The1834 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania was held on December 6, 1834. FuturePresident of the United StatesJames Buchanan was elected by thePennsylvania General Assembly to theUnited States Senate.[1]
DemocratWilliam Wilkins was elected to the United States Senate by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of theHouse of Representatives and theSenate, in1830. Sen. Wilkins resigned on June 30, 1834, after being appointedU.S. Minister to Russia by PresidentAndrew Jackson.[2]
Following the resignation of Sen. William Wilkins, the Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on December 6, 1834, to elect a new Senator to fill the vacancy. Four ballots were recorded. The results of the fourth and final ballot of both houses combined are as follows:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Buchanan | 66 | 49.62 | |
| Anti-Masonic | Amos Ellmaker | 31 | 23.31 | |
| Democratic | James Clarke | 26 | 19.55 | |
| National Republican | Joseph Lawrence | 6 | 4.51 | |
| Democratic | Joel Sutherland | 1 | 0.75 | |
| N/A | Not voting | 3 | 2.26 | |
| Totals | 133 | 100.00% | ||
| Preceded by | Pennsylvania U.S. Senate election (Class III) 1834 | Succeeded by |