1848–49 United States House of Representatives elections

House elections for the 31st U.S. Congress From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1848–49 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between August 1848 and November 1849. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 31st United States Congress convened on December 3, 1849. The new state of Wisconsin elected its first representatives, and California also held its first congressional elections before officially achieving statehood in 1850, increasing the size of the House to 233 seats.

Quick Facts All 233 seats in the United States House of Representatives 117 seats needed for a majority, First party ...
1848–49 United States House of Representatives elections

 1846 & 1847 August 7, 1848 – November 6, 1849[a] 1850 & 1851 

All 233[b] seats in the United States House of Representatives
117 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Thumb Thumb
Leader Howell Cobb Robert C. Winthrop
Party Democratic Whig
Leader's seat Georgia 6th Massachusetts 1st
Last election 110 seats 116 seats
Seats won 113[b] 106
Seat change 3 10
Popular vote 1,212,632 1,231,320
Percentage 44.16% 44.84%
Swing 4.27% 0.32%

  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Free Soil Know Nothing
Last election New Party 1 seats
Seats won 9 1
Seat change 9
Popular vote 237,714 10,539
Percentage 8.66% 0.38%
Swing 5.57%[c] 0.83%

  Fifth party
 
Party Independent
Last election 3 seats[d]
Seats won 3[e]
Seat change
Popular vote 48,223
Percentage 1.76%
Swing 0.98%

Speaker before election

Robert C. Winthrop
Whig

Elected Speaker

Howell Cobb
Democratic

Close

These elections spanned the 1848 United States presidential election and took place amid the U.S. victory over Mexico in the (1846–48) Mexican–American War. The Whigs lost their House majority as Democrats, whose support had driven the war, gained a House plurality. Among minor parties, the Free Soil Party won nine Northern seats, while the American or "Know Nothing" Party retained one.

Following the discovery of gold in January 1848, California boomed, creating immediate pressure for statehood. The Compromise of 1850, though largely crafted in the Senate, was also passed by the House, brokering its admission to the Union. Anticipating statehood, California elected two members at-large on November 13, 1849, to be seated September 11, 1850.

As neither major party held a majority when Congress convened on December 3, 1849 ⁠— the Democrats finished three seats short, while the Whigs had lost 12 seats and the majority ⁠— the election of a Speaker proved contentious.

The Whigs were sectionally split, with Northern Whigs nominating incumbent speaker Robert C. Winthrop of Massachusetts and Southern Whigs supporting Meredith P. Gentry of Tennessee. Democrats primarily supported Howell Cobb of Georgia; 13 other Democratic hopefuls also garnered support. The small Free Soil Party, opposing expansion of slavery into the Western territories, supported David Wilmot of Pennsylvania, author of the Wilmot Proviso, calling attention to slave power's hold over both major parties.

After nearly three weeks of heated debate, the House suspended its majority rule for the Speaker election: Cobb was elected on the 63rd ballot by plurality.[1]

Election summaries

Summarize
Perspective

Wisconsin was apportioned an additional seat in 1848,[2] and two more seats were added for the new state of California.[3]

