1850 and 1851 United States House of Representatives elections

Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 32nd Congress were held at various dates in different states from August 1850 to November 1851. The Democrats gained 17 seats, increasing their majority relative to the rival Whigs, who lost 22 seats.

1850 and 1851 United States House of Representatives elections

August 5, 1850 – November 4, 1851
All 233 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives 117 seats needed for a majority
Leader Linn Boyd Edward Stanly Party Democratic Whig Leader's seat Kentucky 1st North Carolina 8th Last election 115 seats 104 seats Seats won 117 81 Seat change 2 23 Popular vote 1,142,783 1,105,286 Percentage 43.31% 41.89% Swing 0.85% 2.95%   Party Unionist Southern Rights Last election Pre-creation Pre-creation Seats won 14[lower-alpha 1] 8[lower-alpha 2] Seat change 14 8 Popular vote 123,727 109,060 Percentage 4.69% 4.13% Swing New Party New Party   Party Free Soil Independent Last election 8 seats 0 seats Seats won 7 4[lower-alpha 3] Seat change 1 4 Popular vote 82,221 70,262 Percentage 3.12% 2.79% Swing 5.54% 1.03%
Speaker before election Howell Cobb Democratic Elected Speaker Linn Boyd Democratic

Whig President Millard Fillmore, who succeeded to the Presidency in July 1850 after the death of Zachary Taylor, lacked a strong political base. Sectionalism and slavery were increasingly prominent, but not yet politically critical, issues. The Compromise of 1850 was a short-term success in beginning the constructive disposal of the Mexican Cession, but the admission of California as the 31st state augured a future free-soil West. Lingering Southern unhappiness with the results of the Compromise and a sense of foreboding helped motivate later sectional and political conflict over Kansas.

The Unionist Party, formed in support of the Compromise of 1850, gained 10 seats in the South, as did the States' Rights Party. The abolitionist Free Soil Party lost five seats and was reduced to four Representatives, all in New England.

Election summaries

↓

130	7	10	86
Democratic	[lower-alpha 4]	[lower-alpha 5]	Whig

State	Type	Date	Total seats	Democratic		Free Soil		States' Rights		Unionist		Whig
				Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change
Iowa	District	August 5, 1850	2	2		0		0		0		0
Missouri	District	August 5, 1850	5	2	3	0		0		0		3	3
Vermont	District	September 3, 1850	4	1		0		0		0		3
Maine	District	September 9, 1850	7	5		0		0		0		2
Florida	At-large	October 7, 1850	1	0		0		0		0		1
Ohio	District	October 8, 1850	21	11[lower-alpha 6]		1	1	0		0		9	1
Pennsylvania	District	October 8, 1850	24[lower-alpha 7]	15	6	0	1	0		0		9	4
South Carolina	District	October 14–15, 1850	7	7		0		0		0		0
Illinois	District	November 5, 1850 (Election Day)[lower-alpha 8]	7	6		0		0		0		1
Michigan	District		3	1	1	0		0		0		2	1
New Jersey	District		5	4	3	0		0		0		1	3
New York	District		34	17	16	0	1	0		0		17	15
Wisconsin	District		3	2[lower-alpha 6]	1	1		0		0		0	1
Massachusetts	District	November 11, 1850	10[lower-alpha 9]	1	1	2	1	0		0		7	1
Delaware	At-large	November 12, 1850	1	1	1	0		0		0		0	1
Late elections (after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term)
New Hampshire	District	March 11, 1851	4	2		0	1	0		0		2	1
Rhode Island	District	April 2, 1851	2	1	1	0		0		0		1	1
Connecticut	District	April 7, 1851	4	3	1	0	1	0		0		1
Alabama	District	August 4, 1851	7	4	1	0		0		1	1	2
Arkansas	At-large	August 4, 1851	1	1		0		0		0		0
Indiana	District	August 4, 1851	10	8		0	1	0		0		2	1
Kentucky	District	August 4, 1851	10	5	1	0		0		0		5	1
Texas	District	August 4, 1851	2	2		0		0		0		0
North Carolina	District	August 7, 1851	9	3		0		0		0		6
Tennessee	District	August 7, 1851	11	7[lower-alpha 6]		0		0		0		4
California	At-large	September 3, 1851	2[lower-alpha 10]	2	1	0		0		0		0
Maryland	District	October 1, 1851	6	2	1	0		0		0		4[lower-alpha 11]	1
Georgia	District	October 6, 1851	8	0	4	0		2	2	6	6	0	4
Virginia	District	October 23, 1851	15	13		0		0		0		2
Mississippi	District	November 3–4, 1851	4	0	4	0		1	1	3	3	0
Louisiana	District	November 4, 1851	4	2	1	0		0		0		2	1
Total			233	130[lower-alpha 12] 55.8%	17	4 1.7%	5	3 1.3%	3	10 4.3%	10	86[lower-alpha 11] 36.9%	22

