1790–91 United States Senate elections
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1790–91 United States Senate elections
| country = United States
| flag_year = 1777
| type = legislative
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1788–89 United States Senate elections
| previous_year = {{Nowrap|1788 & 1789}}
| next_election = 1792–93 United States Senate elections
| next_year = {{Nowrap|1792 & 1793}}
| next_seat_election = 1796–97 United States Senate elections
| next_seat_year = {{Nowrap|1796 & 1797}}
| seats_for_election = 9 of the 26 seats in the United States Senate, plus special elections
| majority_seats = 14
| election_date = Dates vary by state
| 1blank = Seats up
| 2blank = Races won
| party1 = Pro-Administration Party (US)
| last_election1 = 19 seats
| seats_before1 = 18
| seats_after1 = 17
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 1
| 1data1 = 7
| 2data1 = 8
| party2 = Anti-Administration Party (US)
| last_election2 = 7 seats
| seats_before2 = 6
| seats_after2 = 8
| seat_change2 = {{steady}}
| 1data2 = 2
| 2data2 = 2
| title = Majority Faction
| before_election =
| before_party = Pro-Administration Party
| after_election =
| after_party = Pro-Administration Party
| map_image = File:Senate1790Elections.svg
| map_caption = Results:
{{Legend0|#bff3bf|Pro-Administration hold}} {{legend0|#92e811|Anti-Administration gain}}
{{legend0|#000000ff|Legislature failed to elect}}
}}
The 1790–91 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. These U.S. Senate elections occurred during the first midterm election cycle, which took place in the middle of President George Washington's first term. As these 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 1790 and 1791, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.{{cite web|url=https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/17th-amendment|title=17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)|website=National Archives and Records Administration|date=February 8, 2022}} In these elections, terms were up for the nine senators in Class 1.
As of these elections, formal organized political parties had yet to form in the United States, but two political factions were present: The coalition of senators who supported President Washington's administration were known as the Pro-Administration Party, and the senators against him as the Anti-Administration Party.
Change in Senate composition
Note: There were no political parties in this Congress. Members are informally grouped into factions of similar interest, based on an analysis of their voting record.{{cite book |title = The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress |last = Martis |first = Kenneth C.}}
= Before the elections =
After the June 25, 1790 elections in Rhode Island.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width=750px |
| {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|3}}
| {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|2}} | {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|1}} |
| width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|4}}
| width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|5}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration/active}} | A{{Sub|6}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration/active}} | A{{Sub|7}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|19}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|18}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|17}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|16}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|15}} | rowspan=2 width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|14}} |
| colspan=9 style="text-align:right" | Majority → |
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|4}}
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|5}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|6}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|7}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|8}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|9}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|10}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|11}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|12}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|13}} |
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|3}}
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|2}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|1}} |
= Results of the regular elections =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width=750px |
| {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|3}}
| {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|2}} | {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|1}} |
| width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|4}}
| width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|5}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration/active}} | A{{Sub|6}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration/active}} | A{{Sub|7}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Vacant/active}} | V{{Sub|1}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|18}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|17}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|16}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|15}} | rowspan=2 width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|14}} |
| colspan=9 style="text-align:right" | Majority → |
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|4}}
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|5}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|6}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|7}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|8}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|9}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|10}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|11}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|12}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|13}} |
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|3}}
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|2}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|1}} |
= Results of the special elections =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width=750px |
| {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|3}}
| {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|2}} | {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|1}} |
| width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|4}}
| width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration/active}} | A{{Sub|5}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|6}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|7}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|8}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Vacant}} | V{{Sub|1}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|17}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|16}} | width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|15}} | rowspan=2 width=50px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|14}} |
| colspan=9 style="text-align:right" | Majority → |
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|4}}
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|5}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|6}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|7}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|8}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|9}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|10}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|11}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration/active}} | P{{Sub|12}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|13}} |
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|3}}
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|2}} | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|1}} |
| valign=top
| Key: | {| class=wikitable | align=center width=35px {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | A{{Sub|#}} |
| align=center width=35px {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | P{{Sub|#}} |
| align=center width=35px {{Party shading/Vacant}} | V{{Sub|#}}
| Vacant |
|}
Race summaries
Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.
