List of special elections to the United States Senate
This is an incomplete list of special elections to the United States Senate. Such elections fill the vacancies that occur when a member of the Senate dies or resigns before the biennial general election which precedes the end of his or her six-year term. Winners of these special elections typically serve the remaining two or four years plus two months of that six-year term. General elections to the U.S. Congress are held in November of even-numbered years. New Congresses convened on March 4 of the following year until 1934. Since 1934, new Congresses have begun on January 3 of the following year.
Some states, such as Texas, allow for special elections to the Senate that occur separate from a general election (similar to special elections to the U.S. House), while most wait to hold them in conjunction with the next general election.
Appointments by Governors
Prior to ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, most state legislatures elected U.S. Senators. The Seventeenth Amendment states that special elections will be held to fill vacant Senate seats, but that state legislatures may empower the governor of the state to fill the seat by an appointment between the time that it becomes vacant and the time that the winner of the special election is certified. As of 2009, four states, Massachusetts, Oregon, Wisconsin and Oklahoma require special elections, Oklahoma permitting its governor to appoint only the winner of a special election.[1] Alaska in 2004 enacted legislation and a separate ballot referendum law that took effect on the same day, that conflict. It is uncertain if the Alaska governor may successfully appoint an interim Senator to serve until the mandated special election occurs 60 to 90 days after the vacancy happens. The ballot-approved law fails to specifically authorize the governor to appoint, though the legislative law does.[1]
Since 1913, 184 senators have been appointed to fill vacancies. Of those, 63 did not later run for election; 56 ran and lost the subsequent special election; and 60 ran and won the election.[2]
List of special elections
This list only includes vacancies that were filled by special election. Not included are those situations in which vacancies were only filled by appointment or general election, or new seats.
This list is sorted by the date of the special election.
 |
| State (Class) | Original | Appointee | Winner | Term ending | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senator | Vacancy event | Senator | Date | Senator | Date ↑ | ||
| Virginia (Class 1) |
William Grayson (A) | Died March 12, 1790 | John Walker (P) | March 31, 1790 | James Monroe (A) | November 9, 1790 | March 4, 1793 |
| New Jersey (Class 2) |
William Paterson (P) | Resigned November 13, 1790 | No appointment | Philemon Dickinson (P) | November 23, 1790 | March 4, 1793 | |
| Connecticut (Class 3) |
William S. Johnson (P) | Resigned March 4, 1791 | No appointment | Roger Sherman (P) | June 13, 1791 | March 4, 1795 | |
| New York (Class 3) |
Rufus King (F) | Resigned May 23, 1796 | No appointment | John Laurance (F) | November 9, 1796 | March 4, 1801 | |
| New York (Class 1) |
Philip Schuyler (F) | Resigned January 3, 1798 | No appointment | John Sloss Hobart (F) | January 11, 1798 | March 4, 1803 | |
| New York (Class 1) |
John Sloss Hobart (F) | Resigned April 16, 1798 | William North (F) | May 5, 1798 | James Watson (F) | August 17, 1798 | March 4, 1803 |
| New York (Class 1) |
James Watson (F) | Resigned March 19, 1800 | No appointment | Gouverneur Morris (F) | April 3, 1800 | March 4, 1803 | |
| New York (Class 3) |
John Laurance (F) | Resigned August 1800 | No appointment | John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | November 6, 1800 | March 4, 1801 | |
| New York (Class 3) |
John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | Resigned February 5, 1802 | No appointment | DeWitt Clinton (DR) | February 9, 1802 | March 4, 1807 | |
| New York (Class 1) |
Theodorus Bailey (DR) | Resigned January 16, 1804 | No appointment | John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | February 3, 1804 | March 4, 1807 | |