113 11 108
Democratic [f] Whig
More information State, Type ...
State Type Date Total
seats
Democratic Free Soil Whig Other
Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change
Arkansas At-large August 7, 1848 1 1 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Illinois District August 7, 1848 7 6 Steady 0 Steady 1 Steady 0 Steady
Iowa District August 7, 1848 2 2 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Missouri District August 7, 1848 5 5 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Vermont District September 5, 1848 4 1 Steady 0 Steady 3 Steady 0 Steady
Maine District September 11, 1848 7 5 Decrease1 0 Steady 2 Increase1 0 Steady
Florida At-large October 2, 1848 1 0 Steady 0 Steady 1 Steady 0 Steady
Georgia District October 2, 1848 8 4 Steady 0 Steady 4 Steady 0 Steady
South Carolina District October 9–10, 1848 7 7 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Ohio District October 10, 1848 21 11 Increase1 2 Increase2 8 Decrease3 0 Steady
Pennsylvania District October 10, 1848 24 9 Increase2 1 Increase1 13 Decrease3 1[g] Steady
Delaware At-large November 6, 1848 1 0 Steady 0 Steady 1 Steady 0 Steady
Michigan District November 7, 1848
(Election Day)[h]
3 2 Decrease1 0 Steady 1 Increase1 0 Steady
New Jersey District 5 1 Steady 0 Steady 4 Steady 0 Steady
New York District 34 1 Decrease10 1 Increase1 32 Increase9 0 Steady
Wisconsin District 3[i] 1 Decrease1 1 Increase1 1 Increase1 0 Steady
Massachusetts District November 13, 1848 10[j] 0 Steady 1 Increase1 8 Decrease2 0 Steady
Late elections, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term
New Hampshire District March 13, 1849 4 2 Steady 1 Increase1 1 Steady 0 Decrease1[k]
Connecticut District April 2, 1849 4 2 Increase2 1 Increase1 1 Decrease3 0 Steady
Rhode Island District April 4, 1849 2 0 Decrease1 0 Steady 2 Increase1 0 Steady
Virginia District April 26, 1849 15 13 Increase4 0 Steady 2 Decrease4 0 Steady
Tennessee District August 2, 1849 11 7 Increase1 0 Steady 4 Decrease1 0 Steady
Alabama District August 6, 1849 7 5 Steady 0 Steady 2 Steady 0 Steady
Indiana District August 6, 1849 10 8 Increase2 1 Increase1 1 Decrease3 0 Steady
Kentucky District August 6, 1849 10 4 Steady 0 Steady 6 Steady 0 Steady
Texas District August 6, 1849 2 2 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
North Carolina District August 7, 1849 9 3 Steady 0 Steady 6 Steady 0 Steady
Maryland District October 3, 1849 6 3 Increase1 0 Steady 3 Decrease1 0 Steady
Louisiana District November 5, 1849 4 3 Steady 0 Steady 1 Steady 0 Steady
Mississippi District November 5–6, 1849 4 4 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Decrease1 0 Steady
California At-large November 11, 1849[l] 2 1 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Steady 1[m] Increase1
Total[b] 233 113
48.7%
Increase1 9
3.9%
Increase9 108
46.6%
Decrease8 2
0.9%
Steady
Close
More information Popular vote ...
Popular vote
Democratic
44.16%
Free Soil
8.66%
Independent
1.76%
Know Nothing
0.38%
Others
0.20%
Whig
44.84%
Close
More information House seats ...
House seats
Democratic
49.78%
Free Soil
3.46%
Independent
1.30%
Know Nothing
0.43%
Whig
45.02%
Close

Special elections

30th Congress

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member / Delegate Party First elected Results Candidates
Pennsylvania 6 John W. Hornbeck Whig 1846 Incumbent died January 16, 1848.
New member elected March 6, 1848.
Democratic gain.
Winner was not a candidate for the next term; see below.
Massachusetts 8 John Quincy Adams Whig 1830 Incumbent died February 23, 1848.
New member elected April 3, 1848.
Whig hold.
Winner later re-elected to the next term; see below.
  • Green tickY Horace Mann (Whig) 60.07%
  • Edgar K. Whitaker (Democratic) 26.91%
  • Appleton Howe (Liberty) 13.02%[4]
South Carolina 1 James A. Black Democratic 1843 Incumbent died April 3, 1848.
New member elected October 10, 1848.
Democratic hold.
Winner later re-elected to the next term; see below.
  • Green tickY Daniel Wallace (Democratic) 39.59%
  • H. F. Thompson (Unknown) 35.77%
  • W. F. Davie (Unknown) 24.64%[5]
New York 27 John M. Holley Whig 1846 Incumbent died March 8, 1848.
New member elected November 7, 1848.
Whig hold.
Winner later re-elected to the next term; see below.
  • Green tickY Esbon Blackmar (Whig) 45.62%
  • James C. Smith (Free Soil) 40.89%
  • Cullen Foster (Democratic) 13.49%[6]
South Carolina 4 Alexander D. Sims Democratic 1844 Incumbent died November 22, 1848.
New member elected January 9, 1849.
Democratic hold.
Winner later elected to the next term; see below.
Wisconsin Territory at-large New delegate elected October 30, 1848.
Close