= Regular and special elections during the 1st Congress =
In these elections, the winners were seated before March 4, 1791; ordered by election date.
| class=wikitable |
| valign=bottom
! rowspan=2 | State ! colspan=3 | Incumbent ! rowspan=2 | Results ! rowspan=2 | Candidates |
| Senator
! Party ! First elected |
|---|
| Rhode Island (Class 1) | colspan=3 | New seat | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Rhode Island ratified the Constitution May 29, 1790. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Rhode Island (Class 2) | colspan=3 | New seat | {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | Rhode Island ratified the Constitution May 29, 1790. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Virginia (special: Class 1) | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1790 {{Small|(appointed)}} | {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | Interim appointee retired when successor elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| New Jersey (special: Class 2) | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1788 | {{Party shading/Hold}} | Incumbent resigned November 13, 1790, to become Governor of New Jersey. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
= Races leading to the 2nd Congress =
In these regular elections, the winners were seated March 4, 1791; ordered by state.
All of these elections involved the Class 1 seats.
| class=wikitable |
| valign=bottom
! rowspan=2 | State ! colspan=3 | Incumbent ! rowspan=2 | Results ! rowspan=2 | Candidates |
| Senator
! Party ! First elected |
|---|
| Connecticut
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Delaware
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected October 23, 1790. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Maryland
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected in 1791. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Massachusetts
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1788 | {{Party shading/Hold}} | Incumbent lost re-election. | nowrap | {{Collapsible list | title = First ballot {{Small|June 22, 1790}} https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/02870x286|{{Party stripe|Unknown}} Nathaniel Gorham (Unknown) 36.89% (45 votes)|{{Party stripe|Pro-Administration Party (US)}} George Cabot (Pro-Administration) 28.69% (35 votes)|{{Party stripe|Unknown}} Charles Jarvis (Unknown) 26.23% (32 votes)|{{Party stripe|Unknown}} Tristram Dalton (Unknown) 4.92% (6 votes)|{{Party stripe|Pro-Administration Party (US)}} Nathan Dane (Pro-Administration) 1.64% (2 votes)|{{Party stripe|Unknown}} Samuel Holten (Unknown) 1.64% (2 votes) }} {{Collapsible list | title = Second ballot {{Small|June 22, 1790}} https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/cn69m457m|{{Party stripe|Pro-Administration Party (US)}} George Cabot (Pro-Administration) 32.88% (48 votes)|{{Party stripe|Unknown}} Nathaniel Gorham (Unknown) 29.45% (43 votes)|{{Party stripe|Unknown}} Charles Jarvis (Unknown) 22.60% (33 votes)|{{Party stripe|Unknown}} Samuel Holten (Unknown) 15.07% (22 votes) }}Third ballot {{Small|June 22, 1790}} {{Plainlist|* {{Party stripe|Pro-Administration Party (US)}}{{Aye}} George Cabot (Pro-Admin.) 59.18% (87 votes)
}} |
| New Jersey
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1788 | {{Party shading/Hold}} | Incumbent retired or lost re-election. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| New York
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1789 | {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | Incumbent lost re-election. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Pennsylvania
| {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | Anti-Administration | 1788 | {{Party shading/Loss}} | Incumbent lost re-election. | None. |
| Rhode Island
| {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1790 | Incumbent re-elected in 1791. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Virginia
| {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | Anti-Administration | 1790 United States Senate special election in Virginia | Incumbent re-elected in 1791. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
= Special and regular elections in 1791 during the 2nd Congress =
In these elections, the winners were seated after March 4, 1791, the beginning of the next Congress.
| class=wikitable |
| valign=bottom
! rowspan=2 | State ! colspan=3 | Incumbent ! rowspan=2 | Results ! rowspan=2 | Candidates |
| Senator
! Party ! First elected |
|---|
| Connecticut (Class 3) | {{Party shading/Pro-Administration}} | Pro-Administration | 1788 | {{Party shading/Hold}} | Resigned March 4, 1791. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Vermont (Class 1) | colspan=3 | None (new state) | {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | Vermont was admitted to the Union March 4, 1791. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
| Vermont (Class 3) | colspan=3 | None (new state) | {{Party shading/Anti-Administration}} | Vermont was admitted to the Union March 4, 1791. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|
}} |
Connecticut
{{See also|List of United States senators from Connecticut}}
All of the senators from Connecticut were Pro-Administration through 1795.