| New York (Class 3) |
John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | Resigned February 23, 1804 | No appointment | John Smith (DR) | February 3, 1804 | March 4, 1807 | |
| New York (Class 1) |
John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | Resigned June 30, 1804 | No appointment | Samuel L. Mitchill (DR) | November 9, 1804 | March 4, 1809 | |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
John Williams Walker (DR) | Resigned December 12, 1822 | No appointment | William Kelly (DR) | December 12, 1822 | March 4, 1825 | |
| Delaware (Class 1) |
Caesar A. Rodney (DR) | Resigned January 29, 1823 | No appointment | Thomas Clayton (F) | January 8, 1824 | March 4, 1827 | |
| Louisiana (Class 3) |
Henry Johnson (DR) | Resigned May 27, 1824 | No appointment | Charles Bouligny (DR) | November 19, 1824 | March 4, 1829 | |
| Illinois (Class 3) |
Ninian Edwards (DR) | Resigned March 4, 1824 | No appointment | John McLean (DR) | November 24, 1824 | March 4, 1825 | |
| Georgia (Class 2) |
Nicholas Ware (DR) | Died January 29, 1823 | No appointment | Thomas W. Cobb (F) | December 6, 1824 | March 4, 1829 | |
| Virginia (Class 2) |
John Taylor (DR) | Died August 21, 1824 | No appointment | Littleton Tazewell (DR) | December 7, 1824 | March 4, 1829 | |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
Henry H. Chambers (DR) | Died January 24, 1826 | Israel Pickens (DR) | February 17, 1826 | John McKinley (J) | November 27, 1826 | March 4, 1831 |
| New York (Class 1) |
Martin Van Buren (DR) | Resigned December 20, 1828 | No appointment | Charles E. Dudley (D) | January 15, 1829 | March 4, 1833 | |
| New York (Class 3) |
William L. Marcy (D) | Resigned January 1, 1833 | No appointment | Silas Wright (D) | January 4, 1833 | March 4, 1837 | |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
John McKinley (D) | Resigned April 22, 1837 | Clement Comer Clay (D) | June 19, 1837 | Arthur P. Bagby (D) | November 24, 1841 | March 4, 1843 |
| Arkansas (Class 2) |
William S. Fulton (D) | Died August 15, 1844 | No appointment | Chester Ashley (D) | November 8, 1844 | March 4, 1847 | |
| New York (Class 1) |
Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (W) | Resigned June 17, 1844 | Daniel S. Dickinson (D) | November 30, 1844 | Daniel S. Dickinson (D) | January 18, 1845 | March 4, 1845 |
| New York (Class 3) |
Silas Wright (D) | Resigned November 26, 1844 | Henry A. Foster (D) | November 30, 1844 | John Adams Dix (D) | January 18, 1845 | March 4, 1849 |
| Arkansas (Class 2) |
Chester Ashley (D) | Died April 29, 1848 | William K. Sebastian (D) | May 12, 1848 | William K. Sebastian (D) | November 17, 1848 | March 4, 1853 |
| Alabama (Class 2) |
Dixon Hall Lewis (D) | Died October 24, 1848 | Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D) | November 25, 1848 | Jeremiah Clemens (D) | November 30, 1849 | March 4, 1853 |
| New Hampshire (Class 3) |
James Bell (R) | Died May 26, 1857 | No appointment | Daniel Clark (R) | June 26, 1857 | March 4, 1861 | |
| Tennessee (Class 1) |
Vacant | Failure to elect successor prior March 4, 1857 | Andrew Johnson (D) | October 8, 1857 | March 4, 1863 | ||
| South Carolina (Class 3) |
Andrew Butler | Died May 25, 1857 | No appointment | James Henry Hammond (D) | December 6, 1857 | March 4, 1861 | |
| North Carolina (Class 3) |
Asa Biggs | Resigned May 5, 1858 after being appointed judge of US District Court of NC | Thomas Lanier Clingman (D) | May 7, 1858 | Thomas Lanier Clingman (D) | November 23, 1858 | March 4, 1861 |
| California (Class 3) |
David C. Broderick (D) | Died September 16, 1859 | Henry P. Haun (D) | November 3, 1859 | Milton S. Latham (D) | January 11, 1860 | March 4, 1863 |
| California (Class 1) |
Eugene Casserly (D) | Resigned November 29, 1873 | No appointment | John S. Hager (D) | December 23, 1873 | March 4, 1873 | |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
George S. Houston (D) | Died December 31, 1879 | Luke Pryor (D) | January 7, 1880 | James L. Pugh (D) | November 24, 1880 | March 4, 1885 |
| New York (Class 1) |
Thomas C. Platt (R) | Resigned May 16, 1881 | No appointment | Warner Miller (R) | July 16, 1881 | March 4, 1887 | |
