1902 Alabama Senate election
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The 1902 Alabama Senate election took place on Tuesday, November 4, 1902, to elect 18 of the chamber's 35 representatives to serve four-year terms in the Alabama Senate. This was the first state senate election held in Alabama after the ratification of the 1901 Alabama Constitution. The constitution increased the size of the state senate from 33 members to 35, creating a new 34th and 35th district.[2] After the establishment of Houston County and its placement in the 35th district in 1903, these districts would remain intact until the 1962 election, when federal courts mandated new districts be drawn.[3]
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November 4, 1902
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18 of 35 seats in the Alabama State Senate (even-numbered and 35th districts) 18 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Democratic hold Populist hold | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As a result of the 1900 election, there was only one non-Democrat in the Senate, holdover Populist senator James A. Hurst of District 6.[4] Hurst was re-elected on a Republican-Populist fusion ticket, remaining the only non-Democrat in the Senate.[5] Joel W. Goldsby of Mobile County was unanimously elected President pro tempore of the Senate when the legislature convened.[6]
Summary
| Party | Candidates | Seats | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Num. | Vote | % | Before | Up | Won | After | +/â | ||
| Democratic | 18 | 28,666 | 82.09% | 32 | 17 | 17 | 34 |  2 | |
| Populist | 3 | 4,071 | 11.66% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |  | |
| Republican | 2 | 6,086 | 17.43% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | |
| Total | 23 | 34,919 | 100% | 33 | 35 | 2 | |||
By district
| District | Democrats | Populists and Republicans | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % | Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | Maj. | Mrg. | |
| 6th | Marcus M. Smith | 1,981 | 48.77% | James A. Hurst (Pop-Rep.) | 2,081 | 51.23% | 4,062 | â100 | â2.46% |
| 8th | William B. Castleberry | 1,475 | 86.16% | Graves Embry (Rep.) | 237 | 13.84% | 1,712 | +1,238 | +72.31% |
| 12th | Christopher C. Nesmith | 2,697 | 58.10% | H. P. Gaines (Rep.) | 1,945 | 41.90% | 4,642 | +752 | +16.20% |
| 34th | Walter Scott Smith | 2,720 | 59.87% | W. J. Campbell (Pop-Rep.) | 1,823 | 40.13% | 4,543 | +897 | +19.74% |
| 35th | William Oates Long | 1,365 | 89.10% | John W. Smith (Pop.) | 167 | 10.90% | 1,532 | +1,198 | +78.20% |
| Source: Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1903 (p. 243â244)[7] | |||||||||
In January 1903, M. M. Smith, the Democratic nominee in Senate District 6, contested the election of Populist James A. Hurst, alleging voter irregularities.[8] Hurst remained seated.