= Connecticut (regular) =
Oliver Ellsworth was re-elected in 1791.
{{expand section|date=February 2018}}
= Connecticut (special) =
William Samuel Johnson resigned March 3, 1791, at the end of the 1st Congress and Roger Sherman was elected June 13, 1791, to finish the term.
{{expand section|date=February 2018}}
Delaware
{{Main|1790 United States Senate election in Delaware}}
{{See also|List of United States senators from Delaware}}
{{expand section|date=February 2018}}
Maryland
{{See also|List of United States senators from Maryland}}
{{Expand section|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1790 United States Senate election in Maryland
| popular_vote1 = 45
| colour1 = F6D6C9
| percentage1 = 60.00%
| party1 = Federalist Party
| candidate1 = Charles Carroll
| image1 = Charlescarrollofcarrollton.jpg
| popular_vote2 = 30
| colour2 = F6D6C9
| percentage2 = 40.00%
| party2 = Federalist Party
| candidate2 = Uriah Forrest
| image2 = Uriah Forrest.jpg
| next_year = 1793
| next_election = 1793 United States Senate special election in Maryland
| previous_year = 1788
| previous_election = 1788–89 United States Senate elections#Maryland
| votes_for_election = 80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
| vote_type = Legislative
| election_date = November 26, 1790
| ongoing = no
| type = presidential
}}
Charles Carroll won re-election over Uriah Forrest by a margin of 20.00%, or 15 votes, for the Class 1 seat.{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=122323|title=Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Nov 26, 1790|access-date=2022-11-04|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}
{{Clear}}
Massachusetts
{{See also|List of United States senators from Massachusetts}}Incumbent U.S. Senator, Tristam Dalton sought re-election but was eliminated before the third ballot. The third ballot saw the election of George Cabot, who had been a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Cabot won 87 votes.{{Cite web|title=A New Nation Votes|url=https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/tufts:ma.ussenate.ballot3.1790|access-date=2021-03-10|website=elections.lib.tufts.edu}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1790 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
| party2 = Federalist
| flag_year = 1775
| country = Massachusetts
| percentage3 = 13.6%
| party3 = Independent (politician)
| candidate3 = Charles Jarvis
| percentage2 = 24.5%
| image3 = P vip.svg
| candidate2 = Nathaniel Gorham
| type = legislative
| image2 = Nathaniel Gorham.jpg
| candidate1 = George Cabot
| percentage1 = 59.2%
| party1 = Federalist
| image1 = George Cabot.jpg
| election_date = June 23, 1790
| ongoing = no
| vote_type = Legislative
| popular_vote1 = 87
| popular_vote2 = 36
| popular_vote3 = 20
| party_name = yes
| previous_year = 1788
| next_year = 1796 (special)
| before_election = Tristam Dalton
| after_election = George Cabot
}}{{expand section|date=August 2019}}
{{Clear}}
New Jersey
{{See also|List of United States senators from New Jersey}}
= New Jersey (regular) =
{{expand section|date=February 2018}}
= New Jersey (special) =
{{expand section|date=February 2018}}
New York
{{Main|1791 United States Senate election in New York}}
{{See also|List of United States senators from New York}}
The election in New York was held January 19, 1791, by the New York State Legislature.
Incumbent Philip Schuyler's term would expire March 3, 1791.
At the State election in April 1790, nominal Federalist majorities were elected to both houses of the 14th New York State Legislature, but many Federalists were friendly to the Democratic-Republican Governor George Clinton, party lines not being drawn very strictly then.
The incumbent Philip Schuyler ran for re-election as the candidate of the Federalist Party. New York State Attorney General Aaron Burr was the candidate of the Democratic-Republican Party, but was at that time a rather moderate politician, opposing the ultras of both parties.
