The 1830–31 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by

state legislatures A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Stat ...

. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1830 and 1831, 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

Jacksonians Jacksonian democracy was a 19th-century political philosophy in the United States that expanded suffrage to most white men over the age of 21, and restructured a number of federal institutions. Originating with the seventh U.S. president, And ...

gained one seat from the

Anti-Jacksonian The National Republican Party, also known as the Anti-Jacksonian Party or simply Republicans, was a political party in the United States that evolved from a conservative-leaning faction of the Democratic-Republican Party that supported John Qu ...

coalition, but lose one seat to the short-lived

Nullifier Party The Nullifier Party was an American political party based in South Carolina in the 1830s. Considered an early American third party, it was started by John C. Calhoun in 1828. The Nullifier Party was a states' rights, pro-slavery party that s ...

. By the time Congress first met in December 1831, however, the Jacksonians had a net loss of one seat.

Results summary

Senate party division,

22nd Congress The 22nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 183 ...

(1831–1833) * Majority party: Jacksonian (24–23) * Minority party: Anti-Jackson (21–23) * Other parties:

Nullifier The Nullifier Party was an American political party based in South Carolina in the 1830s. Considered an early American third party, it was started by John C. Calhoun in 1828. The Nullifier Party was a states' rights, pro-slavery party that s ...

(2–1) * Total seats: 48

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the January 7, 1830 special election in Delaware.

As a result of the elections

At the beginning of the first session, December 5, 1831

Race summaries

Bold states link to specific election articles.

Special elections during the 21st Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1830 or before March 4, 1831; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the 22nd Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1831 (except where noted due to late election); ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

Elections during the 22nd Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated in 1831 after March 4; ordered by election date.

Alabama

Connecticut

Delaware (special)

Georgia

Illinois

Illinois had two elections in this cycle: one for each seat.

Illinois (regular)

For the Class 3 seat, one-term incumbent Jacksonian Elias Kane was re-elected in 1831 for the term beginning March 4, 1831.

Illinois (special)

For the Class 2 seat, Jacksonian incumbent John McLean, who had been elected in 1828 or 1829, died October 14, 1830. Jacksonian David J. Baker was appointed November 12, 1830 to continue the term until a special election. On December 11, 1830, Jacksonian John McCracken Robinson was elected to finish the term and was seated January 4, 1831.

Indiana

Kentucky

Kentucky had two elections in this cycle. When Jacksonian

John Rowan John Rowan may refer to: * John Rowan (American football) (1896–1967) * John Rowan (footballer) (1890-1963), Scottish footballer * John Rowan (high sheriff) (1778–1855), Irish high sheriff and militia officer *John Rowan (Kentucky politicia ...

's term ended March 3, 1831, the legislature had not yet voted a replacement. When the legislature resumed for its session in November 1831, Anti-Jacksonian

Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...

was elected, but still in time to participate when the 22nd Congress convened in December 1831.

Kentucky (regular)

Kentucky (special)

Louisiana

Louisiana had two elections in this cycle.

Louisiana (regular)

Louisiana (special)

Maryland

Ezekiel F. Chambers Ezekiel Forman Chambers (February 28, 1788January 30, 1867) was an American politician. Born in Chestertown, Maryland, Chambers was graduated from Washington College at Chestertown in 1805. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1808, and co ...

won election over non-voters by a margin of 45.21%, or 33 votes, for the Class 3 seat.

Mississippi (special)

Missouri

New Hampshire

New York

The Senate election in New York was held on February 1, 1831, by the

New York State Legislature The New York State Legislature consists of the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York: The New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Constitution of New York does not designate an official ...

Nathan Sanford Nathan Sanford (November 5, 1777 – October 17, 1838) was an American politician. Early life Sanford was born on November 5, 1777, in Bridgehampton, New York. He was the son of Thomas Sanford and Phebe (née Baker) Sanford, a family of farme ...

had been elected in 1826 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1831. At the state election in November 1830, the Jacksonians managed to defeat the combined Anti-Masons and Anti-Jacksonians.

Enos T. Throop Enos Thompson Throop ( ; August 21, 1784 – November 1, 1874) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who was the tenth Governor of New York from 1829 to 1832. Early life and career Throop was born in Johnstown, New York on August 21 ...

was narrowly re-elected Governor, a large Jacksonian majority was elected to the Assembly, and five of the nine State Senators elected were Jacksonian Democrats. The

54th New York State Legislature The 54th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to April 26, 1831, during the third year of Enos T. Throop's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provisi ...

met from January 4 to April 26, 1831, at

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...

. The Jacksonian State legislators held a caucus before the election, and n The Jacksonian State legislators held a caucus before the electionominated

New York Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...

Justice William L. Marcy. The vote was 77 for Marcy, 15 for

Erastus Root Erastus Root (March 16, 1773 – December 24, 1846) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He is most notable for serving four separate non-consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives in the early 19th Century. ...

, 6 for the incumbent

and 6 scattering votes. William L. Marcy was the choice of both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected.

North Carolina

Ohio

The two houses of the

Ohio General Assembly The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate. Both houses of the General Assembly meet at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus ...

met during the winter of 1830–1831 in joint assembly to elect a Senator (Class 3). After seven ballots, on various dates, Thomas Ewing was elected on a majority of the ballots. The balloting was as follows:

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania had two election in this cycle.

Pennsylvania (regular)

Pennsylvania (special)

Following the December 6, 1831 resignation of Senator Isaac Barnard due to ill health, the

Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...

convened on December 13, 1831, to elect a new Senator to fill the vacancy. Eleven ballots were recorded. The results of the eleventh and final ballot of both houses combined are as follows: , - ! colspan=3 align=right , Totals ! align=right , 133 ! align=right , 100.00%

Vermont

Notes

References

Sources

Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present
via Senate.gov {{DEFAULTSORT:1830-31 United States Senate elections