1854 Iowa Senate election

In the 1854 Iowa State Senate elections, Iowa voters elected state senators to serve in the fifth Iowa General Assembly. Elections were held for 19 of the state senate's 31 seats.[c] State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.

1854 Iowa Senate election

← 1852 1854 1856 →

19 out of 31 seats in the Iowa State Senate
16 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Whig
Last election 20 11
Seats after 17 14
Seat change Decrease3 Increase3

President of the Iowa Senate before election

William E. Leffingwell[a]
Democratic

Elected President of the Iowa Senate

Maturin L. Fisher[b]
Democratic

The general election took place in 1854.[4]

Following the previous election in 1852, Democrats had control of the Iowa Senate with 20 seats to Whigs' 11 seats.

To claim control of the chamber from Democrats, the Whigs needed to net 5 Senate seats.

Democrats maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1854 general election with the balance of power shifting to Democrats holding 17 seats and Whigs having 14 seats (a net gain of 3 seats for Whigs). Democratic Senator Maturin L. Fisher was chosen as the President of the Iowa Senate for the fifth General Assembly, succeeding Democratic Senator William E. Leffingwell in that leadership position.[b][a]

Summary of Results

edit
  • Note: The holdover Senators not up for re-election are not listed on this table.
Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party Outcome
1st[d] Salmon Cowles Dem Exum Sumner McCulloch Dem Dem Hold
James M. Love[e] Dem David Trowbridge Brigham Dem Dem Hold
Vacancy upon Senator Love's resignation.
Calvin J. Price Dem William A. Thurston Dem Dem Hold
2nd[f] George Hepner Dem William Findlay Coolbaugh Dem Dem Hold
3rd[g] John Brice Spees Whig Abner Harrison McCrary Whig Whig Hold
5th[h] Archibald McKinney Whig Alvin Saunders Whig Whig Hold
6th[i] John Wesley Hedrick Whig James C. Ramsey Dem Dem Gain
7th[j] Henry Benham Hendershott Dem Daniel A. Anderson Whig Whig Gain
9th[k] Amos Harris Dem Nathan Udell Dem Dem Hold
10th[l] Hadley Douglas Johnson Dem James D. Test Dem Dem Hold
12th[m] Norman Everson Whig Hiram Thomas Cleaver Dem Dem Gain
13th[n] Joseph Lowe Dem James Latimer Hogin Whig Whig Gain
16th[o] Eli Snow Wing Dem Ambrose Cowperthwaite Fulton Whig Whig Gain
17th[p] Jonathan Emerson Fletcher Dem George W. Wilkinson Whig Whig Gain
18th[q] William E. Leffingwell Dem Julius J. Matthews Whig Whig Gain
19th[r] George D. Crosthwait Whig Samuel Workman Dem Dem Gain
20th[s] Andrew Young Hull Dem Theophilus Bryan[t] Dem Dem Hold
James Cunningham Jordan[u] Whig Whig Gain
22nd[v] Nathan G. Sales Dem Joseph Birge Dem Dem Hold
24th[w] John G. Shields[x] Dem Vacancy after Shields' death on June 25, 1856.
Warner Lewis Dem William W. Hamilton Whig Whig Gain

Source:[11]

  1. ^ a b Senator William E. Leffingwell of Clinton County was chosen to be the fifth President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the fourth Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Senator Enos Lowe in that leadership position.[1]
  2. ^ a b Senator Maturin L. Fisher of Clayton County was chosen to be the sixth President of the Iowa Senate. He served during the fifth Iowa General Assembly, succeeding Senator William E. Leffingwell in that leadership position.[2]
  3. ^ At the time, the Iowa Senate had several multi-member districts.[3]
  4. ^ The first district was a 3-member district at the time.
  5. ^ Senator Love was a holdover senator not up for re-election. However, on July 1, 1856, during the next term, he resigned, causing a vacancy in this seat that was filled by special election.[5]
  6. ^ The second district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election.
  7. ^ The third district was a 2-member district at the time. However, only one of the seats in the district was contested in the election. The other was held by a holdover senator not up for re-election.
  8. ^ The fifth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  9. ^ The sixth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  10. ^ The seventh district was a 1-member district at the time.
  11. ^ The ninth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  12. ^ The tenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  13. ^ The twelfth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  14. ^ The thirteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  15. ^ The sixteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  16. ^ The seventeenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  17. ^ The eighteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  18. ^ The nineteenth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  19. ^ The twentieth district was a 1-member district at the time.
  20. ^ Senator Bryan was originally deemed to be elected to the seat.[6] However, on January 7, 1855, during the next term, he was removed by a vote of the members of the Iowa Senate and replaced by Senator Jordan of the Whig Party.[7]
  21. ^ Senator Bryan was originally deemed to be elected to the seat.[8] However, on January 7, 1855, during the next term, he was removed by a vote of the members of the Iowa Senate and replaced by Senator Jordan of the Whig Party.[9]
  22. ^ The twenty-second district was a 1-member district at the time.
  23. ^ The twenty-fourth district was a 3-member district at the time. Senator Fisher was a holdover incumbent not up for re-election. Senator Shields was a holdover incumbent not up for re-election; however, on June 25, 1856, during the next term, Shields died, causing a vacancy in his seat. Senator Lewis was up for re-election and was succeeded by Senator Hamilton.
  24. ^ Senator Shields was a holdover incumbent not up for re-election; however, on June 25, 1856, during the next term, Shields died, causing a vacancy in his seat.[10]

Detailed Results

edit

See also

edit
edit

District boundaries for the Iowa Senate in 1854:

References

edit
  1. ^ "Senator William E. Leffingwell". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "Senator Maturin L. Fisher". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "General Assembly: 5 (12/04/1854 - 11/30/1856)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "General Assembly: 5 (12/04/1854 - 11/30/1856)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "Senator James M. Love: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "Senator Theophilus Bryan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  7. ^ "Senator James Cunningham Jordan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  8. ^ "Senator Theophilus Bryan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "Senator James Cunningham Jordan: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  10. ^ "Senator John G. Shields: Compiled Historical Information". Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  11. ^ "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved July 21, 2021.