| New York (Class 3) |
Roscoe Conkling (R) | Resigned May 16, 1881 | No appointment | Elbridge G. Lapham (R) | July 22, 1881 | March 4, 1885 | |
| Arkansas (Class 2) |
Augustus Garland (D) | Resigned March 6, 1885 | No appointment | James H. Berry (D) | March 20, 1885 | March 4, 1889 | |
| California (Class 1) |
John Franklin Miller (R) | Died March 8, 1886 | George Hearst (D) | March 23, 1886 | Abram P. Williams (R) | August 4, 1886 | March 4, 1887 |
| California (Class 1) |
George Hearst (D) | Died February 28, 1891 | No appointment | Charles N. Felton (R) | March 19, 1891 | March 4, 1893 | |
| California (Class 3) |
Leland Stanford (R) | Died June 21, 1893 | George C. Perkins (R) | July 26, 1893 | George C. Perkins (R) | March 4, 1897 | |
| Mississippi (Class 2) |
Edward C. Walthall (D) | Resigned January 24, 1894[n 1] | No appointment | Anselm J. McLaurin (D) | February 7, 1894 | March 4, 1895 | |
| Louisiana (Class 3) |
Edward D. White (D) | Resigned March 12, 1894[n 2] | Newton C. Blanchard (D) | March 12, 1894 | Newton C. Blanchard (D) | March 4, 1897 | |
| Georgia (Class 2) |
Alfred H. Colquitt (D) | Died March 26, 1894 | Patrick Walsh (D) | April 2, 1894 | Patrick Walsh (D) | March 4, 1895 | |
| North Carolina (Class 3) |
Zebulon B. Vance | Died April 14, 1894 | Thomas J. Jarvis (D) | April 19, 1894 | Jeter C. Pritchard (D) | January 23, 1895 | March 4, 1897 |
| Michigan (Class 1) |
Francis B. Stockbridge (R) | Died April 3, 1894 | John Patton, Jr. (R) | May 5, 1894 | Julius C. Burrows (R) | January 24, 1895 | March 4, 1899 |
| Montana (Class 1) |
Vacant | Failure to elect | Lee Mantle (R) | January 16, 1895 | March 4, 1899 | ||
| Wyoming (Class 1) |
Vacant | Failure to elect | Clarence D. Clark (R) | January 23, 1895 | March 4, 1899 | ||
| Washington (Class 1) |
Vacant | Failure to elect | John L. Wilson (R) | February 19, 1895 | March 4, 1899 | ||
| Mississippi (Class 2) |
Edward C. Walthall (D) | Died April 21, 1898 | William V. Sullivan (D) | May 31, 1898 | William V. Sullivan (D) | March 4, 1901 | |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
Edmund Pettus (D) | Died July 27, 1907 | No appointment | Joseph F. Johnston (D) | August 6, 1907 | March 4, 1909 | |
| Pennsylvania (Class 1) |
Philander C. Knox (R) | Resigned March 4, 1909 | No appointment | George T. Oliver (R) | March 17, 1909 | March 4, 1911 | |
| Mississippi (Class 2) |
Anselm J. McLaurin (D) | Died December 22, 1909 | James Gordon (D) | December 27, 1909 | LeRoy Percy (D) | February 22, 1910 | March 4, 1913 |
| Louisiana (Class 3) |
Samuel D. McEnery (D) | Died June 28, 1910 | John Thornton (D) | August 27, 1910 | John Thornton (D) | December 6, 1910 | March 4, 1915 |
| North Dakota (Class 3) |
Martin N. Johnson (R) | Died October 12, 1909 | Fountain L. Thompson (D) | November 10, 1909 | Asle Gronna (R) | February 1, 1911 | March 4, 1915 |
| William E. Purcell (D) | February 1, 1910 | ||||||
| West Virginia (Class 2) |
Stephen Benton Elkins (R) | Died January 4, 1911 | Davis Elkins (R) | January 9, 1911 | Clarence Wayland Watson (D) | February 1, 1911 | March 4, 1913 |
| Iowa (Class 3) |
Jonathan P. Dolliver (R) | Died October 15, 1910 | Lafayette Young (R) | November 4, 1910 | William S. Kenyon (R) | April 11, 1911 | March 4, 1913 |
| Georgia (Class 3) |
Alexander S. Clay (D) | Died November 13, 1910 | Joseph M. Terrell (D) | November 17, 1910 | M. Hoke Smith (D) | July 12, 1911 | March 4, 1915 |
| Maine (Class 2) |
William P. Frye (R) | Died August 8, 1911 | No appointment | Obadiah Gardner (D) | September 22, 1911 | March 4, 1913 | |
| Colorado (Class 3) |
Charles J. Hughes, Jr. (D) | Died January 11, 1911 | No appointment | Charles S. Thomas (D) | January 15, 1913 | March 4, 1915 | |
| Tennessee (Class 2) |
Robert Love Taylor (D) | Died March 31, 1912 | Newell Sanders (R) | April 11, 1912 | William R. Webb (D) | January 23, 1913 | March 4, 1913 |
| Nevada (Class 1) |
George S. Nixon (R) | Died June 5, 1912 | William A. Massey (R) | July 1, 1912 | Key Pittman (D) | January 23, 1913 | March 4, 1917 |
| Texas (Class 2) |
