1861 Iowa Senate election

1861 Iowa Senate election

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25 out of 49 seats in the Iowa State Senate 25 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Last election 22 21 Seats before 22[a] 20[a] Seats after 33[b] 16[b] Seat change 11 4
President of the Iowa Senate[c] before election Nicholas J. Rusch[d] Republican Elected President of the Iowa Senate[c] John R. Needham[e] Republican

Elections in Iowa
Federal government U.S. Presidential elections 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential caucuses Democratic 1976 1980 1984 1992 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 1980 1996 2000 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1848 1849 1852 1855 1857 sp 1858 1860 1864 1866 1866 sp 1870 1870 sp 1872 1878 1882 1882 sp 1884 1888 1890 1894 1896 1900 1902 1902 sp 1907 1908 1908 sp 1909 1911 sp 1913 1914 1918 1920 1922 sp 1924 1926 1926 sp 1930 1932 1936 1936 sp 1938 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 2028 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1846 1847 1848 1850 1st sp 1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1861 1st sp 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 2nd sp 1872 1874 1876 1878 1879 5th sp 1880 1882 1883 6th sp 1884 7th sp 1886 1888 1890 7th sp 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 10th sp 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1911 9th sp 1912 11th sp 1914 2nd sp 1916 1918 1920 1921 5th sp 1922 1923 8th sp 1924 1926 1928 9th sp 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 6th sp 1942 9th sp 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1959 4th sp 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
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v t e

In the 1861 Iowa State Senate elections, Iowa voters elected state senators to serve in the ninth Iowa General Assembly. Following the expansion of the Iowa Senate from 43 to 49 seats in 1861, elections were held for 25 of the state senate's 49 seats.^[f] State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.

The general election took place in 1861.^[13]

Following the previous election in 1859, Republicans had control of the Iowa Senate with 22 seats to Democrats' 21 seats. However, four changes occurred during the eighth general assembly. In the ninth district, Republican Senator Alvin Saunders resigned on May 14, 1861, causing a vacancy in his seat.^[14] Republican Leroy G. Palmer succeeded Senator Saunders, holding the seat for the Republicans.^[15] In the tenth district, Republican Senator James Falconer Wilson resigned on October 7, 1861, causing a vacancy in his seat.^[16] The tenth district seat was left vacant until a special election in 1861. In the fourteenth district, Democratic Senator Andrew Oliphant Patterson resigned on May 14, 1861, causing a vacancy in his seat.^[17] Republican Joseph A. Green succeeded Senator Patterson, flipping the seat to Republican control.^[18] In the thirty-fifth district, Republican Senator Thomas Drummond resigned on May 14, 1861, causing a vacancy in his seat.^[19] Republican Joseph Dysart succeeded Senator Drummond, holding the seat for the Republicans.^[20] Therefore, by election day in 1861, the Republicans held 22 seats, the Democrats held 20 seats, and one seat was vacant (the seat that had been held by Republican Senator James F. Wilson).

To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net five Senate seats.

Republicans maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 33 seats and Democrats having 16 seats (a net gain of 11 seats for Republicans).^[b]

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