Popular vote Democratic   43.31% Whig   41.89% Unionist   4.69% States' Rights   4.13% Free Soil   3.12% Independent   2.79% Others   0.07%

House seats Democratic   50.65% Whig   35.06% Unionist   6.06% Southern Rights   3.46% Free Soil   3.03% Independent   1.73%

One district in Massachusetts had been vacant in the 31st Congress. No new seats were added.

The previous election had 1 Know-Nothing and 1 Independent.

Special elections

31st Congress

• Iowa's 1st congressional district: 1850
• New Hampshire's 3rd congressional district: 1850
• Ohio's 6th congressional district: 1851
• Louisiana's 3rd congressional district: 1850
• Massachusetts's 1st congressional district: 1850

Alabama

Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Alabama 1
Alabama 2
Alabama 3
Alabama 4
Alabama 5
Alabama 6
Alabama 7

Arkansas

The election was held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Arkansas at-large

California

California's members were elected late, at-large statewide, September 3, 1851. There were nevertheless seated with the rest of the House at the beginning of the first session.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
California at-large 2 seats	George W. Wright	Independent	1849	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain.	(Elected on a general ticket) Edward C. Marshall (Democratic) 27.16% Joseph W. McCorkle (Democratic) 26.77% Edward J. Kewen (Whig) 23.70% Benjamin J. Moore (Whig) 22.37%[2]
	Edward Gilbert	Democratic	1849	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic hold.

Connecticut

Elections were held April 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Connecticut 1
Connecticut 2
Connecticut 3
Connecticut 4

Delaware

The election was held November 12, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Delaware at-large

Florida

The election was held October 7, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Florida at-large

Georgia

Elections were held October 6, 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Georgia 1
Georgia 2
Georgia 3
Georgia 4
Georgia 5
Georgia 6
Georgia 7
Georgia 8

Illinois

Elections were held November 5, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Illinois 1
Illinois 2
Illinois 3
Illinois 4
Illinois 5
Illinois 6
Illinois 7

Indiana

Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Indiana 1
Indiana 2
Indiana 3
Indiana 4
Indiana 5
Indiana 6
Indiana 7
Indiana 8
Indiana 9
Indiana 10

Iowa

Elections were held August 5, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Iowa 1
Iowa 2

Kentucky

Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Kentucky 1
Kentucky 2
Kentucky 3
Kentucky 4
Kentucky 5
Kentucky 6
Kentucky 7
Kentucky 8
Kentucky 9
Kentucky 10

Louisiana

Elections were held November 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Louisiana 1
Louisiana 2
Louisiana 3
Louisiana 4

Maine

Elections were held September 9, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Maine 1
Maine 2
Maine 3
Maine 4
Maine 5
Maine 6
Maine 7

Maryland

Elections were held October 1, 1851 elections were after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the new term, but still before the Congress convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Maryland 1
Maryland 2
Maryland 3
Maryland 4
Maryland 5
Maryland 6

