1864 and 1865 United States Senate elections

The United States Senate elections of 1864 and 1865 were elections corresponding with Abraham Lincoln's re-election, with the Republican Party gaining two seats in the United States Senate. As these elections occurred during the Civil War, most of the Southern States were absent.

For related races, see 1864 United States elections.
1864 and 1865 United States Senate elections
Various dates
24 of the 72 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
25 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Henry B. Anthony[lower-alpha 1]
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 32 seats 10 seats
Seats before 31 10
Seats after 33 9
Seat change 2 1
Seats up 9 4
Races won 11 3
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Unconditional Unionist Unionist
Last election 1 seat 5 seats
Seats before 5 3
Seats after 4 2
Seat change 1 1
Seats up 1 1
Races won 0 0
Majority Party before election


Republican

 Elected Majority Party


Republican

As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures.

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
V5
Seceded		 V4
Seceded		 V3
Seceded		 V2 V1
V6
Seceded		 V7
Seceded		 V8
Seceded		 V9
Seceded		 V10
Seceded		 V11
Seceded		 D1 D2 D3 D4
UU5
Ran		 U1 U2 U3
Retired		 D10
Ran		 D9
Retired		 D8
Unknown		 D7
Retired		 D6 D5
UU4 UU3 UU2 UU1 R31
Ran		 R30
Ran		 R29
Retired		 R28
Ran		 R27
Ran		 R26
Retired
Majority → R25
Unknown
R16 R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23
Ran		 R24
Ran
R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8 R7 R6
V16 V15 V14 V13 V12 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5
V17 V18 V19 V20 V21

As a result of the elections
V5
Seceded		 V4
Seceded		 V3
Seceded		 V2 V1
V6
Seceded		 V7
Seceded		 V8
Seceded		 V9
Seceded		 V10
Seceded		 V11
Seceded		 D1 D2 D3 D4
UU2 UU3 UU4 U1 U2 D9
Gain		 D8
Hold		 D7
Re-elected		 D6 D5
UU1 R33
Gain		 R32
Gain		 R31
Re-elected
new party		 R30
Hold		 R29
Hold		 R28
Hold		 R27
Re-elected		 R26
Re-elected		 R25
Re-elected
Majority →
R15 R16 R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23
Re-elected		 R24
Re-elected
R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8 R7 R6 R5
V17 V16 V15 V14 V13 V12
U Loss		 R1 R2 R3 R4
V18 V19 V20 V21 V22

Beginning of the next Congress
V6 V5 V4 V3 V2 V1
V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
R36
Changed		 R37
Changed		 UU1 V13
UU Loss		 U1 V12
D Loss		 D9
Gain		 D8 D7 D6
R35
New state		 R34
New state		 R33 R32 R31 R30 R29 R28 R27 R26
Majority → R25
R16 R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24
R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8 R7 R6
V18 V17 V16 V15 V14 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5
V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24
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 Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Maryland
(Class 3)		 Thomas Holliday Hicks Unconditional Unionist 1862 (Appointed) Interim appointee elected January 11, 1864[1] to finish the term.
Delaware
(Class 1)		 James A. Bayard Jr. Democratic 1851
1857
1863		 Incumbent resigned January 29, 1864 for unknown reason.
Winner elected January 29, 1864.
Democratic hold.
Nevada
(Class 1)		 New state Nevada's first Senators were elected February 1, 1865.
Republican gain.
Nevada
(Class 3)		 New state Nevada's first Senators were elected February 1, 1865.
Republican gain.
Virginia
(Class 1)		 Lemuel J. Bowden Unionist 1863 Incumbent died January 2, 1864.
Winner elected sometime in 1865.
The Senate refused to seat him as it did not want to set a precedent for allowing premature re-entry of Confederate states.[2]
Unionist loss.
Seat remained vacant until 1870.

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 Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral
history
Alabama 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. 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.
Georgia 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.
Winner elected in 1864 or 1865.
Republican gain.
Iowa James W. Grimes Republican 1858 Incumbent re-elected January 11, 1864.
Kansas James H. Lane Republican 1861 Incumbent re-elected in 1865.
Kentucky Lazarus W. Powell Democratic 1858 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1865.
Democratic hold.
Louisiana 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.
Winner elected in 1864 or 1865.
Republican hold.
Massachusetts Henry Wilson Republican 1855 (Special)
1859		 Incumbent re-elected in 1865.
Michigan Jacob M. Howard Republican 1862 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1865.
Minnesota Morton S. Wilkinson Republican 1858 or 1859 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1865.
Republican hold.
Mississippi 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)		 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1864.
Republican hold.
New Jersey John C. Ten Eyck Republican 1858 Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1864.
Democratic gain.
Election would later be disputed and seat declared vacant.
North Carolina 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.
Winner elected in 1864.
Republican gain.
Rhode Island Henry B. Anthony Republican 1858 Incumbent re-elected in 1864.
South Carolina 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. 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. 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 as it did not want to set a precedent for allowing premature re-entry of Confederate states.[2]
Unionist loss.
Seat remained vacant until 1870.
West Virginia Waitman T. Willey Unconditional Unionist 1863 Incumbent re-elected in 1865 as a Republican.
Republican gain.

Elections during the 39th Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1865 after March 4.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Maryland
(Class 3)		 Thomas Holliday Hicks Unconditional Unionist 1862 (Appointed)
1864 (Special)		 Incumbent died February 14, 1865.
Winner elected March 9, 1865.
Unconditional Unionist hold.

See also

Notes
  1. as Republican Conference Chair

References
  1. Byrd & Wolff, page 120
  2. "Musical Chairs (1861–1869)". United States Senate. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  3. Clark, Dan Elbert (1913). "History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa"., page 131
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