The 1864–65 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. They occurred during the American Civil War and Abraham Lincoln's 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 1864 and 1865, 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.

The Republican Party gained two seats. Most states in the region of the Southern United States were absent because of the Civil War.

Results summary Senate party division, 39th Congress (1865–1867)

Majority party: Republican (37) Minority party: Democratic (9) Other parties: Unconditional Unionist (1); Unionist (1) Vacant: (24) Total seats: 72

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

V5Seceded V4Seceded V3Seceded V2 V1 V6Seceded V7Seceded V8Seceded V9Seceded V10Seceded V11Seceded D1 D2 D3 D4 UU5Ran U1 U2 U3Retired D10Ran D9Retired D8Unknown D7Retired D6 D5 UU4 UU3 UU2 UU1 R31Ran R30Ran R29Retired R28Ran R27Ran R26Retired Majority → R25Unknown R16 R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23Ran R24Ran R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8 R7 R6 V16 V15 V14 V13 V12 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21

As a result of the elections V5Seceded V4Seceded V3Seceded V2 V1 V6Seceded V7Seceded V8Seceded V9Seceded V10Seceded V11Seceded D1 D2 D3 D4 UU2 UU3 UU4 U1 U2 D9Gain D8Hold D7Re-elected D6 D5 UU1 R33Gain R32Gain R31Re-electednew party R30Hold R29Hold R28Hold R27Re-elected R26Re-elected R25Re-elected Majority → R15 R16 R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23Re-elected R24Re-elected R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8 R7 R6 R5 V17 V16 V15 V14 V13 V12U Loss R1 R2 R3 R4 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22

Beginning of the next Congress V6 V5 V4 V3 V2 V1 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 R36Changed R37Changed UU1 V13UU Loss U1 V12D Loss D9Gain D8 D7 D6 R35New state R34New state R33 R32 R31 R30 R29 R28 R27 R26 Majority → R25 R16 R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24 R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8 R7 R6 V18 V17 V16 V15 V14 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 Key: D# Democratic R# Republican UU# Unconditional Unionist U# Unionist V# Vacant

Race summaries Elections during the preceding Congress Special elections were held to fill vacancies in the 38th United States Congress and two new seats created by the admission of Nevada.

State Incumbent This race Senator Party Electoralhistory Results Candidates Maryland(Class 3) Thomas Holliday Hicks Union 1862 Interim appointee elected with a new party January 11, 1864.Union gain. First ballot Delaware(Class 1) James A. Bayard Jr. 185118571863 Incumbent resigned January 29, 1864.New senator elected January 29, 1864.Democratic hold. First ballot Arkansas(Class 3) Vacant Seat vacant since July 11, 1861.Winner not seated. Fourth ballot Arkansas(Class 2) Vacant Seat vacant since July 11, 1861.Winner not seated. Twenty-first ballot Louisiana(Class 3) Vacant Seat vacant since February 4, 1861.Winner not seated. First ballot Louisiana(Class 2) Vacant Seat vacant since March 14, 1861.Winner not seated. First ballot Nevada None (new state) Seat created October 31, 1864. Union gain. First ballot Seat created October 31, 1864. Union gain. Ninth ballot Virginia(Class 1) Lemuel J. Bowden Union 1863 Incumbent died January 2, 1864.Winner not seated.Union loss. First ballot Maine(Class 2) Nathan A. Farwell Union 1864 Appointee re-elected. First ballot

Elections leading to the next Congress These senators were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1865.

State Incumbent This race Senator Party Electoralhistory Results Candidates Alabama Vacant Seat vacant since March 14, 1861.Winner not seated. First ballot Arkansas Vacant Seat vacant since July 11, 1861.Winner not seated. Third ballot Delaware Willard Saulsbury Sr. Democratic 1858 Incumbent re-elected. First ballot Georgia Vacant Seat vacant since March 14, 1861.No election. None. Illinois William Alexander Richardson 1863 Incumbent retired.Union gain. First ballot Iowa James W. Grimes 1858 Incumbent re-elected. First ballot Kansas Jim Lane 1861 Incumbent re-elected. First ballot Kentucky Lazarus W. Powell 1858 Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. First ballot Louisiana Vacant Seat vacant since February 4, 1861.Winner not seated. First ballot Maine Nathan A. Farwell Union 1864 1865 Incumbent retired.Union hold. First ballot Massachusetts Henry Wilson 1855 1859 Incumbent re-elected. First ballot Michigan Jacob M. Howard 1862 Incumbent re-elected. First ballot Minnesota Morton S. Wilkinson Union 1859 Incumbent lost renomination.Union hold. First ballot Mississippi Vacant Seat vacant since March 14, 1861.Winner not seated. Fourth ballot New Hampshire John P. Hale 18461853 1855 1859 Incumbent lost re-nomination.Republican hold. First ballot New Jersey John C. Ten Eyck Republican 1858 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1864.Democratic gain.Election was later disputed and seat declared vacant. North Carolina Vacant since March 6, 1861 when Thomas Bragg (D) resigned. Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.Seat remained vacant until 1868. None. Oregon Benjamin F. Harding Democratic 1862 Incumbent retired.New senator elected in 1864.Republican gain. Rhode Island Henry B. Anthony Republican 1858 Incumbent re-elected in 1864. South Carolina Vacant since November 10, 1860 when James Chesnut Jr. (D) withdrew. Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.Seat remained vacant until 1868. None. Tennessee Vacant since March 3, 1861 when Alfred O. P. Nicholson (D) withdrew. Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.Seat remained vacant until 1866. None. Texas Vacant since July 11, 1861 when John Hemphill (D) was expelled. Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.Seat remained vacant until 1870. None. Virginia John S. Carlile 1861 Incumbent retired.Winner not seated.Union loss. First ballot West Virginia Waitman T. Willey UnconditionalUnionist 1863 Incumbent re-elected in 1865 as a Republican.Republican gain.