Joseph Weldon Bailey (D) | Resigned January 3, 1913 | Rienzi Melville Johnston (D) | January 4, 1913 | Morris Sheppard (D) | January 23, 1913 | March 4, 1913 |
| Arkansas (Class 2) |
Jeff Davis | Died January 3, 1913 | John N. Heiskell (D) | January 6, 1913 | William Marmaduke Kavanaugh (D) | January 23, 1913 | March 4, 1913 |
| Idaho (Class 3) |
Weldon B. Heyburn (R) | Died October 17, 1912 | Kirtland Irving Perky (D) | November 18, 1912 | James H. Brady (R) | January 24, 1913 | March 4, 1915 |
| Arkansas (Class 2) |
Vacant from beginning of term, March 4, 1913[n 3] | No appointment | Joseph Taylor Robinson (D) | January 27, 1913 | March 4, 1919 | ||
| Illinois (Class 3) |
William Lorimer (R) | July 13, 1912[n 4] | No appointment | Lawrence Yates Sherman (R) | March 26, 1913 | March 4, 1915 | |
| Maryland (Class 1) |
Isidor Rayner (D) | Died November 25, 1912 | William P. Jackson (R) | November 29, 1912 | Blair Lee (D) | November 4, 1913 | March 4, 1917 |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
Joseph F. Johnston (D) | Died August 8, 1913 | No appointment | Francis S. White (D) | May 11, 1914 | March 4, 1915 | |
| Georgia (Class 2) |
Augustus Octavius Bacon (D) | Died February 14, 1914 | William S. West (D) | March 1, 1914 | Thomas W. Hardwick (D) | November 3, 1914 | March 4, 1919 |
| Kentucky (Class 3) |
William O. Bradley (R) | Died May 23, 1914 | Johnson N. Camden (D) | June 16, 1914 | Johnson N. Camden (D) | November 3, 1914 | March 4, 1915 |
| Maine (Class 2) |
Edwin C. Burleigh (R) | Died June 16, 1916 | No appointment | Bert M. Fernald (R) | September 11, 1916 | March 4, 1919 | |
| Indiana (Class 3) |
Benjamin F. Shively (D) | Died March 14, 1916 | Thomas Taggart (D) | March 20, 1916 | James Eli Watson (R) | November 7, 1916 | March 4, 1921 |
| Arkansas (Class 3) |
James Paul Clarke (D) | Died October 1, 1916 | No appointment | William F. Kirby (D) | November 7, 1916 | March 4, 1921 | |
| Wisconsin (Class 3) |
Paul O. Husting (D) | Died October 21, 1917 | No appointment | Irvine L. Lenroot (R) | April 18, 1918 | March 4, 1921 | |
| Oregon (Class 2) |
Harry Lane (D) | Died May 23, 1917 | Charles L. McNary (R) | May 29, 1917 | Frederick W. Mulkey (R) | November 5, 1918 | March 4, 1919 |
| Nevada (Class 3) |
Francis G. Newlands (D) | Died December 24, 1917 | Charles B. Henderson (D) | January 12, 1918 | Charles B. Henderson (D) | November 5, 1918 | March 4, 1921 |
| Idaho (Class 3) |
James H. Brady (R) | Died January 13, 1918 | John F. Nugent (D) | January 22, 1918 | John F. Nugent (D) | November 5, 1918 | March 4, 1921 |
| New Jersey (Class 2) |
William Hughes (D) | Died January 30, 1918 | David Baird (R) | February 23, 1918 | David Baird (R) | November 5, 1918 | March 4, 1919 |
| Louisiana (Class 3) |
Robert F. Broussard (D) | Died April 12, 1918 | Walter Guion (D) | April 22, 1918 | Edward Gay (D) | November 5, 1918 | March 4, 1921 |
| Missouri (Class 3) |
William J. Stone (D) | Died April 14, 1918 | Xenophon P. Wilfley (D) | April 30, 1918 | Selden P. Spencer (R) | November 5, 1918 | March 4, 1921 |
| South Carolina (Class 2) |
Benjamin R. Tillman (D) | Died July 3, 1918 | Christie Benet (D) | July 6, 1918 | William P. Pollock (D) | November 5, 1918 | March 4, 1919 |
| New Hampshire (Class 3) |
Jacob H. Gallinger (R) | Died August 17, 1918 | Irving W. Drew (R) | September 2, 1918 | George H. Moses (R) | November 5, 1918 | March 4, 1921 |
| Virginia (Class 2) |
Thomas S. Martin (D) | Died November 12, 1919 | Carter Glass (D) | November 18, 1919 | Carter Glass (D) | November 2, 1920 | March 4, 1925 |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
John H. Bankhead (D) | Died March 1, 1920 | B. B. Comer (D) | March 5, 1920 | J. Thomas Heflin (D) | November 2, 1920 | March 4, 1925 |
| Delaware (Class 1) |
Josiah O. Wolcott (D) | Resigned July 2, 1921 | T. Coleman du Pont (R) | July 7, 1921 | Thomas F. Bayard, Jr. (D) | November 7, 1922 | March 4, 1923 |
| Pennsylvania (Class 1) |
Philander C. Knox (R) | Died October 12, 1921 | William E. Crow (R) | October 17, 1921 – August 2, 1922 (died) | David A. Reed (R) | November 7, 1922 | March 4, 1923 |
| David A. Reed (R) | August 8, 1922 | ||||||
| Pennsylvania (Class 3) |
