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1846–47 United States House of Representatives elections
House elections for the 30th U.S. Congress From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 1846–47 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between August 2, 1846, and November 2, 1847. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives. 228 elected members representing 29 states took their seats when the first session of the 30th United States Congress convened December 6, 1847. The new states of Iowa and Texas elected their first representatives during this election cycle. These elections were held during President James K. Polk's term.
The Whigs gained 37 seats to win 116 and a change in partisan control, while the rival Democrats lost 30, falling to 112.[e] The Whigs gained seats in the Mid-Atlantic and the South. The nativist and anti-Catholic Native American Party, also known as the Know Nothings, was reduced to one seat. One Independent, Amos Tuck, was elected from New Hampshire.
The Mexican–American War, which the incumbent House had voted overwhelmingly to approve, was the main issue. The war had much stronger voter support in the West, South, and among Democrats than in the East, North, and among Whigs.
It was widely, accurately believed that war with Mexico would be won with large territorial gains. The Wilmot Proviso was the first congressional attempt to address slavery in these projected new territories, by proposing to ban it. Congress rejected the Wilmot Proviso, but not quickly or smoothly. Protracted debate aggravated sectional tensions. The repeated failure of Congress, and later also the President and Supreme Court, over the next decade to resolve the issue of slavery in the territories was a major cause of the Civil War.
This was the last time the Whig Party won a House majority, though candidates opposed to the Democratic Party would win a large majority in the realigning 1854 election. Notable freshmen included Abraham Lincoln of Illinois, elected as a Whig to his only term.
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Election summaries
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The trend toward single-member districts culminated as no multi-member districts featured.
In 1845, partly motivated by the successful 1844 test of the electric telegraph between Washington and Baltimore, Congress established a uniform date for choosing Presidential electors. Gradually, states aligned nearly all elections with this date, though as of this election, only three states had done so.
Two seats were added for the new State of Wisconsin.[1] Wisconsin was unrepresented for most of the first session.
110 | 2 | 116 |
Democratic | [f] | Whig |

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Special elections
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Alabama
Elections were held August 2, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
Arkansas
Arkansas elected its sole member August 3, 1846.
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Connecticut
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Elections were held April 5, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
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Delaware
The election was held November 10, 1846.
Florida
The election was held October 5, 1846.
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Georgia
Elections were held October 5, 1846.
Illinois
Elections were held August 3, 1846.
Indiana
Elections were held August 2, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
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Iowa
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Elections to the 29th Congress
Elections for the new state were held October 26, 1846.
Elections to the 30th Congress
Elections were held August 2, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
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Kentucky
Elections were held August 2, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
Louisiana
Elections were held November 2, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
Maine
Elections were held September 14, 1846.
Maryland
Elections were held October 6, 1847 elections were after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the new term, but still before the Congress convened in December 1847.
Massachusetts
Elections were held November 9, 1846.
Michigan
Elections were held November 3, 1846.
Mississippi
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Elections were held November 1–2, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
Missouri
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Elections were held August 2, 1846. All five seats remained Democratic. Three of the members retired.
New Hampshire
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Elections were held March 9, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847. Two of the districts had run-off elections in July 1847.
New Jersey
Elections were held November 3, 1846.
New York
Elections were held November 3, 1846.
North Carolina
Elections were held August 5, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
Ohio
Elections were held October 13, 1846.
Pennsylvania
Elections were held October 13, 1846.
Rhode Island
Elections were held April 7, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
South Carolina
Elections were held October 12–13, 1846.
Tennessee
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Elections were held August 2, 1847.
Texas
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29th Congress
Elections for the 29th Congress were held in March 1846.[42]
30th Congress
Elections for the 30th United States Congress were held November 2, 1846.[43]
Vermont
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Elections were held September 1, 1846.
Virginia
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Elections were held April 22, 1847, after the March 4, 1847 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1847.
Wisconsin Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Non-voting delegates
See also
Notes
- Includes two congressmen elected as "Locofoco Democrat": Robert W. Johnson from Arkansas's at-large congressional district and William Collins from the 18th District of New York.
- Includes 2 Independent Democrats elected to Illinois's 1st congressional district and New York's 17th congressional district – see: Martis, p. 100–101.
- Robert W. Johnson was elected to AR-AL as a Locofoco Democrat.
- Includes Robert Smith, who was elected to IL-01 as an Independent Democrat.
- Includes George Petrie, who was elected to NY-17 as an Independent Democrat.
- Amos Tuck was elected to NH-01 as an Independent.
- Redistricting location speculative[speculation?]
References
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