1840–41 United States House of Representatives elections

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1840–41 United States House of Representatives elections
← 1838 & 1839 July 6, 1840 – November 2, 1841 1842 & 1843 →
All 242 seats in the United States House of Representatives
122 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader John White John Jones
Party Whig Democratic
Leader's seat Kentucky 9th Virginia 3rd
Last election 116 seats 126 seats
Seats won 142 98
Seat change Increase 26 Decrease 28
Popular vote 1,089,609 1,021,051
Percentage 51.04% 47.83%
Swing Increase 1.31% Decrease 2.18%
  Third party
 
Party Independent
Last election 0 seats
Seats won 2 [a]
Seat change Increase 2
Popular vote 18,063
Percentage 0.85%
Swing Increase 0.44%
Results:
     Democratic hold      Democratic gain
     Whig hold      Whig gain
     Independent gain      Independent Democrat gain
Speaker before election

Robert M. T. Hunter
Whig

Elected Speaker

John White
Whig

The 1840–41 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between July 6, 1840, and November 2, 1841. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives, before or after the first session of the 27th United States Congress convened on May 31, 1841. Elections were held for all 242 seats, representing 26 states.

In a Whig wave, voters gave the Whig Party a House majority for the first time. Most Americans experienced the Panic of 1837 as a severe economic downturn. Its perceived mishandling by Democratic President Martin Van Buren fueled new support for alternative economic policies favored by Whigs of which voters had previously been skeptical. Collapse of the Anti-Masonic Party in the late 1830s also drove some third-party incumbents into the Whig Party. Newly elected members included Robert M. T. Hunter, Independent of Virginia,[1][2][3] and Zadok Casey, Independent Democrat of Illinois.[4][5]

Election summaries

↓
98 2 142
Democratic [b] Whig
State Type Date Total
seats 		Democratic Whig
Seats Change Seats Change
Louisiana Districts July 6–8, 1840 3 1 Increase1 2 Decrease1
Missouri At-large August 3, 1840 2 2 Steady 0 Steady
Illinois Districts August 7, 1840 3 2[c] Steady 1 Steady
Vermont Districts September 4, 1840 5 0 Decrease2 5 Increase2
Maine Districts September 14, 1840 8 4 Decrease2 4 Increase2
Arkansas At-large October 5, 1840 1 1 Steady 0 Steady
Georgia At-large October 6, 1840 9 0 Steady 9 Steady
South Carolina Districts October 12–13, 1840 9 8 Steady 1 Steady
Ohio Districts October 13, 1840 19 7 Decrease4 12 Increase4
Pennsylvania District (25[d]) October 13, 1840 28 15 Decrease2 13 Increase8
New York District (33[e]) November 2–4, 1840 40 21 Increase2 19 Decrease2
Connecticut Districts November 3, 1840 6 0 Steady 6 Steady
Michigan At-large November 3, 1840 1 0 Decrease1 1 Increase1
New Jersey At-large November 3, 1840 6 0 Decrease5 6 Increase5
Massachusetts Districts November 9, 1840 12 1 Decrease1 11 Increase1
Delaware At-large November 10, 1840 1 0 Decrease1 1 Increase1
1841 elections
New Hampshire At-large March 9, 1841 5 5 Steady 0 Steady
Rhode Island At-large April 21, 1841 2 0 Steady 2 Steady
Virginia[f] Districts April 23, 1841 21[f] 10 Decrease2 10 Increase3
Kentucky Districts April 26, 1841 13 2 Steady 11 Steady
Indiana Districts May 3, 1841 7 1 Decrease4 6 Increase4
Tennessee Districts May 6, 1841 13 5 Decrease1 8 Increase1
North Carolina Districts May 13, 1841 13 5 Decrease3 8 Increase3
Maryland District (7[g]) May 17, 1841 8 2 Decrease3 6 Increase3
Alabama At-large[h] May 20, 1841 5 5 Increase2 0 Decrease2
Mississippi At-large November 1–2, 1841 2 2 Steady 0 Steady
Total 242 99[c]
40.9% 		Decrease26 142
59.5% 		Increase33
Popular vote
Whig
 
 51.04%
Democratic
 
 47.83%
Others
 
 1.13%
House seats
Whig
 
 58.68%
Democratic
 
 40.50%
Independent
 
 0.83%

The previous election had two minor parties, the Anti-Masonic Party with 6 seats and the Conservative Party (of Virginia) with 2 seats, both of which disappeared in this election.

