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1848–49 United States House of Representatives elections

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

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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 ...

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]

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Election summaries

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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
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Special elections

30th Congress

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31st Congress

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Alabama

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

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Arkansas

The election was held August 7, 1848.

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California

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

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Connecticut

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

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Delaware

The election was held November 6, 1848.

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Florida

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

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Georgia

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Elections were held October 2, 1848.

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Illinois

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Elections were held August 7, 1848.

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Indiana

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

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Iowa

Elections were held August 7, 1848.

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Kentucky

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

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Louisiana

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

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Maine

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Elections were held September 11, 1848.

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Maryland

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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.

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Massachusetts

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Elections were held November 13, 1848.

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Michigan

Elections were held November 7, 1848.

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Minnesota Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Mississippi

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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.

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Missouri

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Elections were held August 7, 1848.

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New Hampshire

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

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New Jersey

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Elections were held November 7, 1848.

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New York

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Elections were held November 7, 1848.

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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.

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Ohio

Elections were held October 10, 1848.

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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.

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South Carolina

Elections were held October 9–10, 1848.

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Tennessee

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Tennessee Results, shaded according to winning candidates share of vote

Elections were held August 2, 1849.

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Texas

Elections were held August 6, 1849.

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Vermont

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Elections were held September 5, 1848.

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Virginia

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

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Wisconsin

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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.

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31st Congress

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

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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.

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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.
  13. Smith was first elected as a Democrat but won re-election in 1846 as an Independent Democrat.

References

Bibliography

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