1852–53 United States House of Representatives elections

1852–53 United States House of Representatives elections
← 1850 & 1851 August 2, 1852 – November 8, 1853 1854 & 1855 →
All 234 seats in the United States House of Representatives
118 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Linn Boyd Joseph R. Chandler
Party Democratic Whig
Leader's seat Kentucky 1st Pennsylvania 2nd
Last election 120 seats 82 seats
Seats won 150 68
Seat change Increase 30 Decrease 14
Popular vote 1,566,004 1,308,031
Percentage 49.82% 41.61%
Swing Increase 6.51% Decrease 0.28%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Free Soil Union
Last election 4 seats 15 seats
Seats won 4 5[a]
Seat change Steady Decrease 10
Popular vote 125,271 22,139
Percentage 3.99% 0.70%
Swing Increase 0.87% Decrease 3.99%
  Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party Southern Rights Independent
Last election 8 seats 4 seats[c]
Seats won 4[b] 3[d]
Seat change Decrease 4 Decrease 1
Popular vote 20,326 87,826
Percentage 0.65% 2.79%
Swing Decrease 3.48% Steady
Speaker before election

Linn Boyd
Democratic

Elected Speaker

Linn Boyd
Democratic

The 1852–53 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between August 2, 1852, and November 8, 1853. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 33rd United States Congress convened on December 5, 1853. The size of the House increased to 234 seats following the congressional reapportionment based on the 1850 United States census.

Democrats increased their House majority while electing national compromise candidate Franklin Pierce, a Northerner favorable to Southern interests, to the Presidency. Effects of the Compromise of 1850 temporarily had reduced sectional tensions, and both major parties, Democrats and Whigs, unified around the 1852 presidential campaign, with Whig unity more tenuous. Two small parties, the Constitutional Unionists and States' Rights parties, collapsed before this election, while the Free Soil Party, opposing slavery in the Western territories, retained four seats. One Independent, Caleb Lyon, was elected from New York.

Election summaries

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Following the 1850 census, the House was reapportioned. In the initial apportionment bill, the number of seats was unchanged at 233,[1] but later one seat was added to California's delegation, increasing the total apportionment to 234, due to returns from California being determined to be incomplete.[2]

↓
158 4 1 71
Democratic FS I Whig
State Type Date Total seats Democratic Free Soil Whig Others
Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change
Iowa Districts August 2, 1852 2 Steady 1 Decrease1 0 Steady 1 Increase1 0 Steady
Missouri Districts August 2, 1852 7 Increase2 3 Increase1 0 Steady 4 Increase1 0 Steady
Vermont Districts September 7, 1852 3 Decrease1 0 Decrease1 0 Steady 3 Steady 0 Steady
Maine Districts September 13, 1852 6 Decrease1 3 Decrease2 0 Steady 3 Increase1 0 Steady
Florida At-large October 5, 1852 1 Steady 1 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Decrease1 0 Steady
Indiana Districts October 12, 1852 11 Increase1 10 Increase2 0 Steady 1 Decrease1 0 Steady
Ohio Districts October 12, 1852 21 Steady 12 Increase1 2 Increase1 7 Decrease2 0 Steady
Pennsylvania Districts October 12, 1852 25 Increase1 16 Increase1 0 Steady 9 Steady 0 Steady
California At-large November 2, 1852
(Election Day)[e] 		2 Steady 2 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Illinois Districts 9 Increase2 5[f] Decrease1 0 Steady 4 Increase3 0 Steady
Michigan Districts 4 Increase1 4 Increase3 0 Steady 0 Decrease2 0 Steady
New Jersey Districts 5 Steady 4 Steady 0 Steady 1 Steady 0 Steady
New York Districts 33 Decrease1 21 Increase4 1 Increase1 10 Decrease7 1[g] Increase1
Wisconsin Districts 3 Steady 3 Increase1 0 Decrease1 0 Steady 0 Steady
Delaware At-large November 8, 1852 1 Steady 1 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Massachusetts Districts November 8, 1852 11 Increase1 1 Steady 1 Decrease1 9 Increase2 0 Steady
South Carolina Districts February 28 – March 1, 1853 6 Decrease1 6 Decrease1 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Late elections (after the March 4, 1853 beginning of the term)
New Hampshire Districts March 8, 1853 3 Decrease1 3 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Decrease2 0 Steady
Connecticut Districts April 4, 1853 4 Steady 4 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Decrease1 0 Steady
Rhode Island Districts April 6, 1853 2 Steady 2 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Decrease1 0 Steady
Virginia Districts May 26, 1853 13 Decrease2 13 Steady 0 Steady 0 Decrease2 0 Steady
Arkansas Districts August 1, 1853 2 Increase1 2 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Kentucky Districts August 1, 1853 10 Steady 5 Steady 0 Steady 5 Steady 0 Steady
Texas Districts August 1, 1853 2 Steady 2 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
North Carolina Districts August 4, 1853 8 Decrease1 5 Increase2 0 Steady 3 Decrease3 0 Steady
Tennessee Districts August 4, 1853 10 Decrease1 5 Decrease2 0 Steady 5 Increase1 0 Steady
Alabama Districts August 8, 1853 7 Steady 6 Increase2 0 Steady 1 Decrease1 0 Decrease1[h]
Georgia Districts October 3, 1853 8 Steady 6 Increase6 0 Steady 2 Increase2 0 Decrease8[i]
Louisiana Districts November 1, 1853 4 Steady 3 Increase1 0 Steady 1 Decrease1 0 Steady
Maryland Districts November 2, 1853 6 Steady 4 Increase2 0 Steady 2 Decrease2 0 Steady
Mississippi District + 1 at-large November 7–8, 1853 5 Increase1 5 Increase5 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Decrease4[j]
Total 234 Increase1 158[f]
67.5% 		Increase28 4
1.7% 		Steady 71
30.3% 		Decrease15 1
0.4% 		Decrease12
Popular vote
Democratic
 