31st Congress

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
South Carolina 4 Alexander D. Sims Democratic 1844 Incumbent had been re-elected, see below, but died November 22, 1848.
New member elected January 16, 1849.
Democratic hold.
Winner had already been elected to finish the current term; see above.
Ohio 6 Rodolphus Dickinson Democratic Incumbent died March 20, 1849.
New member elected in 1849.
Vermont 3 George P. Marsh Whig 1843 Incumbent resigned when appointed U.S. Minister to the Ottoman Empire.
Whig hold.
Virginia 15 Alexander Newman Democratic 1849 Incumbent died September 8, 1949.
Whig gain.
Close

Alabama

Elections were held August 6, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Alabama 1
Alabama 2
Alabama 3
Alabama 4
Alabama 5
Alabama 6
Alabama 7
Close

Arkansas

The election was held August 7, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Arkansas at-large Thomas W. Newton Whig 1847 (special) Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Close

California

In California two at-large members were elected November 13, 1849 in anticipation of statehood and seated September 11, 1850.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
California at-large
2 seats elected on a general ticket
None (new state) New seat.
Independent gain.
Others
  • Peter Halsted (Unknown) 2.4%
  • L. W. Hastings (Unknown) 0.9%
  • Pierson B. Reading (Whig) 0.7%
  • W. H. Russell (Unknown) 0.4%
  • J. S. Thompson (Unknown) 0.3%
  • Kimball H. Dimmick (Unknown) 0.2%
None (new state) New seat.
Democratic gain.
Close

Connecticut

Summarize
Perspective

Elections were held April 2, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[12]
Connecticut 1 James Dixon Whig 1845 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Connecticut 2 Samuel D. Hubbard Whig 1845 Incumbent lost re-election.
Free Soil gain.
Connecticut 3 John A. Rockwell Whig 1845 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Connecticut 4 Truman Smith Whig 1845 Incumbent retired.
Whig hold.
  • Green tickY Thomas B. Butler (Whig) 51.4%
  • Nathaniel H. Wildman (Democratic) 44.4%
  • Barstow F. White (Free Soil) 4.1%
Close

Delaware

The election was held November 6, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Delaware at-large
Close

Florida

Florida's single at-large member was elected October 2, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Florida at-large Edward C. Cabell Whig 1846 Incumbent re-elected.
Close

Georgia

Elections were held October 2, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Georgia 1
Georgia 2
Georgia 3
Georgia 4
Georgia 5
Georgia 6
Georgia 7
Georgia 8
Close

Illinois

Elections were held August 7, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Illinois 1
Illinois 2
Illinois 3
Illinois 4
Illinois 5
Illinois 6
Illinois 7
Close

Indiana

Elections were held August 10, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Indiana 1
Indiana 2
Indiana 3
Indiana 4
Indiana 5
Indiana 6
Indiana 7
Indiana 8
Indiana 9
Indiana 10
Close

Iowa

Elections were held August 7, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Iowa 1
Iowa 2
Close

Kentucky

Elections were held August 6, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Kentucky 1
Kentucky 2
Kentucky 3
Kentucky 4
Kentucky 5
Kentucky 6
Kentucky 7
Kentucky 8
Kentucky 9
Kentucky 10
Close

Louisiana

Elections were held November 5, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Louisiana 1
Louisiana 2
Louisiana 3
Louisiana 4
Close

Maine

Elections were held September 11, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Maine 1
Maine 2
Maine 3
Maine 4
Maine 5
Maine 6
Maine 7
Close

Maryland

Elections were held October 3, 1849 elections were after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the new term, but still before the Congress convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Maryland 1
Maryland 2
Maryland 3
Maryland 4
Maryland 5
Maryland 6
Close

Massachusetts

Elections were held November 13, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Massachusetts 1
Massachusetts 2
Massachusetts 3
Massachusetts 4 John G. Palfrey Whig 1846 Incumbent lost re-election as Free Soil candidate.
No member elected due to failure to achieve majority vote.
Whig loss.
Massachusetts 5
Massachusetts 6
Massachusetts 7 Julius Rockwell Whig 1844 (late) Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Julius Rockwell (Whig) 51.40%
  • Thomas F. Plunkett (Democratic) 28.22%
  • Charles Sedgwick (Free Soil) 20.38%[14]
Massachusetts 8
Massachusetts 9
Massachusetts 10
Close

