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1840–41 United States House of Representatives elections

House elections for the 27th U.S. Congress

House elections for the 27th U.S. Congress

FieldValue
election_name1840–41 United States House of Representatives elections
countryUnited States
flag_year1837
typelegislative
ongoingno
previous_election1838–39 United States House of Representatives elections
previous_year1838 & 1839
next_election1842–43 United States House of Representatives elections
next_year1842 & 1843
outgoing_members26th United States Congress#House of Representatives_3
elected_members27th United States Congress#House of Representatives_3
seats_for_electionAll 242 seats in the United States House of Representatives
majority_seats122
election_dateJuly 6, 1840 – November 2, 1841
image_sizex180px
image1John White.jpg
leader1John White
party1Whig Party (US)
leaders_seat1
last_election1116 seats
seats1142
seat_change126
popular_vote11,089,609
percentage151.04%
swing11.31
image2JohnWinstonJones.jpg
leader2John Jones
party2Democratic Party (US)
leaders_seat2
last_election2126 seats
seats298
seat_change228
popular_vote21,021,051
percentage247.83%
swing22.18
party4Independent
last_election40 seats
seats42
seat_change42
popular_vote418,063
percentage40.85%
swing40.44
map_image27th Congress House election.svg
map_size320px
map_captionResults:
titleSpeaker
before_electionRobert M. T. Hunter
after_electionJohn White
before_partyWhig Party (US)
after_partyWhig Party (US)

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, and Zadok Casey, Independent Democrat of Illinois.

Election summaries

Democratic Party (US)}}"DemocraticWhig Party (US)}}"Whig
StateTypeDateTotal
seatsDemocraticWhigSeatsChangeSeatsChangeLouisianaMissouriIllinoisVermontMaineArkansasGeorgiaSouth CarolinaOhioPennsylvaniaNew YorkConnecticutMichiganNew JerseyMassachusettsDelawareNew HampshireRhode IslandVirginiaKentuckyIndianaTennesseeNorth CarolinaMarylandAlabamaMississippi
DistrictsJuly 6–8, 184031121
At-largeAugust 3, 1840220
DistrictsAugust 7, 1840321
DistrictsSeptember 4, 184050252
DistrictsSeptember 14, 184084242
At-largeOctober 5, 1840110
At-largeOctober 6, 1840909
DistrictsOctober 12–13, 1840981
DistrictsOctober 13, 18401974124
District (25)October 13, 184028152138
District (33)November 2–4, 184040212192
DistrictsNovember 3, 1840606
At-largeNovember 3, 184010111
At-largeNovember 3, 184060565
DistrictsNovember 9, 18401211111
At-largeNovember 10, 184010111
1841 elections
At-largeMarch 9, 1841550
At-largeApril 21, 1841202
DistrictsApril 23, 184121102103
DistrictsApril 26, 184113211
DistrictsMay 3, 184171464
DistrictsMay 6, 1841135181
DistrictsMay 13, 1841135383
District (7)May 17, 184182363
At-largeMay 20, 184155202
At-largeNovember 1–2, 1841220
Total24299
40.9%26142
59.5%33

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

  • : 1840
  • : January 1841 (one of the at-large seat)
  • : 1840
  • : 1840
  • : 1840
  • : 1840
  • : 1840

27th Congress

  • : 1841
  • : 1841
  • : 1841
  • : 1841
  • : 1841
  • (again): 1841
  • : 1841

|- ! | 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. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • John Greig (Whig) 53.36%
  • Bowen Whiting (Democratic) 43.30%
  • Hiram Pitts (Liberty) 3.34%

|- ! | John Greig | | Whig | 1841 (special) | | Incumbent resigned September 25, 1841. New member elected November 3, 1841 and seated November 27, 1841. Whig hold. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Francis Granger (Whig) 53.36%
  • Bowen Whiting (Democratic) 45.14%
  • Hiram Pitts (Liberty) 3.96%

|- ! rowspan=3 | (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.

