The 1820–21 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, corresponding with James Monroe's landslide re-election. 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 1820 and 1821, 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 1.

The Democratic-Republican Party gain one-to-five seats (in the general and special elections), assuming almost complete control of the Senate.

Results summary Senate party division, 17th Congress (1821–1823)

Majority party: Democratic-Republican (39–43) Minority party: Federalist (4) Vacant: (3–1) Total seats: 46–48

Change in composition

Before the elections

Composition after the June 13 and 14, 1820 elections in Maine. DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR Majority → DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR F F F F F F F F F

Result of the general elections

DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR Majority → DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR V V V F F F F F

Result of the special elections in the next Congress

DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR Majority → DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR V F F F F F

Key: DR Democratic-Republican F Federalist V Vacant

Race summaries Bold states link to specific election articles.

Special elections during the preceding Congress In these special elections, the winner was elected during 1820 or before March 4, 1821; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory New York(Class 3) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect in 1818/1819.Previous incumbent was elected January 8, 1820.Federalist gain. Massachusetts(Class 1) Prentiss Mellen Federalist 1820 Incumbent resigned to become Chief Justice of Maine.New senator elected June 12, 1820.Winner was also elected to the next term.Federalist hold. Maine(2 seats) None (new state) Seats created March 15, 1820.Democratic-Republican gains. First ballot Mississippi(Class 1) Walter Leake Democratic-Republican 1817 Incumbent resigned May 15, 1820.New senator elected August 30, 1820.Winner was also elected to the next term.Democratic-Republican hold. Kentucky(Class 3) William Logan Democratic-Republican 1818 Incumbent resigned May 28, 1820 to run for Governor of Kentucky.New senator elected October 19, 1820. Democratic-Republican hold. Rhode Island(Class 2) James Burrill Jr. Federalist 1816 Incumbent died December 25, 1820.New senator elected January 9, 1821.Democratic-Republican gain.

Races leading to the next Congress In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1821; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory Connecticut Samuel Dana Federalist 1810 1814 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected March 4, 1821.Democratic-Republican gain. Delaware Outerbridge Horsey Federalist 1810 1815 Incumbent retired.Legislature failed to elect.Federalist loss.A Democratic-Republican was later elected in 1822. Indiana James Noble Democratic-Republican 1816 Incumbent re-elected in 1821. Maine John Holmes Democratic-Republican 1820 Incumbent re-elected January 31, 1821. Maryland William Pinkney Democratic-Republican 1819 Incumbent re-elected in 1820 or 1821. Massachusetts Elijah H. Mills Federalist 1820 Incumbent re-elected in 1820. Mississippi David Holmes Democratic-Republican 1820 Incumbent re-elected in 1820 or 1821. New Jersey James J. Wilson Democratic-Republican 1815 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected November 11, 1820.Democratic-Republican hold.Incumbent then resigned January 8, 1821, and winner was appointed to finish the term. New York Nathan Sanford Democratic-Republican 1809 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected February 6, 1821.Democratic-Republican hold. Ohio Benjamin Ruggles Democratic-Republican 1815 Incumbent re-elected in 1820 or 1821. Pennsylvania Jonathan Roberts Democratic-Republican 1814 1814 Legislature failed to elect.Democratic-Republican loss.New senator would later be elected in 1821. Rhode Island William Hunter Federalist 1811 1814 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected in 1820 or 1821.Democratic-Republican gain. Tennessee John H. Eaton Democratic-Republican 1818 1819 Legislature failed to elect.Democratic-Republican loss.New senator would later be elected September 27, 1821; see below. Vermont Isaac Tichenor Federalist 1796 17961797 1814 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1821.Democratic-Republican gain. Virginia James Barbour Democratic-Republican 1814 1814 Incumbent re-elected in 1821.

Special elections during the next Congress In this special election, the winner was elected in 1821 after March 4; ordered by election date. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory Missouri(Class 1) None (new state) New senator elected August 10, 1821.Democratic-Republican gain. Missouri(Class 3) New senator elected August 10, 1821.Democratic-Republican gain. Tennessee(Class 1) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.New senator re-elected late September 27, 1821.Democratic-Republican gain. Georgia(Class 2) Freeman Walker Democratic-Republican 1819 Incumbent resigned August 6, 1821.New senator elected November 10, 1821.Democratic-Republican hold. Pennsylvania(Class 1) Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.New senator elected December 10, 1821.Democratic-Republican gain.

Connecticut

Delaware

Georgia (special)

Indiana

Kentucky (special)

Maine

John Holmes (Democratic-Republican) was elected as one of the new state's first pair of senators, whose terms began with June 13, 1820 statehood. He was elected to the class 1 seat's short term, which ended March 3, 1821, and was re-elected on January 31, 1821, to the term starting March 4, 1821.

John Chandler (Democratic-Republican) was elected to the class 2 seat's long term, and his term would end on March 3, 1823.

Maryland

William Pinkney won election by an unknown number of votes, for the Class 1 seat.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts (regular)

Massachusetts (special)

Mississippi

Mississippi (regular)

Mississippi (special)

Missouri

New Jersey

New York

New York (regular)

New York (special)

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Rhode Island (regular)

Rhode Island (special)

Tennessee

Tennessee (regular)

Tennessee (special)

Vermont

Virginia

See also 1820 United States elections 1820 United States presidential election 1820–21 United States House of Representatives elections 16th United States Congress 17th United States Congress Elections in the United States

Notes

References

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