The 1916 United States Senate elections were elections that coincided with the re-election of President Woodrow Wilson. Republicans gained a net of two seats from the Democrats.

Senate Party Division, 65th Congress (1917–1919)

Majority Party: Democratic (54 seats) Minority Party: Republican (42 seats) Other Parties: 0 Total Seats: 96

Gains and losses

Republicans picked up seven seats: * Harry S. New (IN) *

James E. Watson James Eli Watson (November 2, 1864July 29, 1948) was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Indiana. He was the Senate's second official majority leader. While an article published by the Senate (see References) gives his year of birth a ...

(IN)--won in a special election * Frederick Hale (ME) *

Joseph I. France Joseph Irwin France (October 11, 1873January 26, 1939) was a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Maryland from 1917 to 1923. Early life France was born in Cameron, Missouri, the son of Hanna Fletcher (née J ...

(MD) * Joseph S. Freylinghuysen (NJ) *

William M. Calder William Musgrave Calder I (March 3, 1869March 3, 1945) was an American politician and architect who served as a member of both chambers of the United States Congress from New York. Early life and education He was born in Brooklyn on March 3, 1869 ...

(NY) * Howard Sutherland (WV) Democrats picked up five seats: *

Josiah O. Wolcott Josiah Oliver Wolcott (October 31, 1877 – November 11, 1938) was an American lawyer, politician and judge, from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served as Attorney General of Delaware, U.S. Senator ...

(DE) *

Andrieus A. Jones Andrieus Aristieus Jones (May 16, 1862December 20, 1927) was an American politician from New Mexico who represented the state in the United States Senate from 1917 until his death in 1927. Early life and education Jones was born in Obion County, ...

(NM) *

Peter G. Gerry Peter Goelet Gerry (September 18, 1879 – October 31, 1957) was an American lawyer and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives and later, as a U.S. Senator from Rhode Island. He is the only U.S. Senator in American h ...

(RI) *

William H. King William Henry King (June 3, 1863November 27, 1949) was an American lawyer, politician, and jurist from Salt Lake City, Utah. As a Democrat, King represented Utah in the United States Senate from 1917 until 1941. Life King was born in Fillmore, U ...

(UT) *

John B. Kendrick John Benjamin Kendrick (September 6, 1857 – November 3, 1933) was an American politician and cattleman who served as a United States senator from Wyoming and as the List of governors of Wyoming, ninth Governor of Wyoming as a member of the De ...

(WY)

Change in composition

Before the elections

Elections results

Race summaries

Special elections during the 64th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1916 or before March 4, 1917; ordered by election date.

Elections leading to the 65th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1917; ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

Arizona

Arkansas (Special)

Three-term Democratic Senate President pro tempore James Paul Clarke died October 1, 1916. Democrat

William F. Kirby William Fosgate Kirby (November 16, 1867July 26, 1934) was a Democratic Party politician from Arkansas who represented the state in the U.S. Senate from 1916 to 1921. Kirby was born in Miller County, Arkansas, near Texarkana, on November 16, ...

was elected November 7, 1916 to finish the term. He served only the rest of this term, losing renomination in 1920.

California

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Indiana

There were two elections held November 7, 1916 due to a vacancy. The elections converted both seats from Democratic to Republican, thus marking the first time since the popular-election of Senators was mandated by the Seventeenth Amendment three years earlier that both Senate seats in a state flipped from one party to the other in a single election cycle.

Indiana (Special)

Two-term Democrat

Benjamin F. Shively Benjamin Franklin Shively (March 20, 1857 – March 14, 1916) was an United States of America, American politician and lawyer who served as a United States Representative (1884 to 1885 and 1887 to 1893) and United States Senate, Senator (190 ...

was re-elected in 1914 and served until he died March 14, 1916. Democrat Thomas Taggart was appointed by Governor

Samuel Ralston Samuel Moffett Ralston (December 1, 1857 – October 14, 1925) was an American politician of the Democratic Party who served as the 28th governor of the U.S. state of Indiana and a United States senator from Indiana. Born into a large impov ...

on March 20th to continue the term until a November 7, 1916 special election. Taggart lost the special election to Republican James Eli Watson. Watson would finish out the term, be re-elected twice, and serve until his 1932 re-election loss.

Indiana (Regular)

One-term Democrat

John W. Kern John Worth Kern (December 20, 1849 – August 17, 1917) was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana. While the title was not official, he is considered to be the first Senate majority leader (and in turn, the first Senate Democratic Lead ...

was elected in 1911. He lost re-election to Republican Harry Stewart New. New served only until losing renomination in 1922. Kern died on August 17, 1917, the same year he left the U.S Senate.

Maine

There were two elections due to a vacancy. Both elections were held September 11, 1916, as Maine routinely held its annual elections in September at the time.

Maine (Special)

One-term Republican Edwin C. Burleigh was elected in 1913, and died June 16, 1916. Republican Bert M. Fernald was elected September 12, 1916 to finish the term. Fernand would later be re-elected twice and serve until his 1926 death.

Maine (Regular)

One-term Democrat Charles Fletcher Johnson was elected in 1911. He lost re-election to Republican Frederick Hale. Hale would later be re-elected three times and serve until his 1935 retirement.

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Dakota

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

The 1916 United States Senate election in Vermont took place on November 7, 1916. It was the second

direct election Direct election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are cho ...

for the U.S. Senate to take place in Vermont following the ratification of the

Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution The Seventeenth Amendment (Amendment XVII) to the United States Constitution established the direct election of United States senators in each state. The amendment supersedes Article I, Section 3, Clauses 1 and2 of the Constitution, under wh ...

and the first for Vermont's Class I seat. The incumbent, Republican

Carroll S. Page Carroll Smalley Page (January 10, 1843December 3, 1925) was an American businessman and politician. He served as the 43rd governor of Vermont and a United States senator. A native of Westfield, Vermont, Page was the son of a successful farme ...

successfully ran for re-election to a second full term. In the primary election, which was held on September 11, Page gained re-nomination by winning 62 percent of the vote to defeat former governor

Allen M. Fletcher Allen Miller Fletcher (September 25, 1853 – May 11, 1922) was an American politician who served as the 54th governor of Vermont from 1912 to 1915. Biography Fletcher was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on September 25, 1853. The son of ...

(20.3) and current governor

Charles W. Gates Charles Winslow Gates (January 12, 1856 in Franklin, Vermont – July 1, 1927) was an American politician who served as the 55th governor of Vermont from 1915 to 1917. Biography Gates was born January 12, 1856, son of Harrison and Leona Rebecca ...

(17.7). With the Republican Party dominant in Vermont, as it had been since its founding in the 1850s, Democratic candidate Oscar C. Miller was little more than a token opponent for Page. In the general election, Page defeated Miller 74.4 percent to 23.5.