United States Senate elections, 1830 and 1831

United States Senate elections, 1830 and 1831

Dates vary by state
16 of the 48 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 25 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Jacksonian Anti-Jacksonian Last election 26 seats 19 seats Seats before 25 23 Seats won 8 6 Seats after 26 20 Seat change 1 3 Seats up 7 9   Third party   Party Nullifier Seats before [new party] Seats won 1 Seats after 1 Seat change 1 Seats up 0
Majority party before election Jacksonian Elected Majority party Jacksonian

The United States Senate elections of 1830 and 1831 were elections that had Jacksonians gain one seat in the United States Senate from the Anti-Jacksonian coalition, but lose one seat to the short-lived Nullifier Party. By the time Congress first met in December 1831, however, the Jacksonians had a net loss of one seat.

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

Results summary

Senate Party Division, 22nd Congress (1831–1833)

• Majority Party: Jacksonian (24–23)
• Minority Party: Anti-Jackson (21–23)
• Other Parties: Nullifier (2–1)
• Total Seats: 48

Change in Senate 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 general 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.

Complete list of races

New York

The Senate election in New York was held on February 1, 1831, by the New York State Legislature. Nathan Sanford 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 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 met from January 4 to April 26, 1831, at Albany, New York. The Jacksonian State legislators held a caucus before the election, and nominated New York Supreme Court Justice William L. Marcy. The vote was 77 for Marcy, 15 for Erastus Root, 6 for the incumbent Nathan Sanford and 6 scattering votes. William L. Marcy was the choice of both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected.

Ohio

The two houses of the Ohio General Assembly 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:^[2]

Pennsylvania (special)

Following the December 6, 1831 resignation of Senator Isaac Barnard due to ill health, the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on December 13, 1831, to elect a new Senator to fill the vacancy. A total of eleven ballots were recorded. The results of the eleventh and final ballot of both houses combined are as follows:

See also

• United States elections, 1830
  • United States House of Representatives elections, 1830
• 21st United States Congress
• 22nd United States Congress

References

• Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov