The 1836–37 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between July 4, 1836, and November 7, 1837. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives, either before or after the first session of the 25th United States Congress convened on September 4, 1837. With Arkansas and Michigan officially achieving statehood in 1836 and 1837, respectively, the size of the House was set at 242 seats.
Though Democrat Martin Van Buren was elected president in November 1836, Democrats lost seats. The newly organizing Whigs benefited from regional candidacies and issues and voter fatigue with outgoing two-term President Andrew Jackson. Jackson, a flamboyant public personality with a record of high-profile leadership and historic military success, often clashed with Congress and the Supreme Court. By comparison, Van Buren, a brilliant partisan organizer and political operative, was less charismatic in looks and demeanor. Voter support for the minor Anti-Masonic and Nullifier parties ebbed, but remained significant. One Independent, John Pope, was elected from Kentucky.[1][2][3]
Election summaries
128 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 100 |
Democratic | AM | I | N | Whig |
State | Type | ↑ Date | Total seats |
Anti-Masonic | Democratic[d] | Independent | Nullifier | Whig[e] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | Change | Seats | Change | Seats | Change | Seats | Change | Seats | Change | ||||
Louisiana | Districts | August 1, 1836 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||
Illinois | Districts | August 1, 1836 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Missouri | At-large | August 1, 1836 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
Vermont | Districts | September 6, 1836 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | ||
Maine | Districts | September 12, 1836 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||
Georgia | At-large | October 3, 1836 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
South Carolina | Districts | October 10–11, 1836 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
Ohio | Districts | October 11, 1836 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | ||
Pennsylvania | Districts | October 11, 1836 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||
Delaware | At-large | November 8, 1836 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
New York | Districts | November 7–9, 1836 | 40 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |||
Massachusetts | Districts | November 14, 1836 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | ||
New Jersey | At-large | November 16, 1836 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | |||
Late elections (after the March 4, 1837, beginning of the term) | |||||||||||||
New Hampshire | At-large | March 14, 1837 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Connecticut | Districts | April 3, 1837 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Virginia | Districts | April 27, 1837 | 21 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | |||
Maryland | Districts | July 26, 1837 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |||||
Tennessee | Districts | August 3, 1837 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |||
Indiana | Districts | August 7, 1837 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | |||
Kentucky | Districts | August 7, 1837 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1[f] | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | ||
Alabama | Districts | August 8, 1837 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
North Carolina | Districts | August 10, 1837 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | |||
Michigan | At-large | August 22, 1837 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Rhode Island | At-large | August 29, 1837 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||
Later elections (after the September 4, 1837, beginning of special session) | |||||||||||||
Arkansas | At-large | October 2, 1837 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Mississippi | At-large | November 6–7, 1837[g] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||
Total[h] | 242 | 7 2.9% |
9 | 128 52.9% |
15 | 1 0.4% |
1 | 6 2.5% |
2 | 100 41.3% |
25 |
Special elections
There were special elections in 1836 and 1837 to the 24th United States Congress and 25th United States Congress.
Special elections are sorted by date then district.
24th Congress
Note: In some sources, parties are listed as "Democrats" and "Whigs." However, they are listed here as "Jacksonian" and "Anti-Jacksonian" (respectively) to conform to the party names as they were regarded during the 24th United States Congress.
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Connecticut at-large | Zalmon Wildman | Jacksonian | 1835 | Incumbent died December 10, 1835. New member elected in early 1836. Jacksonian hold. Successor seated April 29, 1836.[5] Successor also later elected to the next term; see below. |
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Connecticut at-large | Andrew T. Judson | Jacksonian | 1835 | Incumbent resigned July 4, 1836, to become judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. New member elected in mid-to-late 1836. Jacksonian hold. Successor seated December 5, 1836.[5] Successor also later elected to the next term; see below. |
|
North Carolina 12 | James Graham | Jacksonian | 1833 | Seat declared vacant March 29, 1836. Incumbent re-elected August 4, 1836.[7] National Republican gain. Incumbent seated December 5, 1836.[5] Incumbent also later elected to the next term; see below. |
|
South Carolina 4 | James H. Hammond | Nullifier | 1834 | Incumbent resigned February 26, 1836, because of ill-health. New member elected October 10, 1836.[8] Nullifier hold. Successor seated December 19, 1836.[5] Successor also elected the same day to the next term; see below. |
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Pennsylvania 24 | John Banks | Anti-Masonic | 1830 | Incumbent resigned March 31, 1836. New member elected October 11, 1836.[9] National Republican gain. Successor seated December 5, 1836.[5] Successor was not a candidate the same day for the next term; see below. |
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South Carolina 8 | Richard I. Manning | Jacksonian | 1834 (special) | Incumbent died May 1, 1836. New member elected October 11, 1836.[11] Jacksonian hold. Successor seated December 19, 1836.[5] Successor elected the same day for the next term; see below. |
|
Georgia at-large | John E. Coffee | Jacksonian | 1832 | Incumbent died September 25, 1836. New member elected October 30, 1836.[12] Nullifier gain. Successor seated December 26, 1836.[5] Successor had already been elected to the next term; see below. |
|
