The 1890–91 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 1890 and 1891, 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 Republican Party lost four seats, though still retaining a slim majority. That majority was increased, however, upon the admission of two more states with Republican senators.
Montana admitted to the Union November 8, 1889. First senator elected January 1, 1890.[2] Sanders's election was challenged based on the legitimacy of the nascent state legislature. The Senate resolved the dispute in his favor April 16, 1890, and he was seated that day.[3] Republican gain.
Montana admitted to the Union November 8, 1889. Second senator elected January 2, 1890.[2] Power's election was challenged based on the legitimacy of the nascent state legislature. The Senate resolved the dispute in his favor April 16, 1890, and he was seated that day.[3] Republican gain.
Incumbent re-elected in 1890, but died February 24, 1891, before the beginning of the next term. Seat remained vacant until November 19, 1891. Democratic loss.
In July 1890, Idaho became a state. In November, Fred Dubois helped engineer a plan for the Idaho Legislature to effectively elect three people to the U.S. Senate: Governor George Shoup to the class 2 seat up for election in 1894, state constitutional convention member William J. McConnell to serve for the remainder of the Fifty-first United States Congress, ending in March 1891, and Dubois himself to succeed McConnell and serve a full six-year term in the class 3 seat beginning in March 1891.
The Democratic caucus met on January 19, 74 State legislators attended, and State Senator John C. Jacobs presided. Governor David B. Hill was nominated by acclamation.
The Republican caucus met immediately after the Democratic caucus ended, Assemblyman James W. Husted presided. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator William M. Evarts unanimously.
On January 20, both Houses of the State legislature took ballots separately. The incumbent U.S. Senator Evarts was the choice of the State Senate, Governor Hill the choice of the Assembly. On January 21, both Houses met in joint session, and comparing nominations, found that they disagreed and proceeded to a joint ballot. Governor Hill was elected by a majority of 2, every member of the Legislature being present.
The seat became vacant on March 4, 1891. David B. Hill remained in office as Governor of New York until December 31, 1891, and took his seat only on January 7, 1892, missing actually only one month of session. There were no special sessions during the 52nd United States Congress and the regular session began only on December 7, 1891. Hill served a single term, and remained in the U.S. Senate until March 3, 1897. In January 1897, Hill was defeated for re-election by Republican Thomas C. Platt who had been a U.S. Senator briefly in 1881.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 20, 1891. Incumbent RepublicanJ. Donald Cameron, who was elected in an 1877 special election and re-elected in 1879 and 1885, was a successful candidate for re-election to another term. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:
^ abGoodspeed, Weston Arthur (1904). Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming. University of California. p. 382 – via Google Books.
^"Richard J. Oglesby the Nominee" Chicago Daily Tribune (1872–1922); Chicago, Ill., 16 Jan 1891: 4.
^ abNewcombe, Alfred W. (1946). "Alson J. Streeter: An Agrarian Liberal". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. Vol. 39, no. 1. University of Illinois Press. pp. 68–95.
^Wilcox, Henry S., ed. (March 5, 1890). "Election of U.S. Senator". Journal of the Iowa House of Representatives. 23 (1): 158–168. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
"Exit David Bennett Hill"(PDF). The New York Times. January 20, 1891., The headline expresses the erroneous belief that Hill, after his election, would resign the governorship and go to Washington, D.C.
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