Michigan

Elections were held November 7, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Michigan 1 Robert McClelland Democratic 1843 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
  • Green tickY Alexander W. Buel (Democratic) 46.7%
  • George C. Bates (Whig) 40.8%
  • Caleb N. Ormsby (Free Soil) 12.4%[15]
Michigan 2 Charles E. Stuart Democratic 1847 (special) Incumbent lost re-election.
Whig gain.
Michigan 3 Kinsley S. Bingham Democratic 1846 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Kinsley S. Bingham (Democratic) 51.0%
  • George H. Hazelton (Whig) 38.7%
  • John M. Lamb (Free Soil) 10.3%[17]
Close

Minnesota Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Mississippi

Summarize
Perspective

Elections were held November 5–6, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Mississippi 1 Jacob Thompson Democratic 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Mississippi 2 Winfield S. Featherston Democratic 1847 Incumbent re-elected.
Mississippi 3 Patrick W. Tompkins Whig 1847 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Mississippi 4 Albert G. Brown Democratic 1847 Incumbent re-elected.
Close

Missouri

Elections were held August 7, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Missouri 1
Missouri 2
Missouri 3
Missouri 4
Missouri 5
Close

New Hampshire

Elections were held March 13, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
New Hampshire 1
New Hampshire 2
New Hampshire 3
New Hampshire 4
Close

New Jersey

Elections were held November 7, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
New Jersey 1
New Jersey 2
New Jersey 3
New Jersey 4
New Jersey 5
Close

New York

Elections were held November 7, 1848.

North Carolina

Elections were held August 7, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
Close

Ohio

Elections were held October 10, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
Close

Oregon Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Pennsylvania

Elections were held October 10, 1848.

Rhode Island

Elections were held April 4, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Rhode Island 1
Rhode Island 2
Close

South Carolina

Elections were held October 9–10, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
South Carolina 1
South Carolina 2
South Carolina 3
South Carolina 4 Alexander D. Sims Democratic 1844 Incumbent re-elected.
Incumbent then died November 22, 1848, leading to two special elections.
South Carolina 5
South Carolina 6
South Carolina 7
Close

Tennessee

Summarize
Perspective
Thumb
Tennessee Results, shaded according to winning candidates share of vote

Elections were held August 2, 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Tennessee 1 Andrew Johnson Democratic 1842 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 2 William M. Cocke Whig 1845 Incumbent lost re-election as a Democrat.
Whig hold.
Tennessee 3 John H. Crozier Whig 1845 Incumbent retired.
Whig hold.
Tennessee 4 Hugh L.W. Hill Democratic 1847 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
  • Green tickY John H. Savage (Democratic) 48.44%
  • Samuel Turney (Unknown) 38.82%
  • John B. Rogers (Whig) 12.74%[26]
Tennessee 5 George W. Jones Democratic 1842 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 6 James H. Thomas Democratic 1847 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 7 Meredith P. Gentry Whig 1845 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 8 Washington Barrow Whig 1847 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 9 Lucien B. Chase Democratic 1845 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Tennessee 10 Frederick P. Stanton Democratic 1845 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 11 William T. Haskell Whig 1847 Incumbent retired.
Whig hold.
Close

Texas

Elections were held August 6, 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Texas 1
Texas 2
Close

Vermont

Summarize
Perspective

Elections were held September 5, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[9]
Vermont 1 William Henry Whig 1846 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY William Henry (Whig) 53.9%
  • Daniel Roberts Jr. (Free Soil) 31.9%
  • Jonathan D. Bradley (Democratic) 9.6%
Vermont 2 Jacob Collamer Whig 1843 Incumbent retired.
Whig hold.
First ballot
  • William Hebard (Whig) 44.4%
  • Sumner A. Webber (Free Soil) 28.9%
  • Edmund Weston (Democratic) 17.0%
Second ballot
  • Green tickY William Hebard (Whig) 50.3%
  • Sumner A. Webber (Free Soil) 46.9%
  • Edmund Weston (Democratic) 2.7%
Vermont 3 George P. Marsh Whig 1843 Incumbent re-elected.
First ballot
Second ballot
Vermont 4 Lucius B. Peck Democratic 1846 Incumbent re-elected.
First ballot
  • Lucius B. Peck (Democratic) 42.5%
  • John L. Buck (Whig) 35.5%
  • A. Judson Rowell (Liberty) 21.9%
Second ballot
  • Green tickY Lucius B. Peck (Democratic) 43.2%
  • George B. Chandler (Whig) 35.9%
  • A. Judson Rowell (Liberty) 20.9%
Close