  • Mark A. Cooper (Democratic) 17.26%
  • Walter T. Colquitt (Democratic) 17.14%
  • Edward J. Black (Democratic) 16.96%
  • Charles Dougherty (Whig) 16.32%
  • George R. Gilmer (Whig) 16.18%
  • Augustus R. Wright (Whig) 16.14%

|- | 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

Arkansas

Cross:
Fowler:

|- ! | Edward Cross | | Democratic | 1838 | Incumbent reelected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Edward Cross (Democratic) 57.6%
  • Absalom Fowler (Whig) 42.4%

|}

Connecticut

|- ! | Joseph Trumbull | | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Joseph Trumbull (Whig) 56.7%
  • Thomas H. Seymour (Democratic) 42.6%

|- ! | William W. Boardman | | Whig | 1840 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • William W. Boardman (Whig) 53.2%
  • Charles A. Ingersoll (Democratic) 44.7%

|- ! | Thomas W. Williams | | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Thomas W. Williams (Whig) 55.2%
  • Erastis Coit (Democratic) 44.5%

|- ! | Thomas B. Osborne | | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Thomas B. Osborne (Whig) 55.4%
  • Thomas T. Whittlesey (Democratic) 44.3%

|- ! | Truman Smith | | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Truman Smith (Whig) 55.4%
  • John C. Smith Jr. (Democratic) 43.8%

|- ! | Orrin Holt | | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • John H. Brockway (Whig) 56.6%
  • Chauncey F. Cleveland (Democratic) 43.4%

|}

Delaware

Florida Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maine elected its members September 14, 1840.

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- ! | Thomas Davee | | Democratic | 1836 | | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Elisha H. Allen (Whig) 51.90%
  • Hannibal Hamlin (Democratic) 46.62%

|}

Maryland

Massachusetts

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

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- ! | William Parmenter | | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • William Parmenter (Democratic) 50.34%
  • Nathan Brooks (Whig) 48.35%
  • David Goodale (Unknown) 1.31%

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- !

|- ! | Henry Williams | | Democratic | 1838 | | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected on the second ballot. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{collapsible list|title=First ballot (November 9, 1840)|

  • Henry Williams (Democratic) 49.75%
  • Nathaniel B. Borden (Whig) 49.60%
  • Otis Thompson (Unknown) 0.65%}} Second ballot (January 4, 1841) {{Plainlist|
  • Nathaniel B. Borden (Whig) 52.41%
  • Henry Williams (Democratic) 45.26%
  • George W. Johnson (Unknown) 2.33%

|- !

|- ! | John Quincy Adams | | Whig | 1830 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • John Quincy Adams (Whig) 54.60%
  • William M. Jackson (Democratic) 45.40%

|}

Mississippi

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

|- ! rowspan=2 | (2 seats) | Jacob Thompson | | Democratic | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected.

  • Jacob Thompson (Democratic) 26.86%
  • William M. Gwin (Democratic) 26.74%
  • Adam L. Benjamin (Whig) 23.38%
  • William Harley (Whig) 23.03% |- | Albert G. Brown | | Democratic | 1839 | | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold.

|}

Michigan

|- ! | Isaac E. Crary | | 1835 | | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Jacob M. Howard (Whig) 51.5%
  • Alpheus French (Democratic) 48.5%

|}

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

North Carolina

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Elections held late, on May 6, 1841.

|- ! | William B. Carter | | Whig | 1835 | |Incumbent retired. Whig hold. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Thomas D. Arnold (Whig) 90.21%
  • Robert J. McKinney (Unknown) 5.65%
  • Jeremiah Jack (Unknown) 4.14%

|- ! | Abraham McClellan | | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Abraham McClellan (Democratic) 53.00%
  • William T. Senter (Whig) 47.00%

|- ! | Joseph L. Williams | | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Joseph L. Williams (Whig) 97.41%
  • Scattering 2.59%

|- ! | Julius W. Blackwell | | Democratic | 1839 | |Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Thomas J. Campbell (Whig) 49.26%
  • Julius W. Blackwell (Democratic) 48.50%
  • William Stone (Unknown) 2.24%

|- ! | Hopkins L. Turney | | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Hopkins L. Turney (Democratic) 67.98%
  • John L. Goodall (Whig) 32.02%

|- ! | William B. Campbell | | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • William B. Campbell (Whig) 87.44%
  • Jesse Skein (Unknown) 10.74%
  • Scattering 1.82%