Pennsylvania 13 | Jesse Miller | Jacksonian | 1832 | Incumbent resigned October 30, 1836. New member elected November 4, 1836.[13] Jacksonian hold. Successor seated December 5, 1836.[5] Successor had not been a candidate for the next term; see below. |
|
Mississippi at-large | David Dickson | Jacksonian | 1835 | Incumbent died July 31, 1836. New member elected November 7, 1836.[14] Jacksonian hold. Successor seated January 7, 1837.[5] Successor was not later elected to the next term; see below. |
|
New York 17 | Samuel Beardsley | Jacksonian | 1830 | Incumbent resigned March 29, 1836. New member elected November 7–9, 1836.[15] Jacksonian hold. Successor seated December 5, 1836.[5] Successor was not a candidate the same day for the next term; see below. |
|
New York 30 | Philo C. Fuller | Jacksonian | 1832 | Incumbent resigned September 2, 1836. New member elected November 9, 1836.[16] National Republican gain. Successor seated December 6, 1836.[5] Successor was not a candidate the same day for the next term; see below. |
|
New Jersey at-large | Philemon Dickerson | Jacksonian | 1832 | Incumbent resigned November 3, 1836, to become Governor of New Jersey. New member elected November 15–16, 1836.[17] National Republican gain. Successor seated December 5, 1836.[5] Successor was not a candidate the same day for the next term; see below. |
|
Georgia at-large | George W. Towns | Jacksonian | 1834 | Incumbent resigned September 1, 1836. New member elected January 2, 1837.[18] National Republican gain. Successor seated January 31, 1837.[5] Successor had already lost election to the next term; see below. |
|
Indiana 6 | George L. Kinnard | Jacksonian | 1833 | Incumbent died November 26, 1836. New member elected January 2, 1837. National Republican gain.[19] Successor seated January 25, 1837.[5] Successor also later elected to the next term; see below. |
|
25th Congress
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Pennsylvania 3 | Francis J. Harper | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent died March 18, 1837, having just been seated as a new member. New member elected June 29, 1837. Whig gain. Successor seated September 4, 1837.[20] |
|
Mississippi at-large | John F. H. Claiborne | Democratic | 1835 | Mississippi elected its members in November of odd numbered years (after the beginning of the congressional term). As Congress had been called to meet in September, the governor issued writs for a special election to fill vacancies until the regular election. Incumbents re-elected July 18, 1837. Democratic hold. Incumbent successors presented their credentials and were seated September 4, 1837.[20] At their request the question of the validity of their election was referred to the Committee on Elections. The House decided October 3, 1837, they had been elected for the full term.[i] |
|
Samuel J. Gholson | Democratic | 1836 (special) | |||
Tennessee 4 | James I. Standifer | Whig | 1823 1825 (lost) 1827 (lost) 1829 |
Incumbent died August 20, 1837. New member elected September 14, 1837.[23] Whig hold. Successor seated October 6, 1837.[20] |
|
Ohio 17 | Andrew W. Loomis | Whig | 1836 | Incumbent resigned October 20, 1837. New member elected November 30, 1837.[24] Whig hold. Successor seated December 20, 1837.[20] |
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Alabama
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Alabama 1 | |||||
Alabama 2 | |||||
Alabama 3 | |||||
Alabama 4 | |||||
Alabama 5 |
Arkansas
24th Congress
The new state of Arkansas was admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, and elected its sole at-large member August 1, 1836. He was seated December 5, 1836,[5] to finish the term that would end the following March.
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Arkansas at-large | New seat | New member elected.[25] Jacksonian gain. Same member also later elected to the next term, see below. |
|
25th Congress
Arkansas elected its member October 2, 1837, this time for a full term.
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Arkansas at-large | Archibald Yell | 1836 | Jacksonian | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Connecticut
Connecticut went from six at-large seats to six districts for the first time. Elections were held April 3, 1837, after the new term began but before the Congress convened. All incumbents from the at-large district were re-elected in districts.
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Connecticut 1 | |||||
Connecticut 2 | |||||
Connecticut 3 | |||||
Connecticut 4 | |||||
Connecticut 5 | |||||
Connecticut 6 |
Delaware
Elections were held November 08, 1836.
District | Incumbent | This race | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Delaware at-large | John J. Milligan | Whig | 1834 | Incumbent re-elected as a Whig. Whig Hold. |
Florida TerritorySee Non-voting delegates, below. Georgia
IllinoisIllinois elected its three members on August 1, 1834.
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
MaineMaine elected its members September 12, 1836, except one district went to multiple ballots later in the year.
Maryland
MassachusettsElections were held November 14, 1836.
MichiganMichigan elected its sole member late on August 22, 1837.
MississippiA special election was held in Mississippi on July 17–18, 1837. Its winners were Democrats John F. H. Claiborne and Samuel J. Gholson. The first session of the 25th Congress was a special session beginning on September 4, 1837, extending to October 16. In November, Mississippi, held the regular election. Seargent Smith Prentiss, a Vicksburg lawyer and Whig, unexpectedly launched a vigorous, partisan campaign. He and fellow Whig Thomas J. Word won in an upset. Claiborne and Gholson then argued that the July result entitled them to serve full terms. With the Whig Party newly organizing, the closely divided House, in which Anti-Masons, Nullifiers, and the Independent tended to align more with Whigs and to oppose Democrats, agreed to hear Prentiss. He spoke for nine hours over three days, packing the gallery, drawing Senators, and earning a national reputation for oratory and public admiration from leading Whigs including Senators Clay and Webster. The Elections Committee then required a third election. Scheduled for April 1838, it confirmed the November result. Both Whigs were seated in May late in the second session, also serving for the third session.
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Source:[28] New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
TennesseeElections held late, on August 3, 1837
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin TerritorySee Non-voting delegates, below. Non-voting delegates
See also
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links
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