1863 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
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40 Members of the Massachusetts Senate 235 Members of the Massachusetts House Majority vote of each house needed to win | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1863 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on January 9, 1863. Incumbent Charles Sumner was re-elected to a third term in office.
At the time, Massachusetts elected United States Senators by a majority vote of each separate house of the Massachusetts General Court: the House and the Senate.
Background
In the 1862 state legislative elections, supporters of the Lincoln administration who nonetheless opposed the emancipation of Southern slaves and Senator Sumner's re-election organized a "People's Convention," hoping to consolidate opposition and gain enough seats in the legislature to deny Sumner election. However, the legislature remained largely Republican, ensuring Sumner's victory in the January election.[1]
House
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Sumner | 194 | 82.55% | |
| Democratic | Josiah G. Abbott | 38 | 16.17% | |
| Democratic | Caleb Cushing | 2 | 0.85% | |
| Republican | Charles Francis Adams | 1 | 0.43% | |
| Total votes | 235 | 100.00% | ||
Senate
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Sumner | 33 | 82.5% | |
| Democratic | Josiah G. Abbott | 5 | 12.5% | |
| Republican | Charles Francis Adams | 1 | 2.5% | |
| None | No vote | 1 | 2.5% | |
| Total votes | 40 | 100.00% | ||
The lone vote for Adams was cast by Senator Whitney of Hampden. Senator Crane of Worcester County did not vote.[2]