Boies Penrose (R) | Died December 31, 1921 | George W. Pepper (R) | January 9, 1922 | George W. Pepper (R) | November 7, 1922 | March 4, 1927 |
| Iowa (Class 2) |
William S. Kenyon (R) | Resigned February 24, 1922 | Charles A. Rawson (R) | February 24, 1922 | Smith W. Brookhart (R) | November 7, 1922 | March 4, 1925 |
| Georgia (Class 3) |
Thomas E. Watson (D) | Died September 26, 1922 | Rebecca Felton (D) | November 21, 1922 | Walter F. George (D) | November 7, 1922 | March 4, 1927 |
| Colorado (Class 2) |
Samuel D. Nicholson (R) | Died March 24, 1923 | Alva B. Adams (D) | May 17, 1923 | Rice W. Means (R) | November 4, 1924 | March 4, 1927 |
| Connecticut (Class 3) |
Frank B. Brandegee (R) | Died October 14, 1924 | No appointment | Hiram Bingham III (R) | December 16, 1924 | March 4, 1927 | |
| Arkansas (Class 3) |
Thaddeus H. Caraway (D) | Died November 6, 1931 | Hattie Caraway (D) | December 9, 1931 | Hattie Caraway (D) | January 12, 1932 | March 4, 1933 |
| New Jersey (Class 2) |
Dwight Morrow (R) | Died October 5, 1931 | William Warren Barbour (R) | December 1, 1931 | William Warren Barbour (R) | November 2, 1932 | January 3, 1937 |
| Georgia (Class 3) |
William J. Harris (D) | Died April 18, 1932 | John S. Cohen (D) | April 25, 1932 | Richard Russell, Jr. (D) | November 2, 1932 | January 3, 1937 |
| Vermont (Class 3) |
Porter H. Dale (R) | Died October 6, 1933 | Ernest W. Gibson (R) | November 21, 1933 | Ernest W. Gibson (R) | January 16, 1934 | January 3, 1937 |
| Montana (Class 3) |
Thomas J. Walsh (D) | Died March 4, 1933 | John E. Erickson (D) | March 13, 1933 | James E. Murray (D) | November 6, 1934 | January 3, 1937 |
| Tennessee (Class 2) |
Cordell Hull (D) | Resigned March 4, 1933 | Nathan L. Bachman (D) | March 4, 1933 | Nathan L. Bachman (D) | November 6, 1934 | January 3, 1937 |
| New Mexico (Class 2) |
Sam G. Bratton (D) | Resigned June 24, 1933 | Carl A. Hatch (D) | October 10, 1933 | Carl A. Hatch (D) | November 6, 1934 | January 3, 1937 |
| Arkansas (Class 3) |
Joseph T. Robinson (D) | Died July 14, 1937 | No appointment | John E. Miller (D) | November 15, 1937 | January 3, 1943 | |
| Tennessee (Class 2) |
Nathan L. Bachman (D) | Died April 23, 1937 | George L. Berry (D) | May 6, 1937 | Tom Stewart (D) | November 8, 1938 | January 3, 1943 |
| New York (Class 1) |
Royal Copeland (D) | Died June 17, 1938 | No appointment | James M. Mead (D) | November 8, 1938 | January 3, 1941 | |
| Texas (Class 2) |
Morris Sheppard (D) | Died April 9, 1941 | Andrew Houston (D) | April 21, 1941 | W. Lee O'Daniel (D) | June 28, 1941 | January 3, 1943 |
| Mississippi (Class 2) |
Pat Harrison (D) | Died June 22, 1941 | James Eastland (D) | June 30, 1941 | Wall Doxey (D) | September 23, 1941 | January 3, 1943 |
| South Carolina (Class 2) |
James F. Byrnes (D) | Resigned July 17, 1941 | Alva Lumpkin (D) | July 22, 1941 | Burnet Maybank (D) | November 5, 1941 | January 3, 1945 |
| Roger Peace (D) | August 5, 1941 | ||||||
| Colorado (Class 3) |
Alva B. Adams (D) | Died December 1, 1941 | Eugene Millikin (R) | December 20, 1941 | Eugene Millikin (R) | November 3, 1942 | January 3, 1945 |
| West Virginia (Class 2) |
Matthew M. Neely (D) | Resigned January 12, 1941 | Joseph Rosier (D) | January 13, 1941 | Hugh Ike Shott (R) | November 3, 1942 | January 3, 1943 |
| Nevada (Class 1) |
Key Pittman (D) | Died November 10, 1940 | Berkeley Bunker (D)[n 5] | November 27, 1940 | James G. Scrugham (D) | November 3, 1942 | January 3, 1947 |
| Indiana (Class 3) |
Frederick Van Nuys (D) | Died January 25, 1944 | Samuel D. Jackson (D) | January 28, 1944 | William E. Jenner (R) | November 7, 1944 | January 3, 1945 |
| Oregon (Class 2) |
Charles L. McNary (R) | Died February 25, 1944 | Guy Cordon (R) | March 4, 1944 | Guy Cordon (R) | November 7, 1944 | January 3, 1949 |
| New Jersey (Class 1) |
William Warren Barbour (R) | Died November 22, 1943 | Arthur Walsh (D) | November 26, 1943 | H. Alexander Smith (R) | November 7, 1944 | January 3, 1947 |
| Massachusetts (Class 2) |
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (R) | Resigned February 3, 1944 | Sinclair Weeks (R) | February 8, 1944 | Leverett Saltonstall (R) | November 7, 1944 | January 3, 1949 |