 49.82%
Whig
 
 41.61%
Free Soil
 
 3.99%
Unionist
 
 0.70%
States' Rights
 
 0.65%
Independent
 
 2.79%
Others
 
 0.44%
House seats
Democratic
 
 64.10%
Whig
 
 30.34%
Unionist
 
 2.14%
Free Soil
 
 1.71%
Southern Rights
 
 1.71%
Independent
 
 1.28%

Alabama

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See also: List of United States representatives from Alabama

Arkansas

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Arkansas
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Arkansas 1 Robert W. Johnson
Redistricted from the at-large district 		Democratic 1846 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.[3]
Arkansas 2 New seat.
Democratic gain.

California

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from California

Note: From statehood to 1864, California's representatives were elected at-large, with the top two vote-getters winning election from 1849 to 1858; in 1860 when California gained a seat in the House the top three vote-getters were elected.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
California at-large
2 seats on a general ticket 		Edward C. Marshall Democratic 1851 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Joseph W. McCorkle Democratic 1851 Incumbent lost renomination.
Democratic hold.

Connecticut

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Connecticut
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[5]
Connecticut 1 Charles Chapman Whig 1851 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Connecticut 2 Colin M. Ingersoll Democratic 1851 Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut 3 Chauncey F. Cleveland Democratic 1849 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Connecticut 4 Origen S. Seymour Democratic 1851 Incumbent re-elected.

Delaware

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Delaware

Florida

[edit]
Main article: 1852 United States House of Representatives election in Florida
See also: List of United States representatives from Florida
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Florida at-large Edward C. Cabell Whig 1846 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.

Georgia

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Georgia

Illinois

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Illinois

Indiana

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Indiana

Iowa

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Iowa

Kentucky

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Kentucky

Louisiana

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Louisiana

Maine

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Maine

Maryland

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Maryland

Massachusetts

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Massachusetts

The elections were held November 8, 1852. However, many of the districts went to a December 13, 1852 second ballot.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Massachusetts 1 Zeno Scudder
Redistricted from the 10th district 		Whig 1851 Incumbent re-elected on the second ballot.
First ballot (November 8, 1852)
Second ballot (December 13, 1852)
Massachusetts 2
Massachusetts 3
Massachusetts 4
Massachusetts 5
Massachusetts 6
Massachusetts 7
Massachusetts 8
Massachusetts 9
Massachusetts 10
Massachusetts 11

Michigan

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See also: List of United States representatives from Michigan
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Michigan 1 Ebenezer J. Penniman Whig 1850 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Michigan 2 Charles E. Stuart Democratic 1847 (special)
1848 (lost)
1850 		Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Democratic hold.
Michigan 3 James L. Conger Whig 1850 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Michigan 4 None (New seat) New seat.
Democratic gain.
  • ▌Green tickY Hestor L. Stevens (Democratic) 51.8%
  • ▌George Bradley (Whig) 43.1%
  • ▌Ephraim Calkins (Free Soil) 5.1%[11]

