The 1902–03 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 1902 and 1903, 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 3. Events of the election The Democratic Party gained four seats, but the Republicans kept their strong majority. This election marked the end of the two third parties, the Populists and Silver Republicans. Republicans took both Populist seats (Idaho and Kansas) along with one Silver Republican seat in Washington. Democrats took the other Silver Republican seat in Colorado as incumbent Senator Henry Teller was re-elected as a Democrat and flipped four Republican seats in Maryland, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Nevada. Republicans flipped only one Democratic seat (Utah), but also gained both vacant Delaware seats, which had been empty due to legislative deadlock in 1898 and 1900, respectively.

Besides the double-barrel special elections in Delaware, a special election was held in Michigan.

In Florida, the legislature failed to elect until shortly after the beginning of the 58th Congress on March 4.

Results summary Senate party division, 58th Congress (1903–1905)

Majority party: Republican (57) Minority party: Democratic (33) Vacant (0) Total seats: 90

Change in composition

Before the elections After the January 29, 1902, special election in New Jersey.

D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D SR SR P P V V D D D D R R R R R R R R R R Majority → R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Result of the elections D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R V D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R Majority → R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Beginning of the next Congress D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R Majority → R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Key: D Democratic P Populist R Republican SR Silver Republican V Vacant

Race summaries Elections during the 57th Congress In these elections, the winners were elected and seated during 1902 or in 1903 before March 4.

Elections ordered by date, then state.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Iowa(Class 2) Jonathan P. Dolliver Republican 1900 1901 Interim appointee elected January 22, 1902. New Jersey(Class 2) William J. Sewell Republican 18951901 Incumbent died December 27, 1901.New senator elected January 28, 1902.Republican hold. Michigan(Class 2) Russell A. Alger Republican 1902 Interim appointee elected January 20, 1903. South Dakota(Class 3) Alfred B. Kittredge Republican 1901 Interim appointee elected January 21, 1903.Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. Delaware(Class 1) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.New senator elected March 2, 1903.Republican gain. Delaware(Class 2) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.New senator elected March 2, 1903.Republican gain.

Races leading to the 58th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1903; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory Alabama Edmund Pettus Democratic 1897 Incumbent re-elected January 26, 1903. Arkansas James K. Jones Democratic 188518911897 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator re-elected January 20, 1903.Democratic hold. California George C. Perkins Republican 1895 1897 Incumbent re-elected January 13, 1903. Colorado Henry M. Teller SilverRepublican 188518911897 Incumbent re-elected January 24, 1903, as a Democrat.Democratic gain. Connecticut Orville H. Platt Republican 1879188518911897 Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1903. Florida Stephen Mallory II Democratic 1897 Legislature failed to elect.Democratic loss.Incumbent was later appointed to begin the term.Incumbent was later re-elected; see below. None. Georgia Alexander S. Clay Democratic 1896 Incumbent re-elected November 4, 1902. Idaho Henry Heitfeld Populist 1897 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 13, 1903.Republican gain. Illinois William E. Mason Republican 1897 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 20, 1903.Republican hold. Indiana Charles W. Fairbanks Republican 1897 Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1903. Iowa William B. Allison Republican 18721878188418901896 Incumbent re-elected January 22, 1902. Kansas William A. Harris Populist 1897 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected January 28, 1903.Republican gain. Kentucky William J. Deboe Republican 1897 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected January 21, 1902, after an election on January 14, 1902.Democratic gain. Louisiana Samuel D. McEnery Democratic 1896 Incumbent re-elected early May 22, 1900. Maryland George L. Wellington Republican 1886 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 15, 1902.Democratic gain. Missouri George G. Vest Democratic 1879188518911897 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 20, 1903.Democratic hold. Nevada John P. Jones Republican 18731879188518911897 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 27, 1903.Democratic gain. New Hampshire Jacob H. Gallinger Republican 18911897 Incumbent re-elected in 1903. New York Thomas C. Platt Republican 18811881 1897 Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1903. North Carolina Jeter C. Pritchard Republican 1894 1897 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1903.Democratic gain. North Dakota Henry C. Hansbrough Republican 18911897 Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1903. Ohio Joseph B. Foraker Republican 1896 Incumbent re-elected January 15, 1902. Oregon Joseph Simon Republican 1898 Incumbent retired.New senator elected February 21, 1903.Republican hold. Pennsylvania Boies Penrose Republican 1897 Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1903. South Carolina John L. McLaurin Democratic 1897 1898 Incumbent retired.New senator elected January 27, 1903.Democratic hold. South Dakota Alfred B. Kittredge Republican 1901 1903 Interim appointee elected January 21, 1903.Winner was also elected to finish the current term; see above. Utah Joseph L. Rawlins Democratic 1897 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected January 20, 1903.Republican gain. Vermont William P. Dillingham Republican 1900 Incumbent re-elected October 14, 1902. Washington George Turner SilverRepublican 1897 Incumbent lost re-election as a Democrat.New senator elected January 29, 1903.Republican gain. Wisconsin John C. Spooner Republican 18851891 1897 Incumbent re-elected January 28, 1903.