|- ! | John Bell | | Whig | 1827 | |Incumbent retired to become Secretary of War. Whig hold. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Robert L. Caruthers (Whig) 72.29%
  • John Hall (Democratic) 27.71%

|- ! | Meredith P. Gentry | | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Meredith P. Gentry (Whig) 70.10%
  • Thomas Hogan (Democratic) 29.90%

|- ! | Harvey M. Watterson | | Democratic | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Harvey M. Watterson (Democratic) 54.81%
  • Terry H. Cahal (Whig) 45.19%

|- ! | Aaron V. Brown | | Democratic | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Aaron V. Brown (Democratic) 80.96%
  • Ebenezer J. Shields (Whig) 15.63%
  • Scattering 3.41%

|- ! | Cave Johnson | | Democratic | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Cave Johnson (Democratic) 74.25%
  • N. H. Allen (Whig) 25.75%

|- ! | John W. Crockett | | Whig | 1837 | |Incumbent retired to become Attorney General for the 9th district. Whig hold. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Milton Brown (Whig) 61.19%
  • Stephen C. Davatt (Democratic) 38.81%

|- ! | Kit Williams | | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Kit Williams (Whig) 57.29%
  • Levin H. Coe (Democratic) 42.71%

|}

Vermont

|- ! | Hiland Hall | | Whig | 1833 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Hiland Hall (Whig) 59.2%
  • Daniel Kellogg (Democratic) 40.4%

|- ! | William Slade | | Whig | 1831 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • William Slade (Whig) 68.6%
  • Charles Linsley (Democratic) 30.9%

|- ! | Horace Everett | | Whig | 1828 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Horace Everett (Whig) 58.5%
  • Truman B. Ransom (Democratic) 40.0%

|- ! | John Smith | | 1838 | | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Augustus Young (Whig) 55.9%
  • John Smith (Democratic) 43.6%

|- ! | Isaac Fletcher | | 1836 | | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • John Mattocks (Whig) 60.1%
  • Isaac Fletcher (Democratic) 38.4%

|}

Virginia

|- ! | Francis Mallory | | Whig | 1840 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Francis Mallory (Whig) 81.9%
  • Archibald Atkinson (Democratic) 11.3%
  • James Walters (Unknown) 6.8%

|- ! | Francis E. Rives | | 1837 | | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • George B. Cary (Democratic) 56.5%
  • [FNU] Collier (Whig) 43.5%

|- ! | John Winston Jones | | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • John Winston Jones (Democratic) 69.5%
  • Junius E. Leigh (Unknown) 23.2%
  • Thomas Miller (Unknown) 7.3%

|- ! | George Dromgoole | | 1835 | | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • William Goode (Democratic) 75.0%
  • Richard H. Baptist (Unknown) 25.0%

|- ! | John Hill | | Whig | 1839 | | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Edmund W. Hubard (Democratic) 50.4%
  • John Hill (Whig) 49.6%

|- ! | Walter Coles | | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Walter Coles (Democratic) 50.5%
  • Vincent Witcher (Whig) 49.5%

|- ! | William L. Goggin | | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • William L. Goggin (Whig) 56.5%
  • Archibald Stuart (Democratic) 43.5%

|- ! | Henry A. Wise | | Whig | 1833 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Henry A. Wise (Whig)
  • William Todd (Democratic)

|- ! | Robert M. T. Hunter | | Whig | 1837 | | Incumbent re-elected as an Independent. Independent gain. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Robert M. T. Hunter (Independent) 53.4%
  • [FNU] Corbin (Whig) 36.1%
  • [FNU] Braxton (Democratic) 10.4%

|- ! | John Taliaferro | | Whig | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • John Taliaferro (Whig) 54.2%
  • Robert O. Grayson (Democratic) 45.8%

|- ! | John Botts | | Whig | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • John Botts (Whig) 73.2%
  • [FNU] Goodall (Unknown) 26.8%

|- ! | James Garland | | Conservative | 1835 | | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Thomas W. Gilmer (Whig) 51.6%
  • James Garland (Conservative) 42.0%
  • [FNU] Holladay (Unknown) 6.5%

