The 1818–19 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between April 26, 1818 and August 12, 1819. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 16th United States Congress convened on December 6, 1819. They occurred during President James Monroe's first term. Also, newly admitted Alabama elected its first representatives in September 1819, increasing the size of the House to 186 seats.
This election occurred in a politically uneventful period marked by exceptionally low levels of partisan rivalry known as the Era of Good Feelings. The weak Federalist Party, with limited influence in few states, no longer effectively opposed the Democratic-Republican Party, which increased its large majority.
Election summaries
Illinois was admitted in 1818, adding one seat.[1]
Alabama and Maine were admitted during the 16th Congress. One new seat was added for Alabama,[2] while Maine, splitting from Massachusetts, simply retained its Representatives.[3]
Incumbent resigned sometime in 1818. New member electedbefore November 1818. Democratic-Republican gain. Successor seated November 16, 1818.[4] Successor was not a candidate for the next term; see below.
Member-elect Alexander McMillan died before this Congress began. New member electedJanuary 1, 1818. Democratic-Republican gain. Successor seated January 26, 1818.[4] Successor later lost re-election, see below.
Incumbent resigned November 3, 1817 to become U.S. Secretary of War. New member electedin January 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated February 9, 1818.[4] Successor later re-elected, see below.
Incumbent resigned February 3, 1818. New member electedMarch 16, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor later re-elected, see below. Successor seated November 16, 1818.[4]
Incumbent resigned February 24, 1818 to become President Judge of Pennsylvania's 7th Judicial Circuit. New member electedMarch 3, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated March 24, 1818.[4] Successor resigned July 6, 1818, see below.
Incumbent resigned April 20, 1818. New member electedBetween April and November 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated November 16, 1818.[4] Successor also elected to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned April 20, 1818. New member electedJuly 6–8, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated November 16, 1818.[4] Successor elected the same day to the next term; see below.
Incumbent resigned July 6, 1818. New member electedOctober 13, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor also elected the same day to the next term; see below. Successor seated November 16, 1818.[4]
Incumbent resigned sometime in 1818. New member electedNovember 7, 1818. Federalist gain. Successor seated December 2, 1818.[4] Successor later re-elected; see below.
Incumbent died February 21, 1818. New member electedNovember 16, 1818. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated April 21, 1818.[4] Successor later lost re-election, see below.
Incumbent resigned November 23, 1818 when elected U.S. Senator. New member electedJanuary 4, 1819 both to finish the term and to the next term. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated February 18, 1819.[4]
Incumbent died December 31, 1818. New member electedbetween January 1, 1819 and February 11, 1819. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated February 11, 1819.[4] Successor was later re-elected to the next term; see below.
Alabama was admitted as a state December 14, 1819.[17] Incumbent territorial delegate re-elected as member. Democratic-Republican gain. New member seated December 14, 1819.[17]
Connecticut elected its members September 21, 1818. The delegation changed from seven Federalists to seven Democratic-Republicans then the retirement of six incumbents and the party-change of the seventh.
Illinois elected its member August 2, 1819, after the new congress began but before the first session convened. The incumbent had just been elected to the new seat in late 1818.
Illinois was admitted December 3, 1818. New member electedin 1818. Democratic-Republican gain. New member seated December 4, 1818 to finish the term ending March 3, 1819.[4] The next year, the new member lost re-election; see below.
Louisiana held an election for the 16th Congress at the same time that it held a special election to finish the 15th Congress. Data were only available for the special election, but the general election would presumably have had very similar results, and so the results for the special election are duplicated here.
Incumbent resigned April 20, 1818. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor elected the same day to finish the current term; see above.
Massachusetts elected its members November 2, 1818. Massachusetts's electoral law required a majority for election, n Massachusetts's electoral law required a majority for electionMassachusetts's electoral law required a majority for electionecessitating additional elections in five districts on April 5, 1819 and July 26, 1819.
This was the last election in which the District of Maine — comprising congressional districts 14 through 20 — was part of Massachusetts. The District became the State of Maine during the 16th Congress.
District numbers differed between source used and elsewhere on Wikipedia; district numbers used elsewhere on Wikipedia used here.
New York elected its members April 28–30, 1818, the earliest of any state.
At this time, the Democratic-Republicans in New York were divided into two factions, the "Bucktails" who were opposed to Governor Dewitt Clinton's Erie Canal project, led by Martin Van Buren, and on the other side, Clinton's supporters, known as Clintonians. In many districts, the remaining Federalists allied with the Clintonians, with candidates running on a joint ticket. Several candidates who ran under that joint ticket cannot be clearly categorized, and are marked C/F. Others who ran under the joint ticket are marked by their party with a footnote indicating that they ran under the joint ticket.
^ abIn New York's 1st district, an election dispute arose. Initial returns showed the winners to be Silas Wood and Ebenezer Sage. This election was contested, however, on the grounds that there were 396 votes for "James Guyon" which, when added to the total number of votes reported for James Guyon Jr., would place Guyon in second place, above Sage. Sage never appeared to take his seat, and Guyon was awarded the seat January 14, 1820.[17]
^ abcdefghijRan under Clintonian/Federalist joint ticket.
^The official certificate of vote in the General Assembly Session Records states that Slocumb won by 1,476 votes. No other returns are known to exist for this race.[citation needed]
^ abcInitial returns showed Rollin C. Mallary in 8th place with 6,879 votes and Orsamus Cook Merrill in 6th place with 6,955 votes, but after challenging the results, the House Committee on Elections declared Mallary the winner of the last seat with 6,961 votes, a 6-vote lead over Merrill.[citation needed] Mallary was seated January 13, 1820.[17]