The 1st session of the 27th Congress began May 31, 1841, before Mississippi had elected Representatives, leaving that State unrepresented until the 2nd session.

Special elections

26th Congress

27th Congress

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
New York 26 Francis Granger Whig 1838 Incumbent resigned March 5, 1841 to become U.S. Postmaster General.
New member elected May 13, 1841 and seated May 21, 1841.
Whig hold.
New York 26 John Greig Whig 1841 (special) Incumbent resigned September 25, 1841.
New member elected November 3, 1841 and seated November 27, 1841.
Whig hold.
Georgia at-large
(Three of the at-large seats) 		William C. Dawson Whig 1836 (special) Incumbent resigned November 13, 1841 to run for Governor of Georgia.
New member elected December 21, 1841.
Democratic gain. 		Elected on a general ticket:
E. A. Nisbet Whig 1838 Incumbent resigned October 12, 1841.
New member elected December 21, 1841.
Democratic gain.
Julius C. Alford Whig 1838 Incumbent resigned October 1, 1841.
New member elected December 21, 1841.
Democratic gain.

Alabama

See also: List of United States representatives from Alabama

Arkansas

See also: List of United States representatives from Arkansas
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Arkansas at-large Edward Cross Democratic 1838 Incumbent reelected.

Connecticut

See also: List of United States representatives from Connecticut
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[10]
Connecticut 1 Joseph Trumbull Whig 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut 2 William W. Boardman Whig 1840 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut 3 Thomas W. Williams Whig 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut 4 Thomas B. Osborne Whig 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut 5 Truman Smith Whig 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut 6 Orrin Holt Whig 1839 Incumbent re-elected.

Delaware

See also: List of United States representatives from Delaware

Florida Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Georgia

See also: List of United States representatives from Georgia

Illinois

See also: List of United States representatives from Illinois

Indiana

See also: List of United States representatives from Indiana

Iowa Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Kentucky

See also: List of United States representatives from Kentucky

Louisiana

See also: List of United States representatives from Louisiana

Maine

See also: List of United States representatives from Maine and 1840 United States Senate election in Maine

Maine elected its members September 14, 1840.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Maine 1
Maine 2
Maine 3
Maine 4
Maine 5
Maine 6
Maine 7
Maine 8 Thomas Davee Democratic 1836 Incumbent retired.
Whig gain.

Maryland

See also: List of United States representatives from Maryland

Massachusetts

Massachusetts held its elections November 9, 1840, but one district went to a second ballot on January 4, 1841.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Massachusetts 1
Massachusetts 2
Massachusetts 3
Massachusetts 4 William Parmenter Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 5
Massachusetts 6
Massachusetts 7
Massachusetts 8
Massachusetts 9
Massachusetts 10 Henry Williams Democratic 1838 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected on the second ballot.
Whig gain.
First ballot (November 9, 1840)
Second ballot (January 4, 1841)
Massachusetts 11
Massachusetts 12 John Quincy Adams Whig 1830 Incumbent re-elected.

Mississippi

See also: List of United States representatives from Mississippi

Elections held late, from November 1 to 2, 1841.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Mississippi at-large
(2 seats) 		Jacob Thompson Democratic 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Albert G. Brown Democratic 1839 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.

Michigan

See also: List of United States representatives from Michigan
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Michigan at-large Isaac E. Crary Democratic 1835 Incumbent retired.
Whig gain.

