The 1800–01 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, coinciding with Thomas Jefferson being elected to the White House. 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 1800 and 1801, 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.

Although the Federalists began the 7th Congress with a slim majority, Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party took over the majority shortly thereafter due to mid-year special elections. By the time the first proper session of the 7th Congress met in December 1801, three seats had been gained by the Democratic-Republicans, leaving them with an overall majority of 17 seats and a government trifecta.

Change in composition Before the November elections After the November 6, 1800 special election in New York. DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR F F F F F Majority → F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F

Result of the November elections

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

Beginning of the 7th Congress, March 4, 1801

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

End of 1801

DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR DR Majority → DR F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F Key DR Democratic-Republican F Federalist V Vacant

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

Special elections during the preceding Congress In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1801; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory New York(Class 1) James Watson Federalist 1798 Incumbent resigned March 19, 1800, to become Naval Officer of the Port of New York.New senator elected April 3, 1800.Federalist hold. Massachusetts(Class 2) Samuel Dexter Federalist 1798 Incumbent resigned May 30, 1800 to become U.S. Secretary of War.New senator elected June 6, 1800.Federalist hold. New York(Class 3) John Laurance Federalist 1796 Incumbent resigned August 1800.New senator elected November 6, 1800.Democratic-Republican gain. Massachusetts(Class 1) Benjamin Goodhue Federalist 1796 1796 Incumbent resigned November 8, 1800.New senator elected November 14, 1800.Federalist hold. Maryland(Class 3) James Lloyd Federalist 1797 Incumbent resigned December 1, 1800.New senator elected December 12, 1800.Federalist hold. New Jersey(Class 1) James Schureman Federalist 1799 Incumbent resigned February 16, 1801.New senator elected February 28, 1801.Federalist hold.

Races leading to the next Congress In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1801; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory Connecticut Uriah Tracy Federalist 1796 Incumbent re-elected in May 1801. Georgia James Gunn Federalist 17891794 Incumbent retired.New senator elected November 19, 1800.Democratic-Republican gain. Kentucky Humphrey Marshall Federalist 1794 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected November 20, 1800.Democratic-Republican gain. Maryland William Hindman Federalist 1797 Legislature failed to elect.Incumbent was later appointed to begin the next term. None. New Hampshire John Langdon Democratic-Republican 17881794 or 1795 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected June 21, 1800.Federalist gain. New York John Armstrong Democratic-Republican 1800 Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1801. North Carolina Timothy Bloodworth Democratic-Republican 1795 Incumbent retired.New senator elected November 27, 1800.Democratic-Republican hold. Pennsylvania William Bingham Federalist 1795 Incumbent retired.New senator elected February 18, 1801.Democratic-Republican gain. South Carolina Jacob Read Federalist 1794 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1800 on the second ballot.Democratic-Republican gain. Vermont Elijah Paine Federalist 1794 Incumbent re-elected October 21, 1800.

Special elections during the next Congress In these special elections, the winner was seated after March 4, 1801; ordered by election date. State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoralhistory Rhode Island(Class 2) Ray Greene Federalist 1797 1798 Incumbent resigned March 5, 1801.New senator elected May 6, 1801.Democratic-Republican gain. New Hampshire(Class 2) Samuel Livermore Federalist 1798 Incumbent resigned June 12, 1801.New senator elected June 17, 1801.Federalist hold. Vermont (Class 3) Elijah Paine Federalist 17941800 Incumbent resigned September 1, 1801.New senator elected October 14, 1801.Democratic-Republican gain. Maryland(Class 3) William Hindman Federalist 1800 Incumbent appointee did not run to finish the termNew senator elected November 12, 1801 on the second ballot.Democratic-Republican gain. South Carolina(Class 2) Charles Pinckney Democratic-Republican 1798 1798 Incumbent resigned June 6, 1801.New senator elected December 3, 1801.Democratic-Republican hold. Pennsylvania(Class 3) Peter Muhlenberg Democratic-Republican 1801 Incumbent resigned June 30, 1801.New senator elected December 17, 1801.Democratic-Republican hold.

Connecticut

Federalist Uriah Tracy was easily re-elected.

Georgia

Kentucky

Maryland

Maryland (special, 1800)

William Hindman won election over Richard Tilghman Earle by a margin of 10.11%, or 9 votes, for the Class 3 seat.

Maryland (regular)

The Maryland legislature failed to elect a senator before the March 4, 1801 beginning of the term. As such, William Hindman was appointed to fill the vacancy, and retired when a successor was elected.

Maryland (special, 1801)

Robert Wright won election over William Winder by a margin of 39.53%, or 34 votes, for the Class 3 seat.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts (special, class 2)

Massachusetts (special, class 1)

New Hampshire

New Hampshire (regular)

New Hampshire (special)

New Jersey (special)

New York

New York (regular)

New York (special, class 1)

New York (special, class 3)

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (regular)

Pennsylvania (special)

Rhode Island (special)

South Carolina

South Carolina (regular)

South Carolina (special)

Vermont

Vermont (regular)

Vermont (special)

See also 1800 United States elections 1800 United States presidential election 1800–01 United States House of Representatives elections 6th United States Congress 7th United States Congress

References

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