|- ! | Linn Banks | | 1838 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Linn Banks (Democratic) 50.1%
  • William Smith (Democratic) 49.9%

|- ! | Charles F. Mercer | | Whig | 1817 | | Incumbent retired. Whig hold. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Cuthbert Powell (Whig) 62.9%
  • B. Shreve (Democratic) 37.1%

|- ! | William Lucas | | 1839 | | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Richard W. Barton (Whig) 52.2%
  • William Lucas (Democratic) 47.8%

|- ! | Green Berry Samuels | | 1839 | | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • William A. Harris (Democratic) 36.8%
  • Samuel C. Williams (Democratic) 30.1%
  • James M. H. Beale (Democratic) 19.5%
  • Gabriel T. Barbee (Unknown) 13.7%

|- ! | Robert Craig | | 1835 | | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Alexander H. H. Stuart (Whig) 53.6%
  • James McDowell Jr. (Democratic) 46.4%

|- ! | George W. Hopkins | | Conservative | 1835 | | Incumbent re-elected as a Democrat. Democratic gain. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • George W. Hopkins (Democratic) 60.9%
  • J. Watson (Whig) 39.1%

|- ! | Andrew Beirne | | 1837 | | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • George W. Summers (Whig) 92.6%
  • Augustus Caperton (Unknown) 7.4%

|- ! | Joseph Johnson | | 1835 | | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Samuel L. Hays (Democratic) 59.2%
  • Augustine J. Smith (Whig) 40.8%

|- ! | Lewis Steenrod | | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{plainlist |

  • Lewis Steenrod (Democratic) 100%

|}

Wisconsin Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Non-voting delegates

26th Congress

|- ! | William W. Chapman | | Democratic | 1838 | | Incumbent's term expired by law. New delegate elected in 1840. Democratic hold. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Augustus C. Dodge (Democratic)
  • Alfred Rich (Whig) (615-vote margin)

|}

27th Congress

|- ! | Charles Downing | | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • Charles Downing (Democratic)

|- ! | Augustus C. Dodge | | Democratic | 1840 | Incumbent re-elected August 6, 1841. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

  • Augustus C. Dodge (Democratic) 4838 votes
  • Alfred Rich (Whig) 4315 votes

|- ! | James D. Doty | | Democratic | 1838 | Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date. | nowrap | {{Plainlist|

  • James D. Doty (Democratic)

|}

Notes

References

Bibliography

References

  1. "Our Campaigns - NY District 26 - Special Election Race - May 11, 1841".
  2. "Our Campaigns - NY District 26 - Special Election Race - Nov 01, 1841".
  3. "Our Campaigns - GA At-Large - Special Election Race - Dec 21, 1841".
  4. (2010). "Guide to U.S. Elections". [[CQ Press]].
  5. "State of Connecticut Elections Database » Search Past Election Results".
  6. "Our Campaigns - ME District 8 Race - Sep 14, 1840".
  7. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 Race - Nov 09, 1840".
  8. "Our Campaigns - MA District 10 - 1st Trial Race - Nov 09, 1840".
  9. "Our Campaigns - MA District 10 - 2nd Trial Race - Jan 04, 1841".
  10. "Our Campaigns - MA District 12 Race - Nov 09, 1840".
  11. "MS - At Large".
  12. (January 11, 2010). "MI - District 01 Race - Nov 03, 1840". Our Campaigns.
  13. "TN - District 01".
  14. "TN - District 02".
  15. "TN - District 03".
  16. "TN - District 04".
  17. "TN - District 05".
  18. "TN - District 06".
  19. "TN - District 07".
  20. "TN - District 08".
  21. "TN - District 09".
  22. "TN - District 10".
  23. "TN - District 11".
  24. "TN - District 12".
  25. "TN - District 13".
  26. "VT Elections Database » Vermont Election Results and Statistics".
  27. "Virginia Elections Database » Virginia Election Results and Statistics".
  28. Pelzer, Louis. (1908). "The Early Democratic Party of Iowa". [[State Historical Society of Iowa]].
  29. Pelzer, Louis. (1908). "The Early Democratic Party of Iowa". [[State Historical Society of Iowa]].
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