Missouri

See also: List of United States representatives from Missouri

New Hampshire

See also: List of United States representatives from New Hampshire

New Jersey

See also: List of United States representatives from New Jersey

North Carolina

See also: List of United States representatives from North Carolina

New York

See also: List of United States representatives from New York

Ohio

See also: List of United States representatives from Ohio

Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

See also: List of United States representatives from Rhode Island

South Carolina

See also: List of United States representatives from South Carolina

Tennessee

Elections held late, on May 6, 1841.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Tennessee 1 William B. Carter Whig 1835 Incumbent retired.
Whig hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Thomas D. Arnold (Whig) 90.21%
  • ▌Robert J. McKinney (Unknown) 5.65%
  • ▌Jeremiah Jack (Unknown) 4.14%[18]
Tennessee 2 Abraham McClellan Democratic 1837 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 3 Joseph L. Williams Whig 1837 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 4 Julius W. Blackwell Democratic 1839 Incumbent lost re-election.
Whig gain.
Tennessee 5 Hopkins L. Turney Democratic 1837 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 6 William B. Campbell Whig 1837 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 7 John Bell Whig 1827 Incumbent retired to become Secretary of War.
Whig hold.
Tennessee 8 Meredith P. Gentry Whig 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 9 Harvey M. Watterson Democratic 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 10 Aaron V. Brown Democratic 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 11 Cave Johnson Democratic 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 12 John W. Crockett Whig 1837 Incumbent retired to become Attorney General for the 9th district.
Whig hold.
Tennessee 13 Kit Williams Whig 1837 Incumbent re-elected.

Vermont

See also: List of United States representatives from Vermont
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[31]
Vermont 1 Hiland Hall Whig 1833 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Vermont 2 William Slade Whig 1831 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Vermont 3 Horace Everett Whig 1828 Incumbent re-elected.
Vermont 4 John Smith Democratic 1838 Incumbent lost re-election.
Whig gain.
Vermont 5 Isaac Fletcher Democratic 1836 Incumbent lost re-election.
Whig gain.

Virginia

See also: List of United States representatives from Virginia
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[32]
Virginia 1 Francis Mallory Whig 1840 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 2 Francis E. Rives Democratic 1837 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Virginia 3 John Winston Jones Democratic 1835 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY John Winston Jones (Democratic) 69.5%
  • ▌Junius E. Leigh (Unknown) 23.2%
  • ▌Thomas Miller (Unknown) 7.3%
Virginia 4 George Dromgoole Democratic 1835 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
  • ▌Green tickY William Goode (Democratic) 75.0%
  • ▌Richard H. Baptist (Unknown) 25.0%
Virginia 5 John Hill Whig 1839 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 6 Walter Coles Democratic 1835 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 7 William L. Goggin Whig 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 8 Henry A. Wise Whig 1833 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 9 Robert M. T. Hunter Whig 1837 Incumbent re-elected as an Independent.
Independent gain.
  • ▌Green tickY Robert M. T. Hunter (Independent) 53.4%
  • ▌[FNU] Corbin (Whig) 36.1%
  • ▌[FNU] Braxton (Democratic) 10.4%
Virginia 10 John Taliaferro Whig 1835 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 11 John Botts Whig 1839 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY John Botts (Whig) 73.2%
  • ▌[FNU] Goodall (Unknown) 26.8%
Virginia 12 James Garland Conservative 1835 Incumbent lost re-election.
Whig gain.
Virginia 13 Linn Banks Democratic 1838 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 14 Charles F. Mercer Whig 1817 Incumbent retired.
Whig hold.
Virginia 15 William Lucas Democratic 1839 Incumbent lost re-election.
Whig gain.
Virginia 16 Green Berry Samuels Democratic 1839 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Virginia 17 Robert Craig Democratic 1835 Incumbent retired.
Whig gain.
Virginia 18 George W. Hopkins Conservative 1835 Incumbent re-elected as a Democrat.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 19 Andrew Beirne Democratic 1837 Incumbent retired.
Whig gain.
Virginia 20 Joseph Johnson Democratic 1835 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Samuel L. Hays (Democratic) 59.2%
  • ▌Augustine J. Smith (Whig) 40.8%
Virginia 21 Lewis Steenrod Democratic 1839 Incumbent re-elected.

