To confirm the nomination of william h. Rehnquist to be an associate justice of the supreme court.

On Dec 10, 1971, the Senate voted 68–26. Result: passed. By party: Democrats 29–24, Republicans 39–3, Others 1–0, Independents 1–0. It was a bipartisan vote: majorities of both parties voted yes. 27 members voted against their own party.

During the 92nd Congress (1971–1972), Richard Nixon was president, and Democrats held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Yes: 68
No: 26
Did not vote: 5
Date: Dec 10, 1971

By party

Democrats29 yes · 24 no · 2 didn’t vote
Republicans39 yes · 3 no · 3 didn’t vote
Others1 yes · 0 no
Independents1 yes · 0 no

Who broke with their party

Maurice Robert (Mike) Gravel D-AK voted no
James William Fulbright D-AR voted no
Alan Cranston D-CA voted no
John Varick Tunney D-CA voted no
Abraham Alexander Ribicoff D-CT voted no
Daniel Ken Inouye D-HI voted no
Harold Everett Hughes D-IA voted no
Frank Forrester Church D-ID voted no
Birch Evans Bayh D-IN voted no
Rupert Vance Hartke D-IN voted no
Edward Moore (Ted) Kennedy D-MA voted no
Edward William Brooke III R-MA voted no
Edmund Sixtus Muskie D-ME voted no
Philip Aloysius Hart D-MI voted no
Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. D-MN voted no
Walter Frederick Mondale D-MN voted no
Lee Warren Metcalf D-MT voted no
Michael Joseph (Mike) Mansfield D-MT voted no
Clifford Philip Case R-NJ voted no
Harrison Arlington Williams Jr. D-NJ voted no
Jacob Koppel Javits R-NY voted no
Fred Roy Harris D-OK voted no
George Stanley Mcgovern D-SD voted no
Frank Edward (Ted) Moss D-UT voted no
Henry Martin (Scoop) Jackson D-WA voted no
Warren Grant Magnuson D-WA voted no
Gaylord Anton Nelson D-WI voted no

How each senator voted: Yes

How each senator voted: No

Did not vote

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “To confirm the nomination of william h…: Senate Vote, Dec 10, 1971,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/92-S-417/to-confirm-the-nomination-of-william-h-rehnquist-to (accessed 2026-10-17).