A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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21 of the 62 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 32 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Results: Democratic gain Democratic hold Whig hold Free Soil Gain Know Nothing Gain Republican Gain Legislature failed to elect | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1854–55 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 1854 and 1855, 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.
These elections saw the final decline of the Whig Party and the maintained majority of the Democrats. Those Whigs in the South who were opposed to secession ran on the "Opposition Party" ticket, and were elected to a minority. Along with the Whigs, the Senate roster also included Free Soilers, Know Nothings, and a new party: the Republicans. Only five of the twenty-one senators up for election were re-elected.
Results summary
Senate party division, 34th Congress (1855–1857)
- Majority party: Democratic (35)
- Minority party: Opposition (20) (Whigs, Republicans, Know Nothings, Free Soilers)
- Vacant: 7
- Total seats: 62
Change in Senate composition
Before the elections
After the October 14, 1854 special election in Vermont.
| D1 | |||||||||
| D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 |
| D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 |
| D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 Ran |
D27 Ran |
D28 Ran |
D29 Ran |
D30 Ran |
D31 Ran |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Majority → | D32 Ran | ||||||||
| FS4 Retired |
KN1 | V1 | V2 | V3 | D36 Retired |
D35 Unknown |
D34 Unknown |
D33 Ran | |
| FS3 Retired |
FS2 Retired |
FS1 | W18 Retired |
W17 Retired |
W16 Retired |
W15 Unknown |
W14 Unknown |
W13 Ran |
W12 Ran |
| W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 |
| W1 | |||||||||
As a result of the elections
| D1 | |||||||||
| D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 |
| D21 | D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 |
| D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 Re-elected |
D27 Re-elected |
D28 Re-elected |
D29 Hold |
D30 Gain |
D31 Gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Majority → | D32 Gain | ||||||||
| V2 | V3 | V4 | V5 D Loss |
V6 D Loss |
V7 D Loss |
V8 D Loss |
V9 D Loss |
D33 Gain | |
| V1 W Loss |
KN1 | FS2 Gain |
FS1 | R3 Gain |
R2 Gain |
R1 Gain |
W14 Hold |
W13 Re-elected |
W12 Re-elected |
| W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 |
| W1 | |||||||||