In the 1881 Iowa State Senate elections Iowa voters elected state senators to serve in the nineteenth Iowa General Assembly. Elections were held in 25 of the state senate's 50 districts. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.

The general election took place on October 11, 1881.

Following the previous election, Republicans had control of the Iowa Senate with 41 seats to Democrats' seven seats and two Greenbackers.

To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 19 Senate seats.

Republicans maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1881 general election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 45 seats, Democrats having two seats, two Greenbackers, and one Independent (a net gain of 4 seats for Republicans and 1 Independent seat).

Summary of Results Note: The holdover Senators not up for re-election are not listed on this table.

Senate DistrictIncumbent PartyElected Senator PartyOutcome 1st James Madison Shelley Dem Henry W. Rothert RepRep Gain 2nd Henry Clay Traverse Rep Alexander Brown Rep Rep Hold 7th Philip W. Lewellen Rep Talton Embrey Clark Rep Rep Hold 9th John Patterson Rep Benton J. Hall DemDem Gain 10th John Simpson Woolson Rep Lot Abraham Rep Rep Hold 12th Sanford S. Harned Dem Cassius M. Brown RepRep Gain 13th Gregg A. Madison Dem Joseph G. Hutchison RepRep Gain 18th Lafayette Young Rep Cephas B. Hunt Rep Rep Hold 20th Thomas Hanna Rep Pliny Nichols Rep Rep Hold 21st William A. Foster Rep John Carver Bills Rep Rep Hold 22nd Nathaniel Anson Merrell Dem Wickliffe A. Cotton RepRep Gain 26th Christian Hedges Rep William Aitken Patrick Rep Rep Hold 27th John Wimberly Henderson Dem John Wimberly Henderson IndInd. Gain 29th John Meyer Rep Egbert C. Sudlow Rep Rep Hold 30th Robert C. Webb Rep Hiram Ypsilanti Smith Rep Rep Hold 34th Augustin W. Ford Rep Thomas M. C. Logan Rep Rep Hold 35th Moses M. Ham Dem Julius Kingman Graves RepRep Gain 37th Daniel Darrow Chase Rep John L. Kamrar Rep Rep Hold 38th Herman C. Hemenway Rep Herman C. Hemenway Rep Rep Hold 42nd Martin Nelson Johnson Rep Henry A. Baker Rep Rep Hold 44th Aaron Kimball Rep Chapman A. Marshall Rep Rep Hold 45th Robert M. Haines Rep Alfred Nelson Poyneer Rep Rep Hold 46th Wilberforce P. Gaylord Rep Alvin Manley Whaley Rep Rep Hold 47th Frank M. Goodykoontz Rep Horace G. Parker Rep Rep Hold 48th John J. Russell Rep John J. Russell Rep Rep Hold 50th Albert Henry Lawrence Rep Gifford Simeon Robinson Rep Rep Hold

Source:

Detailed Results NOTE: The Iowa Official Register does not contain detailed vote totals for state senate elections in 1881.

See also Elections in Iowa

References

External links Iowa State Senate Districts 1878-83 map