1962 United States Senate elections

1962 United States Senate elections

← 1960 November 6, 1962 1964 →

39 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate
51 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Mike Mansfield Everett Dirksen
Party Democratic Republican
Leader since January 3, 1961 January 3, 1959
Leader's seat Montana Illinois
Seats before 64 36
Seats after 68 32
Seat change Increase 4 Decrease 4
Popular vote 21,387,598[1] 20,897,719[1]
Percentage 50.3% 49.1%
Seats up 21 18
Races won 25 14

1962 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts1962 United States Senate special election in Wyoming1962 United States Senate special election in Idaho1962 United States Senate special election in New Hampshire1962 United States Senate special election in Kansas1962 United States Senate election in Alabama1962 United States Senate election in Alaska1962 United States Senate election in Arizona1962 United States Senate election in Arkansas1962 United States Senate election in California1962 United States Senate election in Colorado1962 United States Senate election in Connecticut1962 United States Senate election in Florida1962 United States Senate election in Georgia1962 United States Senate election in Hawaii1962 United States Senate election in Idaho1962 United States Senate election in Illinois1962 United States Senate election in Indiana1962 United States Senate election in Iowa1962 United States Senate election in Kansas1962 United States Senate election in Kentucky1962 United States Senate election in Louisiana1962 United States Senate election in Maryland1962 United States Senate election in Missouri1962 United States Senate election in Nevada1962 United States Senate election in New Hampshire1962 United States Senate election in New York1962 United States Senate election in North Carolina1962 United States Senate election in North Dakota1962 United States Senate election in Ohio1962 United States Senate election in Oklahoma1962 United States Senate election in Oregon1962 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania1962 United States Senate election in South Carolina1962 United States Senate election in South Dakota1962 United States Senate election in Utah1962 United States Senate election in Vermont1962 United States Senate election in Washington1962 United States Senate election in Wisconsin
Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Republican gain      Republican hold
     No election
Rectangular inset (Id., Kan. & N. H.): both seats up for election

Majority Leader before election

Mike Mansfield
Democratic

Elected Majority Leader

Mike Mansfield
Democratic

The 1962 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate. Held on November 6, the 34 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. They occurred in the middle of President John F. Kennedy's term. His Democratic Party made a net gain of four seats from the Republicans, increasing their control of the Senate to 68–32. However, this was reduced to 67–33 between the election and the next Congress, as on November 18, 1962, Democrat Dennis Chávez, who was not up for election that year, died. He was replaced on November 30, 1962, by Republican appointee Edwin L. Mechem. Additionally, Democrat Strom Thurmond became a Republican in 1964, further reducing Democrats to 66–34. This was the first time since 1932 that Democrats gained seats in this class of Senators.

This was the first time since 1914 that the president's party gained seats in the Senate and lost seats in the House, this would occur again in 1970, 2018, and 2022. This was the last time until 2022 that the Democrats would win full terms in Arizona's and Pennsylvania's Class 3 Senate seats.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Clerk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).