1816–17 United States Senate elections

The 1816–17 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 1816 and 1817, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 2.

The Democratic-Republican Party gained a net of two seats from the admission of a new state.

Results summary
Senate party division, 15th Congress (1817–1819)


 * Majority party: Democratic-Republican (25–28)
 * Minority party: Federalist (13–12)
 * Total seats: 38–42

Elections during the preceding Congress
In these special and general elections, the winners were seated during 1816 or before March 4, 1817; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the next Congress
In these general elections, the winners were seated March 4, 1817; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

Elections during the next Congress
In three special elections and two general elections, the winners were elected in 1817 after March 4; ordered by election date.

Indiana
The new state of Indiana elected its first two senators, both Democratic-Republicans, James Noble and Waller Taylor. The election was held November 8, 1816 in advance of Indiana's December 11, 1816 admission as a state. In the election legislators cast a single ballot and the first and second place candidates were deemed elected.

✅ James Noble (Democratic-Republican) 265 votes

✅ Waller Taylor (Democratic-Republican) 20 votes

James Scott 16 votes

Jesse L. Holman 3 votes

Ezra Ferris 2 votes

Davis Floyd 2 votes

Walter Wilson 2 votes

Elias MacNamee 1 vote

Maryland (special, January 1816)
Robert Goodloe Harper won election over John Thomson Mason by a margin of 1.12%, or 1 vote, for the Class 1 seat.

Maryland (special, December 1816)
Alexander Contee Hanson won election over William Winder by a margin of 8.24%, or 7 votes, for the Class 1 seat.

Mississippi
The new state of Mississippi elected its first two senators, both Democratic-Republicans, Walter Leake and Thomas H. Williams. Two separate elections were held in which each senator was elected.

First Senator (Class 1) (5th ballot, date and previous ballots unknown)

✅ Walter Leake (Democratic-Republican) 15 votes

Christopher Rankin 8 votes

Cowles Mead 5 votes

Thomas H. Williams 1 vote

Second Senator (Class 2) (4th ballot, date and previous ballots unknown)

✅ Thomas H. Williams (Democratic-Republican) 16 votes

Cowles Mead 12 votes

Christopher Rankin 1 vote