House elections for the 29th U.S. Congress
The 1844–45 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between July 1, 1844, and November 4, 1845. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives . 224 elected members representing 27 states took their seats when the first session of the 29th United States Congress convened on December 1, 1845. The new state of Florida elected its first representative during this election cycle, while one vacancy in New Hampshire's delegation remained unfilled for the duration of the 29th Congress.
The House elections spanned the 1844 presidential election , won by dark horse Democratic candidate James K. Polk , who advocated territorial expansion .
Democrats lost six seats but retained a large majority over the rival Whigs . The new American Party , based on the nativist "Know Nothing" movement characterized by opposition to immigration and anti-Catholicism , gained six seats.
Election summaries
One seat was added for the new State of Florida .[3] Texas and Iowa were admitted during this next Congress, but their initial elections were held in 1846 .
↓
142
6
79
Democratic
[e]
Whig
State
Type
Date
Total seats
Democratic
Know Nothing
Whig
Seats
Change
Seats
Change
Seats
Change
Louisiana
District
July 1–3, 1844
4
3
1
0
1
1
Illinois
District
August 5, 1844
7
6
0
1
Missouri
At-large
August 5, 1844
5
5
0
0
Georgia
District[f]
August 7, 1844
8
4
4
0
4
4
Vermont
District
September 3, 1844
4
1
0
3
Maine
District
September 9, 1844
7
6
1
0
1
1
Arkansas
At-large
October 8, 1844
1
1
0
0
Ohio
District
October 8, 1844
21
13
1
0
8
1
Pennsylvania
District
October 8, 1844
24
12
2
2
10
2
New Jersey
District
October 9, 1844
5
1
3
0
4
3
South Carolina
District
October 14–15, 1844
7
7
0
0
Michigan
District
November 5, 1844
3
3
0
0
Massachusetts
District
November 11, 1844
10
0
2
0
10
2
New York
District
November 11, 1844
34
21
3
4
4
9
1
Delaware
At-large
November 12, 1844
1
0
0
1
Late electionsfter the March 4, 1845 beginning of term
New Hampshire
At-large
March 11, 1845
4[c]
3
1
0
0
Rhode Island
District
April 2, 1845
2
0
0
2
2[g]
Connecticut
District
April 7, 1845
4
0
4
0
4
4
Virginia
District
April 24, 1845
15
14
2
0
1
2
Florida [h]
At-large
May 26, 1845
1
1
1
0
0
Alabama
District
August 4, 1845
7
6
0
1
Indiana
District
August 4, 1845
10
8
0
2
Kentucky
District
August 4, 1845
10
3
1
0
7
2
North Carolina
District
August 7, 1845
9
6
1
0
3
1
Tennessee
District
August 7, 1845
11
6
0
5
Maryland
District
October 1, 1845
6
4
4
0
2
4
Mississippi
At-large
November 3–4, 1845
4
4
0
0
Total
224[b] [c]
14262.6%
6
62.6%
6
7934.8%
6
Popular vote
Democratic
50.02%
Whig
44.79%
Know Nothing
2.09%
Law & Order
0.12%
Independent
1.25%
Others
1.73%
House seats
Democratic
61.67%
Whig
35.68%
Know Nothing
2.64%
Special elections
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(March 2020 )
Alabama
Elections were held August 4, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
Arkansas
The election was held October 8, 1844.
District
Incumbent
This race
Member
Party
First elected
Results
Candidates
Arkansas at-large
Edward Cross
Democratic
1838
Incumbent retired. New member elected.Democratic hold.
Connecticut
Elections were held April 7, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
Delaware
The election was held November 12, 1844.
District
Incumbent
This race
Member
Party
First elected
Results
Candidates
Delaware at-large
Florida
The election was held May 26, 1845.
District
Incumbent
This race
Member
Party
First elected
Results
Candidates
Florida at-large
None (New state)
New seat. New member elected late on May 26, 1845.Democratic gain . Winner did not serve, having also been elected U.S. senator .
Georgia
Elections were held August 7, 1844.
Illinois
Elections were held August 5, 1844.
Indiana
Elections were held August 4, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
Iowa Territory
See Non-voting delegates , below.
Kentucky
Elections were held August 4, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
Louisiana
Elections were held July 1–3, 1844.
Maine
Elections were held September 9, 1844.
Maryland
Late elections to the 28th Congress
Maryland elected its members to the 28th Congress on February 14, 1844, after that Congress had already convened in 1843 and long after the 1842–1843 election cycle .
Regular elections to the 29th Congress
Maryland's October 1, 1845 elections were after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the new term, but still before the Congress convened in December 1845.
Massachusetts
Elections were held November 11, 1844. At least one district, however, had multiple ballots stretching into 1846.
District
Incumbent
This race
Member
Party
First elected
Results
Candidates
Massachusetts 1
Massachusetts 2
Massachusetts 3
Massachusetts 4
William Parmenter
Democratic
1836
Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected on the second ballot.Whig gain .
First ballot (November 11, 1844):Second ballot (December 23, 1844):
Massachusetts 5
Massachusetts 6
Massachusetts 7
Julius Rockwell
Whig
1844 (late)
Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 8
John Quincy Adams
Whig
1830
Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 9
Henry Williams
Democratic
1836
Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected on the ninth ballot.Whig gain .
