1838–39 United States Senate elections

← 1836 & 1837 Dates vary by state 1840 & 1841 →
17 of the 52 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections) 27 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Whig Last election 35 seats 17 seats Seats before 35 17 Seats won 3 10 Seats after 28 20 Seat change 7 3 Seats up 10 7
Results:      Democratic hold      Whig gain      Whig hold      Legislature failed to elect
Majority Party before election Democratic Elected Majority Party Democratic

The 1838–39 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 1838 and 1839, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.^[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.

The Democratic Party lost seven seats, but still retained a majority.

Results summary

Senate party division, 26th Congress (1839–1841)

• Majority party: Democratic (28–29)
• Minority party: Whig (19–23)
• Total seats: 52

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the January 4, 1838 special election in Maryland.