Mississippi

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Mississippi

Elections held late, from November 7 to 8, 1853

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Mississippi at-large None (new district) New seat.
Democratic gain.
Mississippi 1 Benjamin D. Nabers Unionist 1851 Incumbent lost re-election as a Whig.
Democratic gain.
Mississippi 2 John A. Wilcox Unionist 1851 Incumbent lost re-election as a Whig.
Democratic gain.
Mississippi 3 John D. Freeman Unionist 1851 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Mississippi 4 Albert G. Brown Southern Rights 1847 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain. 		▌Green tickY Wiley P. Harris (Democratic) 100%[16]

Missouri

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Missouri

New Hampshire

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from New Hampshire

New Jersey

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from New Jersey

New York

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from New York

North Carolina

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from North Carolina

Ohio

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Ohio

Pennsylvania

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Rhode Island

South Carolina

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from South Carolina

Tennessee

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Tennessee

Elections held late, on August 4, 1853.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Tennessee 1 Andrew Johnson Democratic 1842 Incumbent retired to run for Governor.
Democratic loss.
Albert G. Watkins
Redistricted from the 2nd district 		Whig 1849 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 2 William M. Churchwell
Redistricted from the 3rd district 		Democratic 1851 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 3 None (new district) New seat.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 4 John H. Savage Democratic 1849 Incumbent retired.
Democratic loss.
William Cullom
Redistricted from the 8th district 		Whig 1851 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 5 None (new district) New seat.
Whig gain.
Tennessee 6 William H. Polk Independent
Democratic 		1851 Incumbent retired.
Independent Democratic loss. 		▌Green tickY George W. Jones (Democratic) 100%[22]
George W. Jones
Redistricted from the 5th district 		Democratic 1842 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 7 Meredith P. Gentry Whig 1845 Incumbent retired.
Whig hold.
Tennessee 8 None (new district) New seat.
Whig gain.
Tennessee 9 Isham G. Harris Democratic 1849 Incumbent retired.
Democratic loss.
Christopher H. Williams
Redistricted from the 11th district 		Whig 1849 Incumbent lost re-election.
Whig hold.
Tennessee 10 Frederick P. Stanton Democratic 1845 Incumbent re-elected.

Texas

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Texas

Vermont

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Vermont
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[27]
Vermont 1 James Meacham
Redistricted from the 3rd district 		Whig 1849 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Ahiman Louis Miner Whig 1850 Incumbent retired.
Whig loss.
Vermont 2 William Hebard Whig 1848 Incumbent retired.
Whig hold.
Vermont 3 None (new district) New seat.
Whig gain.
First ballot
Second ballot
Vermont 4 Thomas Bartlett Jr. Democratic 1850 Incumbent retired.
District eliminated.
Democratic loss. 		None

Virginia

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Virginia
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[28]
Virginia 1 Thomas H. Bayly
Redistricted from the 7th district 		Democratic 1844 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY Thomas H. Bayly (Democratic) 58.9%
  • ▌Louis H. C. Finney (Unknown) 39.9%
  • ▌George W. Lewis (Unknown) 1.1%
Virginia 2 John Millson
Redistricted from the 1st district 		Democratic 1849 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY John Millson (Democratic) 56.7%
  • ▌Jonathan R. Chambliss (Whig) 36.6%
  • ▌William D. Roberts (Democratic) 6.7%
Virginia 3 Thomas H. Averett Democratic 1849 Incumbent lost renomination.
Democratic loss.
  • ▌Green tickY John Caskie (Democratic) 54.9%
  • ▌Clayton G. Coleman (Whig) 45.1%
John Caskie
Redistricted from the 6th district 		Democratic 1851 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 4 Richard Kidder Meade
Redistricted from the 2nd district 		Democratic 1847 (special) Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
  • ▌Green tickY William Goode (Democratic) 65.3%
  • ▌Wyatt Cardwell (Whig) 18.4%
  • ▌William C. Flournoy (Unknown) 14.6%
  • ▌William S. Scott (Unknown) 1.7%
Virginia 5 Thomas S. Bocock
Redistricted from the 4th district 		Democratic 1847 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 6 Paulus Powell
Redistricted from the 5th district 		Democratic 1849 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Paulus Powell (Democratic) 52.5%
  • ▌Alexander Mosely (Whig) 47.5%
Virginia 7 James F. Strother
Redistricted from the 9th district 		Whig 1851 Incumbent lost renomination.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 8 Alexander Holladay Democratic 1849 Incumbent retired.
Democratic loss.
Charles J. Faulkner
Redistricted from the 10th district 		Whig 1851 Incumbent re-elected as a Democrat.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 9 John Letcher
Redistricted from the 11th district 		Democratic 1851 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY John Letcher (Democratic) 74.4%
  • ▌Tyre Maupin (Whig) 25.6%
Virginia 10 None (new district) New district.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 11 None (new district) New district.
Democratic gain.
Virginia 12 Henry A. Edmundson Democratic 1849 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 13 Fayette McMullen Democratic 1849 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 14 James M. H. Beale Democratic 1849 Incumbents retired.
Districts eliminated.
Democratic loss. 		None
Virginia 15 Sherrard Clemens Democratic 1852 (special) None