Burr was the choice of both the State Senate and the State Assembly, and was declared elected. Schuyler was defeated despite the nominal majority of his party. Many of the Federalists took the opportunity to show their disapproval of both Schuyler's haughtiness and the financial policies of Alexander Hamilton, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and Schuyler's son-in-law. Besides, the Livingston faction of the Federalist Party felt betrayed after the election of Rufus King over their candidate James Duane in 1789, and now allied themselves with Clinton and later became Democratic-Republicans.
| class=wikitable
! Office ! House ! colspan="2" | Democratic-Republican candidate ! colspan="2" | Federalist candidate |
| U.S. senator
| State Senate (23 members) | nowrap | {{Plainlist |
}} | align="right" | 12 | align="right" | 4 |
| | State Assembly (65 members)
| nowrap | {{Plainlist |
}} | align="right" | | align="right" | |
Obs.: Burr had a majority of 5 votes in the Assembly, but the exact number of votes is unclear.
Pennsylvania
{{Main|1791 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania}}
{{See also|List of United States senators from Pennsylvania}}
In 1791, the legislature failed to elect due to a disagreement on procedure.{{cite web |last1=Cox |first1=Harold E. |title=U.S. Senate Election 1791 |url=http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/sen/PaSen1788.pdf |website=Wilkes University Election Statistics Project}} The seat would remain vacant until 1793.
Rhode Island
{{See also|List of United States senators from Rhode Island}}
{{expand section|date=February 2018}}
Vermont
{{See also|List of United States senators from Vermont}}
Stephen R. Bradley and Moses Robinson were elected by the Vermont House of Representatives and Governor and Council in January 1791, anticipating Vermont's admission to the union.{{cite book |last=Walton |first=Eliakim Persons |date=1876 |title=Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont |volume=IV |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eP0PAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA5 |location=Montpelier, VT |publisher=J. and J. M. Poland |pages=4–6 |ref={{sfnRef|Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont}}}} Vermont was admitted as the 14th state on March 4, 1791.{{sfn|Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont}} The Senate had adjourned on March 3, at the completion of the 1st United States Congress; the 2nd United States Congress held a one-day session on March 4, and was not scheduled to convene again until October 24.{{cite book |last=De Puy |first=W. H. |date=1892 |title=American Revisions and Additions to the Encyclopaedia Britannica |volume=III |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jZJMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1547 |location=Chicago, IL |publisher=R. S. Peale Company |pages=1547–1548}}
As a result of this congressional schedule Bradley and Robinson had not been seated when the Vermont House of Representatives convened in early October, 1791.{{sfn|Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont}} At this legislative session, some members suggested that the January election of Bradley and Robinson had been premature, since Vermont had not yet been admitted to the union.{{sfn|Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont}} Bradley and Robinson volunteered to resign the credentials of their January elections; on October 17, the Governor and Council voted again, and selected Bradley and Robinson.{{sfn|Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont}} The House of Representatives then voted a second time, and also selected Bradley and Robinson.{{sfn|Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont}} No vote totals were recorded.{{sfn|Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont}}
Bradley was selected for the "short term" (Class 3), which expired on March 3, 1795.{{cite book |last=Dodge |first=Prentiss Cutler |date=1912 |title=Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_tt2_3hTQxFMC |location=Burlington, VT |publisher=Ullery Publishing Company |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_tt2_3hTQxFMC/page/n31 28]-29 |ref={{sfnRef|Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography}}}} Robinson received the "long term" (Class 1), which expired on March 3, 1797.{{sfn|Encyclopedia of Vermont Biography}}
Virginia
File:James Monroe (1758-1831).jpg]]
{{See also|List of United States senators from Virginia|1790 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia}}
William Grayson died March 12, 1790, and John Walker was appointed to continue the term.
= Virginia (special) =
Future President James Monroe was elected in November 1790 to finish the term.
= Virginia (regular) =
Monroe was re-elected in 1791 to the next term, as well.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present], via Senate.gov
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=E3sFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA114 The New York Civil List] compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 114 for State senators 1790–91; page 165f for Members of Assembly 1790–91)
- [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_bu8SPTyhrF8C/page/n67 History of Political Parties in the State of New-York] by Jabez Delano Hammond (pages 50ff)
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=bG89AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA177 The Life and Times of Aaron Burr] by James Parton (1866, pages 177ff)
{{1790 United States elections}}
{{United States Senate elections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1790-91 United States Senate elections}}