The 1834–35 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between July 7, 1834, and November 5, 1835. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 24th United States Congress convened on December 7, 1835. They were held during President Andrew Jackson's second term. Elections were held for 240 seats that represented 24 states, as well as the at-large-district seat for the pending new state of Michigan.

Jacksonians benefitted from the president's continued popularity and the tight party organization of the nascent Democratic Party to win a large majority of House seats for the new Congress. Their primary opponents, the National Republicans, were coalescing and unifying as the Whig Party, reducing the influence of single-issue parties, the Anti-Masonic Party (an anti-Masonry movement) and the Nullifier Party (a John C. Calhoun-led states' rights party that supported South Carolina during the Nullification Crisis in 1832 and 1833). The Whig Party evolved from the National Republican Party and these minor parties. It appealed to diverse opponents of Jackson, including voters who perceived him as autocratic and brash, voters supporting greater spending and development on institutions and infrastructure, anti-Masons, and former Federalists. As the balance of power in the House remained unchanged, with Jacksonians holding 142 seats, this was the smallest loss by a President's party in the House as a result of the so-called six-year itch.

When the House convened in December 1835, future president James K. Polk, a staunch Jacksonian, was elected speaker. He defeated the incumbent speaker, John Bell, a Jacksonian who had split with the president on the national bank and other issues. Bell subsequently aligned himself with the National Republicans in the 24th Congress.

Election summary

Michigan was admitted during this Congress, adding 1 seat.

Special elections

23rd Congress

24th Congress

Alabama

Alabama elected its members August 3, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Arkansas Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Connecticut

Connecticut elected its members April 9, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Delaware

Delaware re-elected its member November 11, 1834.

Florida Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Georgia

Elections were held October 6, 1834.

Illinois

Illinois elected its three members on August 4, 1834.

Indiana

Indiana elected its members August 3, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Kentucky

Kentucky elected its members August 5, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Louisiana

Louisiana elected its members July 7–9, 1834.

Maine

Maine elected its members September 8, 1834.

Maryland

Maryland elected its members October 5, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Massachusetts

Elections were held November 10, 1834, but at least one district's elections went to multiple ballots into 1835.

Michigan

Michigan elected its member October 5, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

The House refused to admit the member from Michigan due to a conflict with Ohio, so he was seated only as a non-voting delegate until January 27, 1837.

Michigan Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Mississippi

Mississippi elected its members November 3–5, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Missouri

Missouri elected its members August 3, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire elected its members March 10, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

New Jersey

New Jersey elected its members October 14, 1834.

New York

New York elected its members November 3–5, 1834.

North Carolina

North Carolina elected its members August 13, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Ohio

Ohio elected its members October 14, 1834.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania elected its members October 14, 1834.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island elected its members August 25, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

South Carolina

South Carolina elected its members October 13–14, 1834.

Tennessee

Tennessee elected its members August 5–6, 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Vermont

Vermont elected its members September 2, 1834.

Virginia

Virginia elected its members April 1835, after the beginning of the term but before the House convened.

Non-voting delegates

See also

• 1834 United States elections
  • List of United States House of Representatives elections (1824–1854)
  • 1834–35 United States Senate elections
• 23rd United States Congress
• 24th United States Congress

Notes

References

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)