| Alabama (Class 2) |
John H. Bankhead II (D) | Died June 12, 1946 | George R. Swift (D) | June 15, 1946 | John Sparkman (D) | November 6, 1946 | January 3, 1951 |
| California (Class 1) |
Hiram Johnson (R) | Died August 6, 1945 | William Knowland (R) | August 26, 1945 | William Knowland (R) | November 5, 1946 | January 3, 1947 |
| Mississippi (Class 1) |
Theodore G. Bilbo (D) | Died August 24, 1947 | No appointment | John C. Stennis (D) | November 5, 1947 | January 3, 1953 | |
| New York (Class 3) |
Robert F. Wagner (D) | Resigned June 28, 1949 | John Foster Dulles (R) | July 7, 1949 | Herbert Lehman (D) | November 8, 1949 | January 3, 1951 |
| North Carolina (Class 2) |
J. Melville Broughton (D) | Died March 6, 1949 | Frank Porter Graham (D) | March 29, 1949 | Willis Smith (D) | November 7, 1950 | January 3, 1955 |
| Kansas (Class 3) |
Clyde M. Reed (R) | Died November 8, 1949 | Harry Darby (R) | December 2, 1949 | Frank Carlson (R) | November 7, 1950 | January 3, 1967 |
| Idaho (Class 2) |
Bert H. Miller (D) | Died October 8, 1949 | Henry Dworshak (R) | October 14, 1949 | Henry Dworshak (R) | November 7, 1950 | January 3, 1955 |
| California (Class 3) |
Richard Nixon (R) | Resigned January 1, 1953[n 6] | Thomas Kuchel (R) | January 2, 1953 | Thomas Kuchel (R) | November 2, 1954 | January 3, 1957 |
| North Carolina (Class 3) |
Clyde R. Hoey (D) | Died May 12, 1954 | Sam Ervin (D) | June 5, 1954 | Sam Ervin (D) | November 2, 1954 | January 3, 1957 |
| Nebraska (Class 1) |
Hugh Butler (R) | Died July 1, 1954 | Sam Reynolds (R) | July 7, 1954 | Roman Hruska (R) | November 2, 1954 | January 3, 1959 |
| North Carolina (Class 2) |
Willis Smith (D) | Died June 26, 1953 | Alton Lennon (D) | July 15, 1953 | Kerr Scott (D) | November 2, 1954 | January 3, 1955 |
| Nebraska (Class 2) |
Dwight Griswold (R) | Died April 12, 1954 | Eva Bowring (R) | April 26, 1954 | Hazel Abel (R) | November 2, 1954 | January 3, 1955 |
| Kentucky (Class 2) |
Alben Barkley (D) | Died April 30, 1956 | Robert Humphreys (D) | June 25, 1956 | John Sherman Cooper (R) | November 6, 1956 | January 3, 1961 |
| West Virginia (Class 1) |
Harley M. Kilgore (D) | Died February 28, 1956 | William R. Laird, III (D) | March 13, 1956 | W. Chapman Revercomb (R) | November 6, 1956 | January 3, 1959 |
| South Carolina (Class 2) |
Strom Thurmond (D) | Resigned April 4, 1956 | Thomas A. Wofford (D) | April 5, 1956 | Strom Thurmond (D) | November 6, 1956 | January 3, 1961 |
| Texas (Class 1) |
Price Daniel (D) | resigned January 14, 1957 | William Blakley (D) | January 17, 1957 | Ralph Yarborough (D) | April 2, 1957 | January 3, 1959 |
| Wisconsin (Class 1) |
Joseph McCarthy (R) | Died May 2, 1957 | No appointment | William Proxmire (D) | August 27, 1957 | January 3, 1959 | |
| West Virginia (Class 1) |
Matthew M. Neely (D) | Died January 18, 1958 | John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. (R) | January 25, 1958 | Jennings Randolph (D) | November 4, 1958 | January 3, 1961 |
| North Carolina (Class 2) |
W. Kerr Scott (D) | Died April 16, 1958 | B. Everett Jordan (D) | April 19, 1958 | B. Everett Jordan (D) | November 4, 1958 | January 3, 1961 |
| North Dakota (Class 1) |
William Langer (R) | Died November 8, 1959 | Clarence Brunsdale (R) | November 19, 1959 | Quentin Burdick (D-NPL) | June 28, 1960 | January 3, 1965 |
| Missouri (Class 1) |
Thomas C. Hennings, Jr. (D) | Died September 13, 1960 | Edward V. Long (D) | September 23, 1960 | Edward V. Long (D) | November 8, 1960 | January 3, 1963 |
| Oregon (Class 2) |
Richard Neuberger (D) | Died March 9, 1960 | Hall Lusk (D) | March 16, 1960 | Maurine Neuberger (D) | November 8, 1960 | January 3, 1961 |
| Texas (Class 2) |
Lyndon Johnson (D) | Resigned January 3, 1961 | William Blakley (D) | January 3, 1961 | John Tower (R) | May 27, 1961 | January 3, 1967 |
| Massachusetts (Class 1) |
John Kennedy (D) | Resigned December 22, 1960 | Benjamin Smith II (D) | December 27, 1960 | Ted Kennedy (D) | November 6, 1962 | January 3, 1965 |
| New Hampshire (Class 2) |
Styles Bridges (R) | Died November 26, 1961 | Maurice Murphy, Jr. (R) | December 7, 1961 | Thomas McIntyre (D) | November 6, 1962 | January 3, 1967 |
