1844–45 United States House of Representatives elections

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House elections for the 29th U.S. Congress

1844–45 United States House of Representatives elections
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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[edit]

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.

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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 Decrease1 0 Steady 1 Increase1
Illinois District August 5, 1844 7 6 Steady 0 Steady 1 Steady
Missouri At-large August 5, 1844 5 5 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Georgia District[f] August 7, 1844 8 4 Decrease4 0 Steady 4 Increase4
Vermont District September 3, 1844 4 1 Steady 0 Steady 3 Steady
Maine District September 9, 1844 7 6 Increase1 0 Steady 1 Decrease1
Arkansas At-large October 8, 1844 1 1 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Ohio District October 8, 1844 21 13 Increase1 0 Steady 8 Decrease1
Pennsylvania District October 8, 1844 24 12 Steady 2 Increase2 10 Decrease2
New Jersey District October 9, 1844 5 1 Decrease3 0 Steady 4 Increase3
South Carolina District October 14–15, 1844 7 7 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Michigan District November 5, 1844 3 3 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Massachusetts District November 11, 1844 10 0 Decrease2 0 Steady 10 Increase2
New York District November 11, 1844 34 21 Decrease3 4 Increase4 9 Decrease1
Delaware At-large November 12, 1844 1 0 Steady 0 Steady 1 Steady
Late electionsfter the March 4, 1845 beginning of term
New Hampshire At-large March 11, 1845 4[c] 3 Decrease1 0 Steady 0 Steady
Rhode Island District April 2, 1845 2 0 Steady 0 Steady 2 Increase2[g]
Connecticut District April 7, 1845 4 0 Decrease4 0 Steady 4 Increase4
Virginia District April 24, 1845 15 14 Increase2 0 Steady 1 Decrease2
Florida[h] At-large May 26, 1845 1 1 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Steady
Alabama District August 4, 1845 7 6 Steady 0 Steady 1 Steady
Indiana District August 4, 1845 10 8 Steady 0 Steady 2 Steady
Kentucky District August 4, 1845 10 3 Decrease1 0 Steady 7 Increase2
North Carolina District August 7, 1845 9 6 Increase1 0 Steady 3 Decrease1
Tennessee District August 7, 1845 11 6 Steady 0 Steady 5 Steady
Maryland District October 1, 1845 6 4 Increase4 0 Steady 2 Decrease4
Mississippi At-large November 3–4, 1845 4 4 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Total 224[b][c] 142
62.6% 		Decrease6 6
2.6% 		Increase6 79
34.8% 		Increase6
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[edit]

Alabama[edit]

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[edit]

The election was held October 8, 1844.

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

Connecticut[edit]

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[edit]

The election was held November 12, 1844.

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

Florida[edit]

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[edit]

Elections were held August 7, 1844.

Illinois[edit]

Elections were held August 5, 1844.

Indiana[edit]

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[edit]

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Kentucky[edit]

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[edit]

Elections were held July 1–3, 1844.

Elections were held September 9, 1844.

Maryland[edit]

Late elections to the 28th Congress[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Elections were held November 5, 1844.

Mississippi[edit]

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[edit]

Elections were held at-large on a general ticket August 5, 1844.

New Hampshire[edit]

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.

New Jersey[edit]

Elections were held October 9, 1844.

New York[edit]

Elections were held November 11, 1844.

North Carolina[edit]

Elections were held August 7, 1845, after the March 4, 1845 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1845.

Elections were held October 8, 1844.

Pennsylvania[edit]

Elections were held October 8, 1844.

Rhode Island[edit]

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[edit]

Elections were held October 14–15, 1844.

Tennessee[edit]

Elections were held August 7, 1845.

Vermont[edit]

Elections were held September 3, 1844.

Virginia[edit]

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[edit]

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Non-voting delegates[edit]

See also[edit]

  1. ^ Excludes states admitted during the 29th Congress
  2. ^ a b c Includes late elections
  3. ^ a b c There was one vacancy in New Hampshire’s delegation, unfilled for the duration of the 29th Congress.
  4. ^ Includes one Independent and one Independent Whig.
  5. ^ There were 6 Know Nothings.
  6. ^ Changed from at-large
  7. ^ Previous election had 2 members of the short-lived Law and Order Party
  8. ^ New State

References[edit]

  1. ^ 5 Stat. 743
  2. ^ “Our Campaigns – GA District 03 Race – Aug 07, 1844”. www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  3. ^ “Our Campaigns – GA District 08 Race – Aug 07, 1844”. www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  4. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 4 – 1st Trial Race – Nov 11, 1844”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  5. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 4 – 2nd Trial Race – Dec 23, 1844”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  6. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 7 Race – Nov 11, 1844”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  7. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 8 Race – Nov 11, 1844”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  8. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 1st Trial Race – Nov 11, 1844”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  9. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 2nd Trial Race – Dec 23, 1844”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  10. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 3rd Trial Race – Feb 10, 1845”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  11. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 4th Trial Race – Apr 28, 1845”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  12. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 5th Trial Race – Sep 01, 1845”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  13. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 6th Trial Race – Nov 10, 1845”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  14. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 7th Trial Race – Dec 29, 1845”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  15. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 8th Trial Race – Feb 02, 1846”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  16. ^ “Our Campaigns – MA District 9 – 9th Trial Race – Nov 09, 1846”. www.ourcampaigns.com.
  17. ^ “MI – District 01 Race – Nov 05, 1844”. Our Campaigns. January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  18. ^ “MI – District 02 Race – Nov 05, 1844”. Our Campaigns. January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  19. ^ “MI – District 03 Race – Nov 05, 1844”. Our Campaigns. January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  20. ^ “MS – At Large”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  21. ^ “MO At-Large”. OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved October 28, 2020., source notes Sims is Whig, which conflicts with other sources.
  22. ^ “Our Campaigns – NH At-Large Race – Mar 11, 1845”. www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  23. ^ “Our Campaigns – NH At-Large – 2nd Trial Race – Aug 23, 1845”. www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  24. ^ “Our Campaigns – NH At-Large – 3rd Trial Race – Nov 29, 1845”. www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  25. ^ “Our Campaigns – NH At-Large – 4th Trial Race – Mar 10, 1846”. www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  26. ^ “TN – District 01”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  27. ^ “TN – District 02”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  28. ^ “TN – District 03”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  29. ^ “TN – District 04”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  30. ^ “TN – District 05”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  31. ^ “TN – District 06”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  32. ^ “TN – District 07”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  33. ^ “TN – District 08”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  34. ^ “TN – District 09”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  35. ^ “TN – District 10”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  36. ^ “TN – District 11”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  37. ^ 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[edit]

External links[edit]


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