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1804–05 United States Senate elections

← 1802 & 1803 Dates vary by state 1806 & 1807 →
11 of the 34 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 18 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic-Republican Federalist Last election 22 seats 9 seats Seats before 25 9 Seats won 9 2 Seats after 27 7 Seat change 2 2 Seats up 7 4
Results:      Dem-Republican hold      Dem-Republican gain      Federalist hold
Majority Party before election Democratic-Republican Elected Majority Party Democratic-Republican

The 1804–05 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1804 and 1805, 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 2.

These elections expanded the Democratic-Republican Party's overwhelming control over the Senate. The Federalists went into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats (9 out of 34, or 27%) that even if they had won every election, they would have still remained a minority caucus.

Results summary

Senate party division, 9th Congress (1805–1807)

• Majority party: Democratic-Republican (27)
• Minority party: Federalist (7)
• Other parties: 0
• Total seats: 34

Change in composition

Only reflects results of regular elections.

Before the regular elections

Result of the regular elections

Race summaries

Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.

Special elections during the 8th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1804 or before March 4, 1805; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the 9th Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1805; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

Special elections during the 9th Congress

In this special election, the winner was seated in 1805 after March 4.

Delaware

There were two elections this cycle to the same seat, because Federalist William H. Wells, who had first been elected in 1799, resigned November 6, 1804.

Delaware (regular)

Federalist James A. Bayard was elected November 13, 1804, to finish the term ending the following March.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

Delaware (special)

Federalist James A. Bayard also elected in 1805, to the next term.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

Georgia

Kentucky

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York (special)

In February 1804 two senators were elected to finish vacant terms. The winner of the class 1 seat later resigned, leading to a November special election.

Theodorus Bailey had been elected to the Class 1 seat (term 1803–1809) but resigned on January 16, 1804, after his appointment as Postmaster of New York City.

John Armstrong had been re-elected to the class 3 seat to the term that would end March 3, 1807. He resigned February 5, 1802, and DeWitt Clinton was elected February 9, 1802 to finish the term.

Clinton then resigned on November 4, 1803, after his appointment as Mayor of New York City, and Governor George Clinton appointed Armstrong to his old seat to continue the term temporarily until another special election.

Armstrong was then elected to the class 1 seat and so resigned from the class 3 seat.

New York (February: special, classes 1 and 3)

The first special election was held February 3, 1804, by the New York State Legislature to elect both senators. The class 1 term ended March 3, 1809, and the class 3 term ended March 3, 1813.

U.S. Senator (Class 1) Incumbent: Theodorus Bailey

House	Democratic-Republican		Federalist		Federalist
State Senate (32 members)	Y John Armstrong
State Assembly (99 members)	Y John Armstrong	83	Jacob Radcliff	4	Egbert Benson	3

U.S. Senator (Class 3) Incumbent: John Armstrong

House	Democratic-Republican		Federalist		Federalist
State Senate (32 members)	Y John Smith
State Assembly (99 members)	Y John Smith	Smith was nominated unanimously by the Assembly, but the exact number of votes given is unclear.

John Smith was seated February 23, 1804. John Armstrong was seated February 25, 1804.

New York (November: special, class 1)

Once again, John Armstrong resigned from the Senate on June 30, 1804 (a third time in three years) when appointed U.S. Minister to France. To fill the vacancy, the legislature held a special election November 9, 1804, and elected Samuel L. Mitchill.

House	Democratic-Republican		Federalist		Democratic-Republican
State Senate (30 members)	Y Samuel L. Mitchill
State Assembly (100 members)	Y Samuel L. Mitchill	75	Rufus King	14	David Thomas	1

Mitchill was seated November 23, 1804.

North Carolina

Rhode Island

Rhode Island (regular)

Democratic-Republican James Fenner beat incumbent Democratic-Republican Christopher Ellery in 1804.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

Rhode Island (special)

Democratic-Republican Samuel J. Potter died October 14, 1804, Democratic-Republican Benjamin Howland was elected October 29, 1804, to finish the term.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

South Carolina

South Carolina (regular)

Democratic-Republican Thomas Sumter was re-elected December 6, 1804.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

South Carolina (special)

Democratic-Republican Pierce Butler resigned November 21, 1804, and Democratic-Republican John Gaillard was elected December 6, 1804.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

Tennessee

Virginia

The incumbent senators effectively switched seats due to appointments and special elections.

Class 2

Virginia (special, class 2)

Democratic-Republican Wilson C. Nicholas resigned May 22, 1804, and Democratic-Republican Andrew Moore was appointed August 11, 1804, to continue the term. Moore was elected to the other seat, so he resigned and Democratic-Republican William B. Giles, who had already been elected to this seat's next term, was elected December 4, 1804, to finish the term.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

Virginia (regular, class 2)

Democratic-Republican William B. Giles was elected December 4, 1804, to the next term.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

Virginia (special, class 1)

Democratic-Republican Abraham B. Venable resigned June 7, 1804, and Democratic-Republican William B. Giles was appointed August 11, 1804, to continue the term. Giles was elected to the other seat, so he resigned and Democratic-Republican Andrew Moore was elected December 4, 1804, to finish the term.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020)

See also

• 1804 United States elections
  • 1804 United States presidential election
  • 1804–05 United States House of Representatives elections
• 8th United States Congress
• 9th United States Congress

Notes

1. "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
2. "New York 1804 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1804. 35. Journal of the New York State Senate, 1804. 10.
3. "NY US Senate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
4. "New York 1804 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing The Albany Register (Albany, NY). February 7, 1804.
5. "NY US Senate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
6. "Rhode Island 1804 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 10, 2018., citing The True American and Commercial Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). November 19, 1804.
7. "NY US Senate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
8. "Delaware 1804 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing Journal of the Delaware House of Representatives, 1804. 9.
9. "Delaware 1805 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing Journal of the Delaware State Senate, 1805. 41.
10. "Georgia 1804 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing The Enquirer (Richmond, VA). December 6, 1804.
11. "Kentucky 1804 U.S. Senate, Ballot 7". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing Kentucky Gazette and General Advertiser (Lexington, KY). November 27, 1804.
12. "Massachusetts 1805 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 29, 2018., citing The Providence Phoenix (Providence, RI). February 9, 1805.
13. "New Hampshire 1804 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing Oracle Post (Portsmouth, NH). December 11, 1804.
14. "New Jersey 1804 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing The Centinel of Freedom (Newark, NJ). November 13, 1804.
15. "North Carolina 1804 U.S. Senate, Ballot 5". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 9, 2018., citing Raleigh Register, and North-Carolina State Gazette (Raleigh, NC). December 3, 1804.
16. "Rhode Island 1804 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 10, 2018., citing The True American and Commercial Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). November 19, 1804.
17. "South Carolina 1804 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 10, 2018., citing Original Election Returns. South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
18. "Tennessee 1803 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Archived from the original on October 19, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Journal of the Tennessee House of Representatives, 1803. 27. Gazette of the United States (Philadelphia, PA). October 18, 1803. White, Robert Hiram. Messages of the Governors of Tennessee, 1796–1821. Vol. 1. Nashville: The Tennessee Historical Commission, 1952.
19. "Virginia 1804 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 10, 2018., citing The Enquirer (Richmond, VA). December 15, 1804.
20. "Kentucky 1805 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 8, 2018., citing The Enquirer (Richmond, VA). December 6, 1805.
21. "North Carolina 1805 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 9, 2018., citing Legislative Papers. State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh.

References

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

• 1804 United States Senate elections
• 1805 United States Senate elections
• Jonathan Dayton