Wisconsin Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Non-voting delegates

See also: Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives

26th Congress

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Iowa Territory at-large William W. Chapman Democratic 1838 Incumbent's term expired by law.
New delegate elected in 1840.
Democratic hold.

27th Congress

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Florida Territory at-large Charles Downing Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date.
Iowa Territory at-large Augustus C. Dodge Democratic 1840 Incumbent re-elected August 6, 1841.
Wisconsin Territory at-large James D. Doty Democratic 1838 Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Includes one Independent from Virginia, and one Independent Democrat from Illinois.
  2. ^ There was 1 Independent and 1 Independent Democrat.
  3. ^ a b Including one Independent Democrat elected to Illinois's 2nd congressional district.
  4. ^ Includes 3 plural districts
  5. ^ Includes 5 plural districts
  6. ^ a b Robert M. T. Hunter was elected as an Independent in Virginia's 9th congressional district, and so is not included in the figures here. Hunter had previously run in earlier elections as a Whig.
  7. ^ Includes 1 plural district
  8. ^ Changed from district

References

  1. ^ Dubin 1998, p. 129.
  2. ^ Martis 1989, p. 98.
  3. ^ CQGuide, p. 974.
  4. ^ Dubin 1998, p. 128.
  5. ^ Martis 1989, p. 96.
  6. ^ "Our Campaigns - NY District 26 - Special Election Race - May 11, 1841". OurCampaigns.com.
  7. ^ "Our Campaigns - NY District 26 - Special Election Race - Nov 01, 1841". OurCampaigns.com.
  8. ^ "Our Campaigns - GA At-Large - Special Election Race - Dec 21, 1841". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  9. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections. Vol. II (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. 2010. p. 996. ISBN 9781604265361. LCCN 2009033938. OCLC 430736650.
  10. ^ "State of Connecticut Elections Database » Search Past Election Results". State of Connecticut Elections Database. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  11. ^ "Our Campaigns - ME District 8 Race - Sep 14, 1840".
  12. ^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 Race - Nov 09, 1840". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  13. ^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 10 - 1st Trial Race - Nov 09, 1840". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  14. ^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 10 - 2nd Trial Race - Jan 04, 1841". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  15. ^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 12 Race - Nov 09, 1840". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  16. ^ "MS - At Large". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "MI - District 01 Race - Nov 03, 1840". Our Campaigns. January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  18. ^ "TN - District 01". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "TN - District 02". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  20. ^ "TN - District 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  21. ^ "TN - District 04". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "TN - District 05". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  23. ^ "TN - District 06". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  24. ^ "TN - District 07". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  25. ^ "TN - District 08". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  26. ^ "TN - District 09". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  27. ^ "TN - District 10". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  28. ^ "TN - District 11". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  29. ^ "TN - District 12". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  30. ^ "TN - District 13". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  31. ^ "VT Elections Database » Vermont Election Results and Statistics". VT Elections Database. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  32. ^ "Virginia Elections Database » Virginia Election Results and Statistics". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  33. ^ Pelzer, Louis (1908). Shambaugh, Benjamin F. (ed.). "The Early Democratic Party of Iowa". Iowa Journal of History and Politics. 6 (1). Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa: 15. hdl:2027/uc1.31210017304112. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  34. ^ Pelzer, Louis (1908). Shambaugh, Benjamin F. (ed.). "The Early Democratic Party of Iowa". Iowa Journal of History and Politics. 6 (1). Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa: 16. hdl:2027/uc1.31210017304112. Retrieved December 18, 2020.

Bibliography

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