The special election in Pennsylvania was held on January 15, 1901, after the regularly scheduled legislative election in January–April 1899 failed to elect a Senator. Former Senator
Matthew Quay, who had left the Senate for nearly two years because of the political stalemate, was again elected by the
Pennsylvania General Assembly to the
United States Senate.
Republican Matthew Quay was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the
House of Representatives and the
Senate, in the
1893 election. With Sen. Quay's term expiring on March 4, 1899, the General Assembly convened on January 18, 1899, to elect a Senator for the next term. Between January 18 and April 19, 1899, seventy-nine ballots were recorded in an attempt to elect a Senator. Instead, the legislature adjourned
sine die without electing a Senator due to a dispute between Sen. Quay's
political machine and an anti-Quay faction within the Republican Party, along with
Democratic Party opposition. Sen. Quay's term expired on March 4, 1899. Since a Senator had not been elected for the successive term, the seat was vacated. At the time, Quay was under
indictment for misuse of funds. He was
acquitted, after which Governor
William Stone appointed Quay to the vacated Senate seat (a power the Governor did not legally have until the ratification of the
17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1913). The Senate refused to recognize Quay's appointment, and the seat remained vacant until a Senator could be officially elected (which would ultimately be Quay himself, after a nearly two-year hiatus). This incident, among others, would later be cited by supporters of the 17th Amendment, which mandated the
direct election of U.S. Senators. The Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on January 15, 1901, for a special election to elect a Senator to serve out the remainder of the term that began on March 4, 1899. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows: == See also ==