Massachusetts

Elections were held November 11, 1850, but at least one district's elections went to multiple ballots into 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Massachusetts 1
Massachusetts 2
Massachusetts 3
Massachusetts 4	Vacant due to failure to elect.			New member elected on the 4th ballot. Whig gain.	First ballot (November 11, 1850): Benjamin Thompson (Whig) 39.60% John G. Palfrey (Free Soil) 34.25% Richard Frothingham (Democratic) 26.16%[3] Second ballot (January 20, 1851): Benjamin Thompson (Whig) 42.76% John G. Palfrey (Free Soil) 33.86% Richard Frothingham (Democratic) 23.39%[4] Third ballot (April 7, 1851): Benjamin Thompson (Whig) 42.12% John G. Palfrey (Free Soil) 40.18% Richard Frothingham (Democratic) 17.70%[5] Fourth ballot (May 26, 1851): Benjamin Thompson (Whig) 47.65% John G. Palfrey (Free Soil) 47.00% Richard Frothingham (Democratic) 5.36%[6]
Massachusetts 5
Massachusetts 6
Massachusetts 7	Julius Rockwell	Whig	1844 (Late)	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected on the fourth ballot. Whig hold.	First ballot (November 11, 1850): Henry W. Bishop (Democratic) 45.75% John Z. Goodrich (Whig) 45.30% Joel Hayden (Free Soil) 6.72% Julius Rockwell (Whig) 2.23%[7] Second ballot (January 20, 1851): John Z. Goodrich (Whig) 48.32% Henry W. Bishop (Democratic) 42.61% Joel Hayden (Free Soil) 7.73% Julius Rockwell (Whig) 1.34%[8] Third ballot (April 7, 1851): John Z. Goodrich (Whig) 48.24% Henry W. Bishop (Democratic) 43.02% Joel Hayden (Free Soil) 7.96%[9] Fourth ballot (May 26, 1851): John Z. Goodrich (Whig) 52.80% Henry W. Bishop (Democratic) 46.32%[10]
Massachusetts 8
Massachusetts 9
Massachusetts 10

Michigan

Elections were held November 5, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Michigan 1
Michigan 2
Michigan 3

Minnesota Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Mississippi

Elections were held November 3–4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Mississippi 1
Mississippi 2
Mississippi 3
Mississippi 4

Missouri

Elections were held August 5, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Missouri 1
Missouri 2
Missouri 3
Missouri 4
Missouri 5

New Hampshire

Elections were held March 11, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
New Hampshire 1
New Hampshire 2
New Hampshire 3
New Hampshire 4

New Jersey

Elections were held November 5, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
New Jersey 1
New Jersey 2
New Jersey 3
New Jersey 4
New Jersey 5

New Mexico Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

New York

Elections were held November 5, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
New York 1
New York 2
New York 3
New York 4
New York 5
New York 6
New York 7
New York 8
New York 9
New York 10
New York 11
New York 12
New York 13
New York 14
New York 15
New York 16
New York 17
New York 18
New York 19
New York 20
New York 21
New York 22
New York 23
New York 24
New York 25
New York 26
New York 27
New York 28
New York 29
New York 30
New York 31
New York 32
New York 33
New York 34

North Carolina

Elections were held August 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
North Carolina 1
North Carolina 2
North Carolina 3
North Carolina 4
North Carolina 5
North Carolina 6
North Carolina 7
North Carolina 8
North Carolina 9

Ohio

Elections were held October 8, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Ohio 1
Ohio 2
Ohio 3
Ohio 4
Ohio 5
Ohio 6
Ohio 7
Ohio 8
Ohio 9
Ohio 10
Ohio 11
Ohio 12
Ohio 13
Ohio 14
Ohio 15
Ohio 16
Ohio 17
Ohio 18
Ohio 19
Ohio 20
Ohio 21

Oregon Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Pennsylvania

Elections were held October 8, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Pennsylvania 1
Pennsylvania 2
Pennsylvania 3
Pennsylvania 4
Pennsylvania 5
Pennsylvania 6
Pennsylvania 7
Pennsylvania 8
Pennsylvania 9
Pennsylvania 10
Pennsylvania 11
Pennsylvania 12
Pennsylvania 13
Pennsylvania 14
Pennsylvania 15
Pennsylvania 16
Pennsylvania 17
Pennsylvania 18
Pennsylvania 19
Pennsylvania 20
Pennsylvania 21
Pennsylvania 22
Pennsylvania 23
Pennsylvania 24

Rhode Island

Elections were held April 2, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Rhode Island 1
Rhode Island 2

South Carolina

Elections were held October 14–15, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
South Carolina 1
South Carolina 2
South Carolina 3
South Carolina 4
South Carolina 5
South Carolina 6
South Carolina 7

Tennessee

Elections were held August 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Tennessee 1
Tennessee 2
Tennessee 3
Tennessee 4
Tennessee 5
Tennessee 6
Tennessee 7
Tennessee 8
Tennessee 9
Tennessee 10
Tennessee 11

Texas

Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Texas 1
Texas 2

Utah Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Vermont

Elections were held September 3, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Vermont 1
Vermont 2
Vermont 3
Vermont 4

Virginia

Elections were held October 23, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Virginia 1
Virginia 2
Virginia 3
Virginia 4
Virginia 5
Virginia 6
Virginia 7
Virginia 8
Virginia 9
Virginia 10
Virginia 11
Virginia 12
Virginia 13
Virginia 14
Virginia 15

Wisconsin

Elections were held November 5, 1850.

