The 1816–17 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between April 30, 1816 and August 14, 1817. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 15th United States Congress convened on December 1, 1817. The size of the House increased to 184 after Indiana and Mississippi achieved statehood.
Two major events combined to help eliminate the declining Federalist Party from meaningful contention. First, the War of 1812 had concluded in 1815 with a feeling of national pride and relief, with the small American military fighting the much more powerful British forces to a draw punctuated by General Andrew Jackson's dramatic victory at the Battle of New Orleans. Federalists had opposed the risky but ultimately successful war, with some New England Federalists advocating radical measures at the Hartford Convention. Second, the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in present-day Indonesia, itself the most powerful in recorded history and following other major eruptions, temporarily disrupted global climate. The effects severely damaged the agricultural economy of New England, where Federalist support was strongest, causing privation, popular discontent, and mass emigration westward.
Election summaries
Mississippi was admitted as a state in 1817 during the 15th Congress, adding one seat.[1]
Incumbent resigned December 15, 1815 when elected U.S. Senator. New member electedJanuary 22, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated February 7, 1816.[2] Winner was later re-elected to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned in 1815. New member electedJanuary 27, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated February 4, 1816.[2] Successor was later re-elected to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned January 23, 1816 New member electedApril 30 – May 2, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated December 2, 1816.[2] Winner was not elected to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned, effective November 4, 1816. New member electedbefore August 16, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated December 2, 1816.[2] Winner later lost re-election to the next term; see below.
Incumbent died April 16, 1816. New member electedbefore August 22, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated December 2, 1816.[2] Winner later lost re-election to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned June 4, 1816 after losing re-election. New member electedAugust 27–29, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated December 3, 1816.[2] Winner was not elected to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned April 18, 1816 to become Minister to Russia. New member electedSeptember 3, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated December 2, 1816.[2] Successor was later re-elected to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned after being elected to the Senate. New member electedOctober 6, 1816. Federalist hold. Successor seated December 2, 1816.[2] Successor also elected the same day to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned in April 1816 after being appointed to the Supreme Court of Ohio. New member electedOctober 8, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated December 2, 1816.[2] Winner also elected, the same day, to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned in April 1816 to accept judicial appointment. New member electedOctober 8, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated December 3, 1816.[2] Successor also elected, the same day, to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned October 21, 1816, having just lost re-election. New member electedNovember 25 & 26, 1816, who had also won the general election, see below. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated January 2, 1817.[2]
Incumbent resigned April 8, 1816 when appointed circuit court judge. New member electedin 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated December 2, 1816.[2] Successor was not elected to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned to become president and judge of the court of common pleas. New member electedOctober 14, 1817. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated with the rest of the House December 1, 1817.[15]
Member-elect died February 18, 1817. New member electedin 1817. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated with the rest of the House December 1, 1817.[15]
Indiana was admitted as a state of the Union on December 11, 1816.[2] New member electedin 1816. Democratic-Republican gain. New member seated December 11, 1816.[2]
Incumbent resigned April 8, 1816 when appointed circuit court judge. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor was not elected to finish the current term.
Massachusetts's electoral law required a majority for election. In five districts this was not met on the first election, requiring additional trials to be held.
Massachusetts elected its members November 4, 1816.
District numbers differed between source used and elsewhere on Wikipedia; district numbers used elsewhere on Wikipedia used here.
Mississippi was admitted as a state on December 10, 1817[15] from the western half of the former Mississippi Territory (the eastern half became Alabama Territory) It elected its first representative to Congress August 4–5, 1817.
Incumbent resigned in April 1816 to accept judicial appointment. New member elected October 8, 1816. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor also elected, the same day, to finish the term.
Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. Incumbent then resigned October 21, 1816, leading to a special election, won by the winner of the general election.
There were three territories with the right to send delegates during at least part of the 15th Congress.
Illinois Territory also only existed during the 1st Session, as it was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois on December 3, 1818.
Mississippi Territory only existed during the first few months of the 15th Congress, but did not elect a delegate, since it was admitted to the Union as a state a few days into the 1st Session of the 15th Congress.
There were two elections held for the delegate from Missouri Territory. The first was contested by Rufus Easton on the grounds of electoral fraud. This election was declared void, and a second election was held on August 4, 1817.[2] It was won without controversy by John Scott, who took his seat on December 8, 1817.
^ abcd Figures are at variance with both Dubin (p. 62, which includes "140 Republicans, 1 Independent Republican, and 2 vacancies", in addition to "41 Federalists"), and Martis (p. 84) and "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* ▌1789–Present". Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives. (which both report 146 Democrat-Republicans, and 39 Federalists). But Dubin appears to incorrectly list Lewis Williams of NC-13 as a "Federalist" (see pg. 60 and 55, etc.) instead of a "Democrat-Republican", while Martis lists Philemon Beecher of OH-05 as a "Democrat-Republican" instead of a "Federalist", which if accounted for would revise both Dubin's and Martis's totals to 40 Federalists (and therefore 144 Democrat-Republicans).
^A majority was required for election, which was not met in the initial election for 5 districts requiring additional trials to be held on January 27, May 1, July 21, September 29, and December 1, 1817.
^ abcdefghijOnly candidates with at least 1% of the vote listed.
^ abcdefghij Numbers of votes missing or incomplete in source