United States Senate elections, 1890 and 1891

United States Senate elections, 1890 and 1891

Dates vary by state
28 of the 76 seats in the U.S. Senate (as well as special elections) 43 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Seats before 47 37 Seats won 12 14 Seats after 43 39 Seat change 4 2 Seats up 16 12   Third party Fourth party   Party Populist Independent Seats before 0 0 Seats won 1 1 Seats after 1 1 Seat change 1 1 Seats up 0 0
Majority Party before election Republican Elected Majority Party Republican

The United States Senate elections of 1890 and 1891 were elections in which the Republican Party lost four seats in the United States Senate, though still retaining a slim majority. That majority was increased, however, upon the admission of two more states with Republican senators.

As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Results summary

Senate Party Division, 52nd Congress (1891–1893)

• Majority Party: Republican (46)
• Minority Party: Democratic (37)
• Other Parties: Populist (2)
• Total Seats: 88

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

After the admission of Montana's new senators in January 1890.

After the class 3 elections

Beginning of the next Congress

Race summaries

Elections during the 51st Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1890 or in 1891 before March 4; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the 52nd Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1891; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

Election during the 52nd Congress

In these elections, the winners were elected in 1891 after March 4; ordered by election date.

Complete list of races

Idaho

In July 1890, Idaho became a state. In November, Fred Dubois helped engineer a plan for the Idaho Legislature to effectively elect three people to the U.S. Senate: Governor George Shoup to the Class 2 seat up for election in 1894, state constitutional convention member William J. McConnell to serve for the remainder of the Fifty-first United States Congress, ending in March 1891, and Dubois himself to succeed McConnell and serve a full six-year term in the Class 3 seat beginning in March 1891.

New York

The New York election was held January 20 and 21, 1891, by the New York State Legislature.

Republican William M. Evarts had been elected to this seat in 1885, and his term would expire on March 3, 1891.

At the State election in November 1889, 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1890-1891) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1890, 68 Democrats and 60 Republicans were elected for the session of 1891 to the Assembly. The 114th New York State Legislature met from January 6 to April 30, 1891, at Albany, New York.

The Democratic caucus met on January 19, 74 State legislators attended, and State Senator John C. Jacobs presided. Governor David B. Hill was nominated by acclamation.

The Republican caucus met immediately after the Democratic caucus ended, Assemblyman James W. Husted presided. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator William M. Evarts unanimously.

On January 20, both Houses of the State legislature took ballots separately. The incumbent U.S. Senator Evarts was the choice of the State Senate, Governor Hill the choice of the Assembly. On January 21, both Houses met in joint session, and comparing nominations, found that they disagreed and proceeded to a joint ballot. Governor Hill was elected by a majority of 2, every member of the Legislature being present.

The seat became vacant on March 4, 1891. David B. Hill remained in office as Governor of New York until December 31, 1891, and took his seat only on January 7, 1892, missing actually only one month of session. There were no special sessions during the 52nd United States Congress and the regular session began only on December 7, 1891. Hill served a single term, and remained in the U.S. Senate until March 3, 1897. In January 1897, Hill was defeated for re-election by Republican Thomas C. Platt who had been a U.S. Senator briefly in 1881.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania election was held on January 20, 1891. J. Donald Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.^[7]

The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 20, 1891. Incumbent Republican J. Donald Cameron, who was elected in an 1877 special election and re-elected in 1879 and 1885, was a successful candidate for re-election to another term. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

See also

• United States elections, 1890
  • United States House of Representatives elections, 1890
• 51st United States Congress
• 52nd United States Congress

Notes

References

• Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy, ed. The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 
• Clark, Dan Elbert (1913). History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa. Iowa City, Iowa. 
• Cox, Harold (January 31, 2007). "Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006". The Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. 
• Taft, George S.; Furber, George P.; Buck, George M.; Webb, Charles A.; Pierce, Herbert R. (1913). Compilation of Senate Election Cases from 1789 to 1913. U.S. Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 
• Taylor, William Alexander; Taylor, Aubrey Clarence (1899). Ohio statesmen and annals of progress: from the year 1788 to the year 1900. State of Ohio. 
• Members of the 52nd United States Congress
• "EXIT DAVID BENNETT HILL". The New York Times. January 20, 1891. , The headline expresses the erroneous belief that Hill, after his election, would resign the governorship and go to Washington, D.C.
• "HILL'S FRIENDS NERVOUS". The New York Times. January 21, 1891. 
• "HILL'S MAJORITY OF TWO". The New York Times. January 22, 1891. 
• "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". via Senate.gov.