District	Incumbent			This race
	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates[11]
Wisconsin 1	Charles Durkee	Free Soil	1848	Incumbent re-elected.	Charles Durkee (Free Soil) 57.23% Andrew E. Elmore (Democratic) 42.47%
Wisconsin 2	Orsamus Cole	Whig	1848	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Ben C. Eastman (Democratic) 54.98% Orsamus Cole (Whig) 44.31%
Wisconsin 3	James Duane Doty	Democratic	1848	Incumbent won re-election as an Independent. Independent Democratic gain.	James Duane Doty (Independent Democratic) 67.12% Harrison Carroll Hobart (Democratic) 32.31%

Non-voting delegates

District	Incumbent			This race
	Delegate	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Minnesota Territory	Henry Hastings Sibley	Democratic	1848 (Wisconsin Territory: Special) 1849 (Wisconsin Territory: Eliminated) 1849 (Minnesota Territory)	Incumbent re-elected.	Henry Hastings Sibley (Democratic) [data unknown/missing]
New Mexico Territory	New seat			New seat created. New delegate elected. Democratic gain.	Richard H. Weightman (Democratic) 4,200 votes A.W. Reynolds (Whig) 3,458 votes[12]
Oregon Territory	Samuel Thurston	Democratic	1849 (New seat)	Incumbent died April 9, 1851. New delegate elected June 2, 1851.[13] Democratic hold.	Joseph Lane (Democratic) [data unknown/missing]
Utah Territory	New seat			New seat created. New delegate elected. Independent gain.	John M. Bernhisel (Independent) [data unknown/missing]

See also

• 1850 United States elections
  • List of United States House of Representatives elections, 1824–54
  • 1850 and 1851 United States Senate elections
• 31st United States Congress
• 32nd United States Congress

Notes

1. Includes two Unionist Whigs, three Unionist Democrats, and nine Unionists.
2. Includes one Secessionist Democrat, one Secessionist Whig, three Southern Rights Democrats, and three Southern Rightists.
3. Includes two Independent Democrats, one Benton Democrat and one Independent Whig.
4. Free Soil had 4 seats and States' Rights had 3.
5. Unionist had 10 seats.
6. Includes one Independent Democrat.
7. There was 1 Know-Nothing in the 31st Congress.
8. In 1845, Congress passed a law providing for a uniform date for choosing presidential electors.[1] Congressional elections were unaffected by this law, but the date was gradually adopted by the states for Congressional elections as well.
9. One seat, Massachusetts's 4th congressional district, had been vacant during the entire 31st Congress.
10. There was 1 Independent in the 31st Congress.
11. Includes 1 Independent Whig.
12. Includes three Independent Democrats from Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

References

1. Statutes at Large, 28th Congress, 2nd Session, p. 721
2. "Our Campaigns - CA - At Large Race - Sep 03, 1851". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
3. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 1st Trial Race - Nov 11, 1850". www.ourcampaigns.com.
4. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 2nd Trial Race - Jan 20, 1851". www.ourcampaigns.com.
5. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 3rd Trial Race - Apr 07, 1851". www.ourcampaigns.com.
6. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 4th Trial Race - May 26, 1851". www.ourcampaigns.com.
7. "Our Campaigns - MA District 7 - 1st Trial Race - Nov 11, 1850". www.ourcampaigns.com.
8. "Our Campaigns - MA District 7 - 2nd Trial Race - Jan 20, 1851". www.ourcampaigns.com.
9. "Our Campaigns - MA District 7 - 3rd Trial Race - Apr 07, 1851". www.ourcampaigns.com.
10. "Our Campaigns - MA District 7 - 4th Trial Race - May 26, 1851". www.ourcampaigns.com.
11. "Wisconsin Congressional election 1850 / Official". Wisconsin Argus. December 17, 1850. p. 2. Retrieved May 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Later from New-Mexico--Murder, and Great Excitement". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
13. https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/history-officials.pdf

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

• Office of the Historian (Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)