Wisconsin

[edit]
See also: List of United States representatives from Wisconsin
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[29]
Wisconsin 1 Charles Durkee Free Soil 1848 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Wisconsin 2 Ben C. Eastman Democratic 1850 Incumbent re-elected.
Wisconsin 3 James Duane Doty Independent
Democratic 		1848 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.

Non-voting delegates

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District Incumbent This race
Delegate Party First elected Results Candidates
Minnesota Territory Henry Hastings Sibley Democratic 1848 (Wis. Territory: special)
1849 (Wis. Territory: eliminated)
1849 (Minn. Territory) 		Incumbent retired.
New delegate elected.
Democratic hold.
New Mexico Territory Richard H. Weightman Democratic 1851 Incumbent retired.
New delegate elected in 1853.
Democratic hold.
Oregon Territory Joseph Lane Democratic 1851 Incumbent re-elected.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Includes three Union Whigs and two Union Democrats.
  2. ^ Includes four Southern Rights Democrats.
  3. ^ Included three Independent Democrats and one Independent Whig.
  4. ^ Includes one Independent, one Independent Democrat, and the Benton Independent.
  5. ^ In 1845, Congress passed a law providing for a uniform date for choosing presidential electors (see: Statutes at Large, 28th Congress, 2nd Session, p. 721). Congressional elections were unaffected by this law, but the date was gradually adopted by the states for congressional elections as well.
  6. ^ a b Includes 1 Independent Democrat, William Henry Bissell, elected to IL-08.
  7. ^ Caleb Lyon was elected to NY-23 as an Independent.
  8. ^ Previous election had 1 Constitutional Union member.
  9. ^ Previous election had 6 Constitutional Union and 2 States' Rights.
  10. ^ Previous election had 3 Constitutional Union and 1 States' Rights.
  11. ^ Full name unpublished in source, presumably Alexander Wilkin (Whig)

References

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  1. ^ 9 Stat. 432
  2. ^ 10 Stat. 25
  3. ^ a b c Guide to U.S. Elections. Vol. II (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. 2010. p. 1016. ISBN 9781604265361. LCCN 2009033938. OCLC 430736650.
  4. ^ "Our Campaigns - CA - at Large Race - Nov 02, 1852".
  5. ^ "State of Connecticut Elections Database » Search Past Election Results". State of Connecticut Elections Database. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  6. ^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 1 - 1st Trial Race - Nov 08, 1852".
  7. ^ "Our Campaigns - MA District 1 - 2nd Trial Race - Dec 13, 1852".
  8. ^ "MI - District 01 Race - Nov 02, 1852". Our Campaigns. January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  9. ^ "MI - District 02 Race - Nov 02, 1852". Our Campaigns. January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "MI - District 03 Race - Nov 02, 1852". Our Campaigns. January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  11. ^ "MI - District 04 Race - Nov 02, 1852". Our Campaigns. January 11, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  12. ^ "MS - At Large". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  13. ^ "MS - District 01". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "MS - District 02". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  15. ^ "MS - District 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  16. ^ "MS - District 04". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  17. ^ "TN - District 01". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  18. ^ "TN - District 02". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  19. ^ "TN - District 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  20. ^ "TN - District 04". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  21. ^ "TN - District 05". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  22. ^ "TN - District 06". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  23. ^ "TN - District 07". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  24. ^ "TN - District 08". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  25. ^ "TN - District 09". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  26. ^ "TN - District 10". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  27. ^ "VT Elections Database » Vermont Election Results and Statistics". VT Elections Database. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  28. ^ "Virginia Elections Database » Virginia Election Results and Statistics". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  29. ^ "Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results" (PDF). Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  30. ^ Greeley, Horace (February 22, 1868). "The Tribune Almanac for the Years L838 to L868, Inclusive: Comprehending the Politician's Register and the Whig Almanac, Containing Annual Election Returns by States and Counties ... Political Essays ... &c., Making a Connected Political History for Thirty Years". New York tribune – via Google Books.
  31. ^ "Our Campaigns - NM Territorial Delegate Race - Oct 01, 1853".

Bibliography

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