Pennsylvania Senatorial Election Returns

Pennsylvania Senators (1789-2006)

The rules governing the election and appointment of Senators were established under Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution and modified by the 17th Amendment, ratified on 8 April 1913:

Article 1, Section 3.

Clause 1:
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

Clause 2:
Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.

Amendment XVII:
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

Name

PartyYearsClassCounty*
William Maclay
Republican
1789-1791
Class 1
Dauphin
Robert Morris
Federalist
1789-1795
Class 3
Philadelphia
Seat Vacant
1791-1793
Class 1
Albert Gallatin
Republican
1793-1793
Class 1
Fayette
Seat Vacant
1793-1794
Class 1
James Ross
Federalist
1794-1803
Class 1
Washington
William Bingham
Federalist
1795-1801
Class 3
Philadelphia
John Peter G. Muhlenberg
Republican
1801
Class 3
Montgomery
George Logan
Republican
1801-1807
Class 3
Philadelphia
Samuel Maclay
Republican
1803-1809
Class 1
Franklin
Andrew Gregg
Republican
1807-1813
Class 3
Bucks
Michael Leib
Republican
1809-1814
Class 1
Philadelphia
Abner Lacock
Republican
1813-1819
Class 3
Beaver
Jonathan Roberts
Republican
1814-1821
Class 1
Montgomery
Walter Lowrie
Republican,Crawford Rep
1819-1825
Class 3
Butler
Seat Vacant
1821
Class 1
William Findlay
Republican,Jackson Rep,Jacksonian
1821-1827
Class 1
Franklin
William Marks
Adams
1825-1831
Class 3
Allegheny
Isaac D. Barnard
Jackson
1827-1831
Class 1
Chester
William Wilkins
Jackson
1831-1834
Class 3
Allegheny
George M. Dallas
Jackson
1831-1833
Class 1
Philadelphia
Seat Vacant
1833
Class 1
Samuel McKean
Jackson,Dem
1833-1839
Class 1
Bradford
James Buchanan
Jackson,Dem
1834-1845
Class 3
Lancaster
Seat Vacant
1839-1840
Class 1
Daniel Sturgeon
Democrat
1840-1851
Class 1
Fayette
Simon Cameron
Democrat
1845-1849
Class 3
Lancaster
James Cooper
Whig
1849-1855
Class 3
Schuylkill
Richard Brodhead
Democrat
1851-1857
Class 1
Northampton
Seat Vacant
1855-1856
Class 3
William Bigler
Democrat
1856-1861
Class 3
Clearfield
Simon Cameron
Republican
1857-1861
Class 1
Lancaster
Edgar Cowan
Republican
1861-1867
Class 3
Westmoreland
David Wilmot
Republican
1861-1863
Class 1
Bradford
Charles R. Buckalew
Democrat
1863-1869
Class 1
Columbia
Simon Cameron
Republican
1867-1877
Class 3
Lancaster
John Scott
Republican
1869-1875
Class 1
Huntingdon
William A. Wallace
Democrat
1875-1881
Class 1
Clearfield
James Donald Cameron
Republican
1877-1897
Class 3
Lancaster
John I. Mitchell
Republican
1881-1887
Class 1
Tioga
Matthew S. Quay
Republican
1887-1899
Class 1
Beaver
Boies Penrose
Republican
1897-1921
Class 3
Philadelphia
Seat Vacant
1899-1901
Class 1
Matthew S. Quay*
Republican
1901-1904
Class 1
Beaver
Philander C. Knox
Republican
1904-1909
Class 1
Allegheny
George T. Oliver
Republican
1909-1917
Class 1
Allegheny
Philander C. Knox
Republican
1917-1921
Class 1
Allegheny
William E. Crow*
Republican
1921-1922
Class 1
Fayette
George Wharton Pepper
Republican
1922-1927
Class 3
Philadelphia
David A. Reed
Republican
1922-1935
Class 1
Allegheny
William S. Vare
Republican
1927-1929
Class 3
Philadelphia
Joseph R. Grundy
Republican
1929-1930
Class 3
Bucks
James J. Davis
Republican
1930-1945
Class 3
Allegheny
Joseph F. Guffey
Democrat
1935-1947
Class 1
Westmoreland
Francis J. Myers
Democrat
1945-1951
Class 3
Philadelphia
Edward Martin
Republican
1947-1959
Class 1
Greene
James H. Duff
Republican
1951-1957
Class 3
Allegheny
Joseph S. Clark
Democrat
1957-1969
Class 3
Philadelphia
Hugh D. Scott, Jr.
Republican
1959-1977
Class 1
Philadelphia
Richard S. Schweiker
Republican
1969-1981
Class 3
Montgomery
H. John Heinz II
Republican
1977-1991
Class 1
Allegheny
Arlen Specter
Republican
1981+
Class 3
Philadelphia
Harris Wofford
Democrat
1991-1995
Class 1
Philadelphia
Rick Santorum
Republican
1995+
Class 1
Allegheny

* This column indicates the county in which the Senator's political base was located. In certain cases, this was a judgement call.
* Matthew S. Quay was appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy occasioned by the failure of the legislature to elect a Senator in 1899. The appointment was rejected by the Senate. Quay was elected by the legislature in 1901.
* William E. Crow was appointed on 17 October 1921 by the governor to the vacancy occasioned by the death of Philander Knox, who died on 12 October 1921. Crow, in turn, died on 2 August 1922 and was replaced by David A. Reed. Counting the death of Boies Penrose on 31 December 1921, who was replaced by George Wharton Pepper, Pennsylvania lost three U. S. Senators within the space of ten months.

You can secure brief biographical sketches and pictures of Senators at http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp

Senators Elected by the State Legislature (1788-1911)

Voting Table

Voting TableVoting Table
1788
1791
1793
1794
1795
1797
1801Muhlenburg
1801Logan
1802
1806
1808
1812
1814 Roberts1
1814 Roberts2
1818
1820-1821
1821
1824-1825
1826
1830
1831
1832
1832-3
1833
1834
1836
1838-9
1840
1843
1845 Sturgeon
1845 Cameron
1849
1851
1855
1856
1857
1861 Cowan
1861 Wilmot
1863
1867
1869
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1885
1887
1891
1893
1897
1899
1901
1903
1905
1909 Oliver
1909 Penrose
1911

Elected by Popular Vote (1914-2004)

Voting Table

Show MapVoting TableShow MapVoting TableShow Map
1914
1914 Map
1916
1916 Map
1920
1920 Map
1922 Pepper
1922 Map Pepper
1922 Reed
1922 Map Reed
1926
1926 Map
1928
1928 Map
1930
1930 Map
1932
1932 Map
1934
1934 Map
1938
1938 Map
1940
1940 Map
1944
1944 Map
1946
1946 Map
1950
1950 Map
1952
1952 Map
1956
1956 Map
1958
1958 Map
1962
1962 Map
1964
1964 Map
1968
1968 Map
1970
1970 Map
1974
1974 Map
1976
1976 Map
1980
1980 Map
1982
1982 Map
1986
1986 Map
1988
1988 Map
1991
1991 Map
1992
1992 Map
1994
1994 Map
1998
1998 Map
2000
2000 Map
2004
2004 Map