Election during the 58th Congress In this election, the winner was elected in 1903 after March 4.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Florida(Class 3) Stephen Mallory II Democratic 18971903 Interim appointee re-elected April 22, 1903.

Alabama

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Delaware (special, class 1)

In the 1898–99 elections, the Delaware legislature had failed to elect a successor to Democratic senator George Gray.

Four years later, Republican congressman L. Heisler Ball was elected in 1903 to finish the term.

He would lose re-election at the 1905 end of the term due to yet another deadlock in the state legislature.

After the advent of popular elections, Ball would return in 1919 for a single full term.

Delaware (special, class 2)

In the 1900/1901 elections, the Delaware legislature had failed to elect a successor to Democratic senator Richard R. Kenney.

Two years later, Republican state senator J. Frank Allee was elected in 1903 to finish the term.

Allee would retire at the end of the term in 1907.

Florida

The Florida legislature failed to elect a senator by the March 4, 1903, beginning of the term. One-term incumbent Democrat Stephen Mallory II was therefore appointed to begin the term, pending the late election.

Democratic incumbent Stephen Mallory II was elected late April 22, 1903, to finish the term.

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

There were two elections due to the death of John H. Gear in 1900.

Iowa (regular)

Five-term William B. Allison was re-elected to a sixth term January 22, 1902. He was Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, effectively the leader of the Senate.

Iowa (special)

First-term Republican John H. Gear had died July 14, 1900, and Republican Jonathan P. Dolliver had been appointed August 22, 1900, to finish the term ending in 1901 and to the term beginning thereafter, pending a special election.

Dolliver was elected January 22, 1902, to finish the term that would end in 1907.

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Arthur Pue Gorman was elected by an unknown margin, for the Class 3 seat.

Michigan (special)

Missouri

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey (special)

New York

The election in New York was held on January 20, 1903, by the New York State Legislature.

Republican Thomas C. Platt had previously been re-elected to this seat in 1897, and his term would expire on March 3, 1903.

At the State election in November 1902, 28 Republicans and 22 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1903–1904) in the State Senate; and 89 Republicans and 61 Democrats were elected for the session of 1903 to the Assembly. State Senator Patrick F. Trainor who had been re-elected, died on December 25, 1902, and his successor Peter J. Dooling was elected only after the senatorial election, on January 27. The 126th New York State Legislature met from January 6 to April 23, 1903, at Albany, New York.

The Republican caucus met on January 19. 25 State senators and 84 assemblymen attended, and State Senator William W. Armstrong presided. The caucus re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Thomas C. Platt almost unanimously. A single vote was cast for U.S. Secretary of War Elihu Root by Assemblyman William A. Denison, of Jefferson County. Besides Denison voting against Platt, a small number of anti-Platt men did not attend the caucus. Boss Platt had forced the nomination of Attorney General John C. Davies to the New York Supreme Court in the 5th District, against the local Republican organization's wishes who accused Davies of incompetence. Davies was defeated in a landslide by Democrat Watson M. Rogers although the 5th District was heavily Republican. Thus boss Platt's power began to wane.

+1903 Republican caucus for United States Senator result Candidate First ballot √ Thomas C. Platt 108 Elihu Root 1

The Democratic caucus met also on January 19. All 62 State legislators attended, and Assemblyman Charles W. Hinson, of Erie County, presided. They nominated John B. Stanchfield unanimously. Stanchfield had been Mayor of Elmira, and was defeated when running for Governor of New York in 1900 by Republican Benjamin B. Odell Jr.

Thomas C. Platt was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected. Three Republican anti-Platt men, State senators Edgar T. Brackett (28th D.), Elon R. Brown and Nathaniel A. Elsberg (15th D.), voted for Elihu Root.

+1903 United States Senator election result House Republican Democratic Republican State Senate (50 members) √ Thomas C. Platt 25 John B. Stanchfield 21 Elihu Root 3 State Assembly (150 members) √ Thomas C. Platt 86 John B. Stanchfield 57

Note: The votes were cast on January 20, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 21 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

The election in Pennsylvania was held on January 20, 1903. Boies Penrose was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly