1899 United States Senate election in Wisconsin
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| Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 1899 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held in the 44th Wisconsin Legislature between January 25, 1899, and January 31, 1899. Incumbent Democratic U.S. senator John L. Mitchell did not run for a second term. Republican lawyer and former state legislator Joseph V. Quarles was elected to succeed him on the sixth ballot.[1]
In the 1899 term, Republicans held overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature, so had more than enough votes to elect a Republican United States senator. But an intense five-way contest for the Republican nomination left the caucus unable to select a nominee before the start of the joint convention. After a week of voting in joint convention and 93 ballots in the Republican caucus, Isaac Stephenson, Joseph W. Babcock, Samuel A. Cook, and Charles M. Webb withdrew their candidacies and endorsed Kenosha attorney Joseph V. Quarles.
Major candidates
Democratic
- Timothy E. Ryan, prominent lawyer and member of the Democratic National Committee from Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Republican
- Joseph W. Babcock, incumbent U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district, from Necedah, Wisconsin.
- Samuel A. Cook, former U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 6th congressional district, from Neenah, Wisconsin.
- Joseph V. Quarles, prominent lawyer, former mayor, and former state legislator from Kenosha, Wisconsin.
- Isaac Stephenson, former U.S. representative of Wisconsin's 9th congressional district, from Marinette, Wisconsin.
- Charles M. Webb, Wisconsin circuit court judge and former U.S. attorney from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
Results
Vote on January 25, 1899
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joseph V. Quarles | 41 | 31.78% | ||
| Republican | Isaac Stephenson | 26 | 20.16% | ||
| Democratic | Timothy E. Ryan | 19 | 14.73% | ||
| Republican | Samuel A. Cook | 17 | 13.18% | ||
| Republican | Joseph W. Babcock | 16 | 12.40% | ||
| Republican | Charles M. Webb | 10 | 7.75% | ||
| Absent or not voting | 4 | ||||
| Majority | 65 | 50.39% | |||
| Total votes | 129 | 96.99% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
Vote on January 26, 1899
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joseph V. Quarles | 41 | 32.54% | ||
| Republican | Isaac Stephenson | 26 | 20.63% | ||
| Democratic | Timothy E. Ryan | 17 | 13.49% | 2 | |
| Republican | Samuel A. Cook | 16 | 12.70% | 1 | |
| Republican | Joseph W. Babcock | 16 | 12.70% | ||
| Republican | Charles M. Webb | 10 | 7.94% | ||
| Absent or not voting | 7 | ||||
| Majority | 64 | 50.79% | |||
| Total votes | 126 | 94.74% | 3 | ||
| Void election result | |||||
Vote on January 27, 1899
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joseph V. Quarles | 42 | 33.33% | 1 | |
| Republican | Isaac Stephenson | 22 | 17.46% | 4 | |
| Republican | Samuel A. Cook | 20 | 15.87% | 4 | |
| Republican | Joseph W. Babcock | 16 | 12.70% | ||
| Democratic | Timothy E. Ryan | 16 | 12.70% | 1 | |
| Republican | Charles M. Webb | 10 | 7.94% | ||
| Absent or not voting | 7 | ||||
| Majority | 64 | 50.79% | |||
| Total votes | 126 | 94.74% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
Vote on January 28, 1899
A large number were absent on January 28, including nearly all the Democratic legislators.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joseph V. Quarles | 39 | 36.45% | 3 | |
| Republican | Samuel A. Cook | 21 | 19.63% | 1 | |
| Republican | Isaac Stephenson | 19 | 17.76% | 3 | |
| Republican | Joseph W. Babcock | 16 | 14.95% | ||
| Republican | Charles M. Webb | 10 | 9.35% | ||
| Democratic | Timothy E. Ryan | 2 | 1.87% | 14 | |
| Absent or not voting | 26 | ||||
| Majority | 54 | 50.47% | |||
| Total votes | 107 | 80.45% | 19 | ||
| Void election result | |||||
Vote on January 30, 1899
By law, the legislature was required to convene in joint session each day (except sundays) to vote until they reached a majority for U.S. senator. On January 30, by agreement between the various candidates, most legislators were allowed to be absent, with each declared candidate designating one trusted supporter to arrive and cast a placeholder vote.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joseph W. Babcock | 1[a] | 16.67% | ||
| Republican | Samuel A. Cook | 1[b] | 16.67% | ||
| Republican | Joseph V. Quarles | 1[c] | 16.67% | ||
| Democratic | Timothy E. Ryan | 1[d] | 16.67% | ||
| Republican | Isaac Stephenson | 1[e] | 16.67% | ||
| Republican | Charles M. Webb | 1[f] | 16.67% | ||
| Absent or not voting | 127 | ||||
| Majority | 4 | 66.67% | |||
| Total votes | 6 | 4.51% | |||
| Void election result | |||||
Vote on January 31, 1899
After the Republican caucus came to consensus the previous evening, the 44th Wisconsin Legislature re-convened in joint session at noon on January 31.[2] Voting went entirely along party lines, with five members absent. Of the members present and voting, Joseph V. Quarles received the votes of all the Republican legislators, winning the election.[1]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joseph V. Quarles | 110[g] | 85.94% | 71 | |
| Democratic | Timothy E. Ryan | 18[h] | 14.06% | 16 | |
| Absent or not voting | 5 | ||||
| Majority | 65 | 50.78% | |||
| Total votes | 128 | 96.24% | 21 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | |||||
Notes
- ^ On January 30, Republican representative Gilbert Vandercook was the designated voter for Babcock.
- ^ On January 30, Republican representative Thomas McDonald Jr. was the designated voter for Cook.
- ^ On January 30, Republican speaker George H. Ray was the designated voter for Quarles.
- ^ On January 30, Democratic representative Matthew Killilea was the designated voter for Ryan.
- ^ On January 30, Republican representative August Zinn was the designated voter for Stephenson.
- ^ On January 30, Republican representative Andrew Jensen was the designated voter for Webb.
- ^ On the 6th ballot, Quarles received the votes of all Republicans except representatives William Hughes and Philo A. Orton (who were absent).
- ^ On the 6th ballot, Ryan received the votes of all Democrats except senator Michael A. Jacobs and representatives Nicholas E. Becker and Louie Augustus Lange (who were all absent).
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h State of Wisconsin Assembly Journal (Report). Wisconsin Legislature. 1899. pp. 69, 84–86, 90–91, 95–96, 99–100, 102–103, 108–110. Retrieved March 22, 2025 – via HathiTrust.
- ^ "The Caucus that Nominated Quarles". Wisconsin State Journal. January 31, 1899. p. 1. Retrieved March 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.