1848–49 United States Senate elections

← 1846 & 1847 Various dates 1850 & 1851 →
19 of the 60 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 31 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Whig Last election 35 seats 19 seats Seats before 38 21 Seats won 9 9 Seats after 33 25 Seat change 5 4 Seats up 14 5   Third party Fourth party   Party Independent Democratic Free Soil Last election 1 seat Seats before 0 New party Seats won 0 1 Seats after 1 1 Seat change 1 Seats up 0
Results:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Whig gain      Whig hold      Free Soil Gain
Majority Party before election Democratic Elected Majority Party Democratic

The 1848–49 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 1848 and 1849, 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 3.

The Democratic Party lost seats but maintained control of the Senate.

Results

Senate party division, 31st Congress (1849–1851)

• Majority party: Democratic (33–36)
• Minority party: Whig Party (25–24)
• Other parties: Free Soil (2)
• Total seats: 60–62

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

As a result of the elections

Note: "Re-elected" includes incumbent appointee elected to the next term.

Beginning of the next Congress