Special elections during the next Congress State Incumbent This race Senator Party Electoralhistory Results Candidates Maryland(Class 3) Vacant Incumbent died February 14, 1865. Union hold. First ballot Mississippi(Class 1) Vacant Seat vacant since March 14, 1861.Winner not seated. First ballot Alabama(Class 3) Vacant Seat vacant since January 21, 1861.Winner not seated. Fourth ballot Florida(Class 1) Vacant Seat vacant since March 14, 1861.Winner not seated. First ballot Florida(Class 3) Vacant Seat vacant since January 21, 1861.Winner not seated. Ninth ballot

Alabama

Two elections were held in Alabama, due to the withdrawal of the state's senators during the Civil War. The senators from the states of the former Confederacy were not seated by the Senate.

Alabama (regular)

Two-term Democrat Clement Claiborne Clay withdrew from the Senate on March 14, 1861, following the secession of Alabama.

The Alabama Legislature met on November 28, 1865, to hold an election for the unexpired term. Lewis E. Parsons defeated four other candidates on the first ballot.

Alabama (special)

Two-term Democrat Benjamin Fitzpatrick withdrew from the Senate on January 21, 1861, following the secession of Alabama.

The Alabama Legislature met on November 28, 1865, to hold an election for the unexpired term. George S. Houston defeated John Forsyth Jr. on the fourth ballot.

Arkansas

Two special elections were held in Arkansas, in addition to the regular election for the Class 2 seat, due to the expulsion of the state's senators during the Civil War. The winners were not seated by the Senate.

Arkansas (Class 3 special)

One-term Democrat Charles B. Mitchel was expelled in 1861.

The Arkansas General Assembly met on May 2, 1864, to hold a special election for the unexpired term. Elisha Baxter defeated William Meade Fishback on the fourth ballot.

Arkansas (Class 2 special)

Three-term Democrat William K. Sebastian was expelled in 1861.

The Arkansas General Assembly met from May 3–5, 1864, to hold a special election for the unexpired term. William Meade Fishback defeated William D. Snow on the 21st ballot.

Arkansas (regular)

William Meade Fishback was elected in 1864, but was not seated by the Senate.

The Arkansas General Assembly met on December 30, 1864, to hold an election for the next term. William D. Snow defeated Orville Jennings on the third ballot.

Delaware Two elections were held in Delaware, due to the resignation of James A. Bayard, Jr.

Delaware (special)

Three-term Democrat James A. Bayard Jr. resigned on January 29, 1864.

The Delaware General Assembly met on January 29, 1864, to hold an election for the unexpired term. The Democratic candidate George R. Riddle was elected on the first ballot. The Union members of the legislature cast blank ballots.

Delaware (regular)

One-term Democrat Willard Saulsbury Sr. was elected in 1858.

The Delaware General Assembly met on January 24, 1865, to hold an election for the next term. Saulsbury defeated the Union candidate Edward Green Bradford on the first ballot.

Florida (specials)

Two special elections were held in Florida, due to the withdrawal of the state's senators during the Civil War. The winners were not seated by the Senate.

Florida (Class 1 special)

Two-term Democrat Stephen Mallory withdrew from the Senate on March 14, 1861, following the secession of Florida.

The Florida Legislature met on December 29, 1865, to hold a special election for the unexpired term. Wilkinson Call defeated James Patton Anderson on the first ballot.

Florida (Class 3 special)

One-term Democrat David Levy Yulee withdrew from the Senate on January 21, 1861, following the secession of Florida.

The Florida Legislature met on December 29, 1865, to hold a special election for the unexpired term. William Marvin defeated Jesse J. Finley on the ninth ballot.

Georgia

Two-term Democrat Robert Toombs withdrew from the Senate on March 14, 1861, following the secession of Georgia. The Georgia General Assembly did not hold an election for the next term, and the seat remained vacant until 1871.

Illinois

Incumbent Democrat William A. Richardson was elected in 1863.

The Union members of the legislature held a caucus in advance of the election. Richard Yates Sr. defeated Elihu B. Washburne with 38 votes to Washburne's 22; John M. Palmer and John A. Logan each had two votes.

The Illinois General Assembly met on January 4, 1865, to hold an election for the next term. Yates defeated the Democratic candidate James Carroll Robinson on the first ballot.

Iowa

One-term Republican James W. Grimes was elected in 1858.

Republicans won a landslide victory in the 1863 state elections. The upcoming senatorial election was an issue during the campaign. Grimes was broadly popular with the public, and Republican members of the incoming legislature were pledged to vote for his re-election.

The Iowa General Assembly met on January 16, 1864, to hold an election for the next term. Grimes defeated the Democratic candidate John D. Jennings on the first ballot. One Democratic member voted for James M. Love.

Kansas

One-term Republican Jim Lane was elected in 1861.

Lane's controversial leadership split the Kansas Republican Party, leading Anti-Lane Republicans to organize the Union Party in 1862. Although Lane's term would not end for more than a year, Anti-Lane legislators met on February 9, 1864, to hold an election for the next term, in an attempt to force his departure. Thomas Carney was elected on the first ballot with 68 votes, to three spoilt votes and 27 abstentions. Lane's allies protested that the early election was illegal, but a confrontation was averted when Carney declined the office.