last unanimously elected by the General Assembly in the room of Mr. Taylor.
  17. "Tennessee 1803 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Journal of the Tennessee House of Representatives, 1803. 27. Gazette of the United States (Philadelphia, PA). October 18, 1803. White, Robert Hiram. Messages of the Governors of Tennessee, 1796-1821. Vol. 1. Nashville: The Tennessee Historical Commission, 1952.
  18. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Nov 17, 1802". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  19. New Jersey Legislature (1804). Minutes and Proceedings of the Joint Meeting, November 3, 1803. Trenton, NJ: Sherman, Mershon & Thomas. p. 44.
  20. Taylor, William A. (1900). Ohio in Congress from 1803 to 1901. Columbus, Ohio: Century Publishing Co. p. 96 – via Internet Archive.

Sources
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