| Kansas (Class 2) |
Andrew Schoeppel (R) | Died January 21, 1962 | James Pearson (R) | January 31, 1962 | James Pearson (R) | November 6, 1962 | January 3, 1967 |
| Idaho (Class 2) |
Henry Dworshak (R) | Died July 23, 1962 | Len Jordan (R) | August 6, 1962 | Len Jordan (R) | November 6, 1962 | January 3, 1967 |
| Wyoming (Class 2) |
Vacant from beginning of term, January 3, 1961[n 7] | John J. Hickey (D) | January 3, 1961 | Milward L. Simpson (R) | November 6, 1962 | January 3, 1967 | |
| New Mexico (Class 1) |
Dennis Chavez (D) | Died November 18, 1962 | Edwin Mechem (R) | November 30, 1962 | Joseph Montoya (D) | November 3, 1964 | January 3, 1965 |
| Oklahoma (Class 2) |
Robert S. Kerr (D) | Died January 1, 1963 | J. Howard Edmondson (D) | January 6, 1963 | Fred R. Harris (D) | November 3, 1964 | January 3, 1967 |
| Tennessee (Class 2) |
Estes Kefauver (D) | Died August 10, 1963 | Herbert Walters (D) | August 20, 1963 | Ross Bass (D) | November 3, 1964 | January 3, 1967 |
| South Carolina (Class 3) |
Olin Johnston (D) | Died April 18, 1965 | Donald Russell (D) | April 22, 1965 | Ernest Hollings (D) | November 8, 1966 | January 3, 1969 |
| Virginia (Class 1) |
Harry F. Byrd, Sr. (D) | Resigned November 10, 1965 | Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (D) | November 12, 1965 | Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (D) | November 8, 1966 | January 3, 1971 |
| Alaska (Class 2) |
Bob Bartlett (D) | Died December 11, 1968 | Ted Stevens (R) | December 24, 1968 | Ted Stevens (R) | November 3, 1970 | January 3, 1973 |
| Illinois (Class 3) |
Everett Dirksen (R) | Died September 7, 1969 | Ralph Tyler Smith (R) | September 17, 1969 | Adlai Stevenson III (D) | November 3, 1970 | January 3, 1975 |
| Vermont (Class 1) |
Winston L. Prouty (R) | Died September 10, 1971 | Robert Stafford (R) | September 16, 1971 | Robert Stafford (R) | January 7, 1972 | January 3, 1977 |
| Georgia (Class 2) |
Richard Russell (D) | Died January 21, 1971 | David Gambrell (D) | February 1, 1971 | Sam Nunn (D) | November 7, 1972 | January 3, 1973 |
| New Hampshire (Class 3) |
Vacant from beginning of term, January 3, 1975[n 8] | Norris H. Cotton (R) | August 8, 1975 | John A. Durkin (D) | September 16, 1975 | January 3, 1981 | |
| Minnesota (Class 1) |
Hubert Humphrey (D) | Died January 13, 1978 | Muriel Humphrey (D) | January 25, 1978 | David Durenberger (R) | November 7, 1978 | January 3, 1983 |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
James Allen (D) | Died June 1, 1978 | Maryon Allen (D) | June 8, 1978 | Donald Stewart (D) | November 7, 1978 | January 3, 1981 |
| Washington (Class 1) |
Henry "Scoop" Jackson (D) | Died September 1, 1983 | Dan Evans (R) | September 8, 1983 | Dan Evans (R) | November 8, 1983 | January 3, 1989 |
| North Carolina (Class 3) |
John East (R) | Died June 29, 1986 | Jim Broyhill (R) | July 14, 1986 | Terry Sanford (D) | November 4, 1986 | January 3, 1987 |
| Indiana (Class 3) |
Dan Quayle (R) | Resigned January 3, 1989 | Dan Coats (R) | January 3, 1989 | Dan Coats (R) | November 6, 1990 | January 3, 1993 |
| Hawaii (Class 1) |
Spark Matsunaga (D) | Died April 15, 1990 | Daniel Akaka (D) | May 16, 1990 | Daniel Akaka (D) | November 6, 1990 | January 3, 1995 |
| Pennsylvania (Class 1) |
John Heinz III (R) | Died April 4, 1991 | Harris Wofford (D) | May 9, 1991 | Harris Wofford (D) | November 5, 1991 | January 3, 1995 |
| California (Class 1) |
Pete Wilson (R) | Resigned January 7, 1991 | John Seymour (R) | January 10, 1991 | Dianne Feinstein (D) | November 3, 1992 | January 3, 1995 |
| North Dakota (Class 1) |
Quentin Burdick (D) | Died September 8, 1992 | Jocelyn Burdick (D) | September 16, 1992 | Kent Conrad (D) | December 4, 1992 | January 3, 1995 |
| Texas (Class 1) |
Lloyd Bentsen (D) | Resigned January 20, 1993 | Bob Krueger (D) | January 21, 1993 | Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) | June 5, 1993 | January 3, 1995 |
| Tennessee (Class 2) |
Al Gore (D) | Resigned January 3, 1993 | Harlan Mathews (D) | January 3, 1993 | Fred Thompson (R) | November 8, 1994 | January 3, 1997 |
| Oklahoma (Class 2) |
