The 1826–27 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. 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 1826 and 1827, 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 majority Jacksonians gained a seat in the United States Senate. Senators who called themselves "Anti-Jacksonian" or "National Republicans" were also called "Adams" or "Adams Men."

Results summary Senate party division, 20th Congress (1827–1829)

Majority party: Jacksonian (27) Minority party: Anti-Jacksonian (20–21) Other parties: (0) Total seats: 48

Change in composition Before the elections At the beginning of 1826. A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A V J J Majority → J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J

Result of the regular elections A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A V V J J J Majority → J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J

Result of the special elections Before the March 4, 1827, beginning of the new Congress.

A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A V J J J Majority → J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J

Key: A = Anti-Jacksonian J = Jacksonian V = Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 19th Congress In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1826 or before March 4, 1827; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history New York(Class 3) Vacant Seat vacant after an 1824 legislative deadlock.New senator elected January 14, 1826.Anti-Jacksonian gain. Maryland(Class 3) Edward Lloyd Jacksonian 18191825 Incumbent resigned January 14, 1826.New senator elected January 24, 1826.Anti-Jacksonian gain. Mississippi(Class 1) Powhatan Ellis Jacksonian 1825 Interim appointee lost election January 28, 1826.Jacksonian hold. Massachusetts(Class 2) James Lloyd Anti-Jacksonian 1808 18081813 1822 1822 Incumbent resigned May 23, 1826.New senator elected May 31, 1826.Anti-Jacksonian hold. New Jersey(Class 1) Joseph McIlvaine Anti-Jacksonian 1823 Incumbent died August 19, 1826New senator elected November 10, 1826.Anti-Jacksonian hold.Winner also elected to the next term; see below. Alabama(Class 3) Israel Pickens Jacksonian 1826 Interim appointee not elected to finish the term.New senator elected November 27, 1826.Jacksonian hold. South Carolina(Class 3) William Harper Jacksonian 1826 Interim appointee not elected to finish the term.New senator elected November 29, 1826.Jacksonian hold. Delaware(Class 2) Daniel Rodney Anti-Jacksonian 1826 Interim appointee not elected to finish the term.New senator elected January 12, 1827.Jacksonian gain.

Races leading to the 20th Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1827; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Connecticut Henry W. Edwards Jacksonian 1823 1824 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected.Anti-Jacksonian gain. Delaware Thomas Clayton Anti-Jacksonian 1824 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected.Jacksonian gain. Indiana James Noble Anti-Jacksonian 18161821 Incumbent re-elected. Maine John Holmes Anti-Jacksonian 18201821 Incumbent retired or lost re-election.New senator elected.Jacksonian gain. Maryland Samuel Smith Jacksonian 180218091815 1822 Incumbent re-elected. Massachusetts Elijah H. Mills Anti-Jacksonian 1820 1820 Incumbent lost re-election.Legislature elected late.Anti-Jacksonian loss. Mississippi Thomas Reed Jacksonian 1826 Incumbent lost re-election.New senator elected in 1826 or 1827.Jacksonian hold. Missouri Thomas H. Benton Jacksonian 1821 Incumbent re-elected. New Jersey Joseph McIlvaine Anti-Jacksonian 1823 Incumbent died August 19, 1826.New senator elected November 10, 1826.Anti-Jacksonian hold.Winner was also elected to finish the preceding term; see above. New York Martin Van Buren Jacksonian 1821 Incumbent re-elected February 6, 1827. Ohio Benjamin Ruggles Anti-Jacksonian 18151821 Incumbent re-elected. Pennsylvania William Findlay Jacksonian 1821 Incumbent retired.New senator elected.Jacksonian hold. Rhode Island Asher Robbins Anti-Jacksonian 1825 Incumbent re-elected November 2, 1826. Tennessee John Eaton Jacksonian 1818 1819 1821 Incumbent re-elected. Vermont Horatio Seymour Anti-Jacksonian 1821 Incumbent re-elected. Virginia John Randolph Jacksonian 1825 Appointee lost election.New senator elected.Jacksonian hold.

Elections during the 20th Congress In this election, the winner was seated in 1827 after the new Congress began on March 4.

State Incumbent Results Candidates Senator Party Electoral history Massachusetts(Class 1) Vacant Vacant due to late election.New senator elected June 8, 1827.Anti-Jacksonian gain.

Alabama (special)

Connecticut

Delaware

Delaware had two elections: a special for the class 2 seat and a regular election for the class 1 seat. The elections flipped both seats from Anti-Jacksonian to Jacksonian.

Delaware (special)

Anti-Jacksonian senator Nicholas Van Dyke died on May 21, 1826, and Anti-Jacksonian Daniel Rodney was appointed to continue the class 2 term (ending March 3, 1829) until a special election.

Jacksonian Henry M. Ridgely was elected on January 12, 1827.

Delaware (regular)

Anti-Jacksonian Thomas Clayton had served since winning an 1824 special election. It is unknown if Clayton was a candidate for re-election in 1827, but that election was won by Jacksonian Louis McLane.

Indiana

Maine

Maryland

Maryland (special)

Ezekiel F. Chambers won election over Philip Reed by a margin of 18.07%, or 15 votes, for the Class 3 seat.

Maryland (regular)

Samuel Smith won election by a margin of 87.95%, or 73 votes, for the Class 1 seat.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts (special, class 2)

Massachusetts (regular)

Massachusetts (special, class 1)

Mississippi

Jacksonian interim appointee Powhatan Ellis had served in the class 1 seat since 1825 for the term ending March 3, 1827.

He faced a special election to finish the term and a regular election to the next term.

Mississippi (special)

Jacksonian Thomas Buck Reed was elected January 27, 1826, to finish the term, but not to the next full term.

Mississippi (regular)

Jacksonian interim appointee Powhatan Ellis was elected sometime (date unknown) to the next term, and would go on to serve until 1832.

Missouri

New Jersey

New Jersey (regular)

New Jersey (special)

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina (special)

Tennessee

Vermont

Virginia

See also 1826 United States elections 1826–27 United States House of Representatives elections 19th United States Congress 20th United States Congress

Notes

References

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