First ballot (November 11, 1844):
Second ballot (December 23, 1844):
Third ballot (February 10, 1845):
Fourth ballot (April 28, 1845):
Fifth ballot (September 1, 1845):
Sixth ballot (November 10, 1845):
Seventh ballot (December 29, 1845):
Eighth ballot (February 2, 1846):
Ninth ballot (November 9, 1846):
Massachusetts 10
Michigan
Elections were held November 5, 1844.
Mississippi
Elections were held November 3–4, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
Missouri
Elections were held at-large on a general ticket August 5, 1844.
New Hampshire
Elections were held at-large on a general ticket March 11, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
District
Incumbent
This race
Member
Party
First elected
Results
Candidates
New Hampshire at-large 4 seats
Edmund Burke
Democratic
1839
Incumbent retired. New member (Moulton) elected. Democratic hold.
(Elected on a general ticket ) First ballot (March 11, 1845): Second ballot (August 23, 1845): Third ballot (November 29, 1845): Fourth ballot (March 10, 1846):
John Randall Reding
Democratic
1841
Incumbent retired. New member (Johnson) elected. Democratic hold.
Moses Norris Jr.
Democratic
1843
Incumbent re-elected.
John P. Hale
Democratic
1843
No candidate elected on the fourth ballot; seat vacant.Democratic loss .
New Jersey
Elections were held October 9, 1844.
New York
Elections were held November 11, 1844.
North Carolina
Elections were held August 7, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
Ohio
Elections were held October 8, 1844.
Pennsylvania
Elections were held October 8, 1844.
Rhode Island
Elections were held April 2, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
South Carolina
Elections were held October 14–15, 1844.
Tennessee
Elections were held August 7, 1845.
Vermont
Elections were held September 3, 1844.
Virginia
Elections were held April 24, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.
Wisconsin Territory
See Non-voting delegates , below.
Non-voting delegates
See also
Notes
^ Excludes states admitted during the 29th Congress
^ a b c Includes late elections
^ a b c There was one vacancy in New Hampshire 's delegation, unfilled for the duration of the 29th Congress.
^ Includes one Independent and one Independent Whig.
^ There were 6 Know Nothings .
^ Changed from at-large
^ Previous election had 2 members of the short-lived Law and Order Party
^ New State
References
^ 5 Stat. 743
^ "AR - At-Large Race - Oct 08, 1844" . Our Campaigns . December 30, 2006. Retrieved June 11, 2023 .
^ "Our Campaigns - GA District 03 Race - Aug 07, 1844" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved 2020-12-20 .
^ "Our Campaigns - GA District 08 Race - Aug 07, 1844" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved 2020-12-20 .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 1st Trial Race - Nov 11, 1844" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 2nd Trial Race - Dec 23, 1844" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 7 Race - Nov 11, 1844" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 8 Race - Nov 11, 1844" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 1st Trial Race - Nov 11, 1844" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 2nd Trial Race - Dec 23, 1844" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 3rd Trial Race - Feb 10, 1845" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 4th Trial Race - Apr 28, 1845" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 5th Trial Race - Sep 01, 1845" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 6th Trial Race - Nov 10, 1845" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 7th Trial Race - Dec 29, 1845" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 8th Trial Race - Feb 02, 1846" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 9 - 9th Trial Race - Nov 09, 1846" . www.ourcampaigns.com .
^ "MI - District 01 Race - Nov 05, 1844" . Our Campaigns . January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022 .
^ "MI - District 02 Race - Nov 05, 1844" . Our Campaigns . January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022 .
^ "MI - District 03 Race - Nov 05, 1844" . Our Campaigns . January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022 .
^ "MS - At Large" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 8 March 2021 .
^ "MO At-Large" . OurCampaigns.com . Retrieved October 28, 2020 . , source notes Sims is Whig, which conflicts with other sources.
^ "Our Campaigns - NH At-Large Race - Mar 11, 1845" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved 2020-10-15 .
^ "Our Campaigns - NH At-Large - 2nd Trial Race - Aug 23, 1845" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved 2020-10-15 .
^ "Our Campaigns - NH At-Large - 3rd Trial Race - Nov 29, 1845" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved 2020-10-15 .
^ "Our Campaigns - NH At-Large - 4th Trial Race - Mar 10, 1846" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved 2020-10-15 .
^ "TN - District 01" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 02" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 03" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 04" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 05" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 06" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 07" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 08" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 09" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 10" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ "TN - District 11" . Our Campaigns . Retrieved 15 February 2021 .
^ Pelzer, Louis (1908). Shambaugh, Benjamin F. (ed.). "The History and Principles of the Democratic Party of the Territory of Iowa" . Iowa Journal of History and Politics . Vol. 6, no. 1. Iowa City, Iowa : State Historical Society of Iowa . p. 10. Retrieved May 27, 2020 .
Bibliography
Dubin, Michael J. (March 1, 1998). United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997: The Official Results of the Elections of the 1st Through 105th Congresses . McFarland and Company. ISBN 978-0786402830 .
Martis, Kenneth C. (January 1, 1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989 . Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0029201701 .
Moore, John L., ed. (1994). Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections (Third ed.). Congressional Quarterly Inc. ISBN 978-0871879967 .
"Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present" . Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 21, 2015 .
External links
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