David Boren (D) | Resigned November 15, 1994 | No appointment | Jim Inhofe (R) | November 8, 1994 | January 3, 1997 | |
| Oregon (Class 3) |
Bob Packwood (R) | Resigned October 1, 1995 | No appointment | Ron Wyden (D) | January 30, 1996 | January 3, 1999 | |
| Kansas (Class 3) |
Bob Dole (R) | Resigned June 11, 1996 | Sheila Frahm (R) | June 11, 1996 | Sam Brownback (R) | November 5, 1996 | January 3, 1999 |
| Georgia (Class 3) |
Paul Coverdell (R) | Died July 18, 2000 | Zell Miller (D) | July 24, 2000 | Zell Miller (D) | November 7, 2000 | January 3, 2005 |
| Missouri (Class 1) |
Vacant from beginning of term, January 3, 2001[n 9] | Jean Carnahan (D) | January 3, 2001 | Jim Talent (R) | November 5, 2002 | January 3, 2007 | |
| Wyoming (Class 1) |
Craig Thomas (R) | Died June 4, 2007 | John Barrasso (R) | June 25, 2007 | John Barrasso (R) | November 4, 2008 | January 3, 2013 |
| Mississippi (Class 1) |
Trent Lott (R) | Resigned December 18, 2007 | Roger Wicker (R) | December 31, 2007 | Roger Wicker (R) | November 4, 2008 | January 3, 2013 |
| Massachusetts (Class 1) |
Ted Kennedy (D) | Died August 25, 2009 | Paul G. Kirk (D) | September 24, 2009 | Scott Brown (R) | January 19, 2010 | January 3, 2013 |
| Illinois (Class 3) |
Barack Obama (D) | Resigned November 16, 2008 | Roland Burris (D) | January 12, 2009 | Mark Kirk (R) | November 2, 2010 | January 3, 2011 |
| Delaware (Class 2) |
Joe Biden (D) | Resigned January 15, 2009 | Ted Kaufman (D) | January 16, 2009 | Chris Coons (D) | November 2, 2010 | January 3, 2015 |
| New York (Class 1) |
Hillary Clinton (D) | Resigned January 21, 2009 | Kirsten Gillibrand (D) | January 27, 2009 | Kirsten Gillibrand (D) | November 2, 2010 | January 3, 2013 |
| West Virginia (Class 1) |
Robert Byrd (D) | Died June 28, 2010 | Carte Goodwin (D) | July 20, 2010 | Joe Manchin (D) | November 2, 2010 | January 3, 2013 |
| Massachusetts (Class 2) |
John Kerry (D) | Resigned February 1, 2013 | Mo Cowan (D) | February 1, 2013 | Ed Markey (D) | June 25, 2013 | January 3, 2015 |
| New Jersey (Class 2) |
Frank Lautenberg (D) | Died June 3, 2013 | Jeffrey Chiesa (R) | June 10, 2013 | Cory Booker (D) | October 16, 2013 | January 3, 2015 |
| South Carolina (Class 3) |
Jim DeMint (R) | Resigned January 1, 2013 | Tim Scott (R) | January 2, 2013 | Tim Scott (R) | November 4, 2014 | January 3, 2017 |
| Hawaii (Class 3) |
Daniel Inouye (D) | Died December 17, 2012 | Brian Schatz (D) | December 26, 2012 | Brian Schatz (D) | November 4, 2014 | January 3, 2017 |
| Oklahoma (Class 3) |
Tom Coburn (R) | Resigned January 3, 2015 | No appointment | James Lankford (R) | November 4, 2014 | January 3, 2017 | |
| State | Senator | Vacancy event | Senator | Date | Senator | Date ↑ | Term ending |
| Original | Appointee | Winner | |||||
See also
Notes
- ^ Resigned due to ill health.
- ^ Resigned to take up appointment as a justice of the U. S. Supreme Court.
- ^ Jeff Davis (D) was elected posthumously.
- ^ Lorimer's election was declared invalid.
- ^ Senator Bunker was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the November 10, 1940 death of Key Pittman, who had just won re-election. Bunker was appointed both to complete the term that would end January 3, 1941 and to begin the term that would end January 3, 1947.
- ^ Nixon resigned after being elected vice president.
- ^ Edwin Keith Thomson (R) died December 9, 1960, after his election but before taking his seat.
- ^ The 1974 election result was contested. Eventually, the Senate declared the seat vacant. Norris Cotton, who had retired at the election, was subsequently appointed to the seat until a special election could be held.[3]
- ^ Mel Carnahan had been elected posthumously.
References
- ^ a b Neale, Thomas H. (March 10, 2009). "Filling U.S. Senate Vacancies: Perspectives and Contemporary Developments" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. p. 8.
- ^ Bill Schneider (February 5, 2009). "Senate appointments highlight messy process". CNN.
- ^ "Closest election in Senate history". Senate Historical Office.
External links
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774 – 2005 Contains complete listing of all Congresses