1820–21 United States Senate elections

The 1820–21 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states, corresponding with James Monroe's landslide re-election. 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 1820 and 1821, 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 1.

The Democratic-Republican Party gain one-to-five seats (in the general and special elections), assuming almost complete control of the Senate.

Results summary
Senate party division, 17th Congress (1821–1823)


 * Majority party: Democratic-Republican (39–43)
 * Minority party: Federalist (4)
 * Vacant: (3–1)
 * Total seats: 46–48

Before the elections
Composition after the June 13 and 14, 1820 elections in Maine.

Race summaries
Bold states link to specific election articles.

Special elections during the preceding Congress
In these special elections, the winner was elected during 1820 or before March 4, 1821; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the next Congress
In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1821; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

Special elections during the next Congress
In this special election, the winner was elected in 1821 after March 4; ordered by election date.

Maine
John Holmes (Democratic-Republican) was elected as one of the new states first pair of senators whose terms began with June 13, 1820, statehood. He was elected to the class 1 seat's short term, which ended March 3, 1821, and was re-elected January 31, 1821, to the term starting March 4, 1821.

John Chandler (Democratic-Republican) as elected to the class 2 seat's long term, and his term would end March 3, 1823.

Maryland
William Pinkney won election by an unknown number of votes, for the Class 1 seat.