Virginia

Summarize
Perspective

Elections were held April 26, 1849, after the March 4, 1849 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[34]
Virginia 1 Archibald Atkinson Democratic 1843 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
  • Green tickY John Millson (Democratic) 51.7%
  • Samuel Watts (Whig) 48.3%
Virginia 2 Richard Kidder Meade Democratic 1847 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Richard Kidder Meade (Democratic) 88.7%
  • [FNU] Shell (Unknown) 5.7%
  • S. J. Weisigner (Whig) 5.7%
Virginia 3 Thomas Flournoy Whig 1847 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 4 Thomas S. Bocock Democratic 1847 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 5 William L. Goggin Whig 1839
1843 (lost contest)
1844 (special)
1845 (retired)
1847
Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 6 John Botts Whig 1839
1843 (lost)
1847
Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 7 Thomas H. Bayly Democratic 1844 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 8 Richard L. T. Beale Democratic 1847 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Virginia 9 John Pendleton Whig 1845 Incumbent lost re-election.
Independent Whig gain.
Virginia 10 Henry Bedinger Democratic 1845 Incumbent lost renomination.
Democratic hold.
Virginia 11 James McDowell Democratic 1846 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 12 William B. Preston Whig 1847 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 13 Andrew S. Fulton Whig 1847 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 14 Robert A. Thompson Democratic 1847 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Virginia 15 William G. Brown Sr. Democratic 1845 Incumbent lost renomination.
Democratic hold.
Close

Wisconsin

Summarize
Perspective

Wisconsin members were first elected in advance of its June 1848 statehood. It elected two members to finish the current term in the 30th Congress, and then it gained an elected an additional member for elections to the 31st Congress.

30th Congress

Wisconsin's two members were elected May 8, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[35]
Wisconsin 1 None (new state) New seat.
Democratic gain.
Wisconsin 2 None (new state) New seat.
Democratic gain.
Close

31st Congress

Wisconsin's three members were elected November 7, 1848.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[35]
Wisconsin 1 William Pitt Lynde Democratic 1848 Incumbent lost re-election.
Free Soil gain.
Wisconsin 2 Mason C. Darling Democratic 1848 Incumbent retired.
Whig gain.
Wisconsin 3 None (new district) New seat.
Democratic gain.
Close

Non-voting delegates

Going into these elections, there were no incumbent delegates, because the only territory — Wisconsin Territorybecame a state in 1848. Two new territories — Minnesota Territory and Oregon Territory — were granted delegates in 1849.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Delegate Party First elected Results Candidates
Minnesota Territory New district New seat.
New delegate elected July 7, 1849.
Democratic gain.
Oregon Territory New district New seat.
New delegate elected in 1849.
Democratic gain.
Close

See also

Notes

  1. Excludes states admitted during the 31st Congress
  2. Includes late elections
  3. In comparison to its precursor, the Liberty Party, in the last election cycle.
  4. Includes two Independent Democrats.
  5. Includes one Independent, one Independent Whig, and one Anti-Rent Whig.
  6. There were 9 Free Soilers, 1 Know Nothing, and 1 Independent.
  7. In 1845, Congress passed a law providing for a uniform date for choosing presidential electors (see: Statutes at Large, 28th Congress, 2nd Session, p. 721). Congressional elections were unaffected by this law, but the date was gradually adopted by the states for congressional elections as well.
  8. Increase of 1 seat.
  9. One vacancy, in Massachusetts's 4th district, for the duration of the 31st Congress (as no candidate received a majority of the vote after multiple elections).
  10. Previous election had 1 Independent.
  11. Seated September 11, 1850 after admission to the Union.
  12. 1 Independent elected.

References

Bibliography

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