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1854–55 United States House of Representatives elections

← 1852 & 1853 August 4, 1854 – November 6, 1855 1856 & 1857 →
All 234 seats in the United States House of Representatives 118 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader William A. Richardson Henry M. Fuller Nathaniel P. Banks Party Democratic Whig Know Nothing Leader's seat Illinois 5th Pennsylvania 12th Massachusetts 7th Last election 150 seats 68 seats 0 seats Seats won 83 54 51 Seat change 69 14 51 Popular vote 1,418,553 580,929 631,510 Percentage 43.95% 18.00% 19.56% Swing 5.87% 23.61% 19.25%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Party Anti-Nebraska Republican People's Last election Pre-creation Pre-creation Pre-creation Seats won 22 13 9 Seat change 22 13 9 Popular vote 196,461 182,245 102,423 Percentage 6.09% 5.65% 3.17% Swing New Party New Party New Party   Seventh party Eighth party   Party Free Soil Independent Last election 4 seats 3 seats Seats won 1 1 Seat change 3 2 Popular vote 22,928 84,196 Percentage 0.71% 2.61% Swing 3.28% 0.18%
Results:      Democratic gain      Whig gain      Democratic hold      Whig hold      American gain      Anti-Nebraska gain      Republican gain      People's gain      Independent gain
Speaker before election Linn Boyd Democratic Elected Speaker Nathaniel P. Banks Know Nothing/American

The 1854–55 United States House of Representatives elections were held in 31 states for all 234 seats between August 4, 1854, and November 6, 1855, during President Franklin Pierce's term. Each state legislature separately set a date to elect representatives to the House of Representatives before the 34th Congress convened its first session on December 3, 1855.

This midterm election was among the most disruptive in American history, auguring the collapse of the Second Party System. Both major parties, the Democratic Party and the Whig Party, lost critical voter support. The two parties had been organized as rivals for roughly 20 years. Northern voters strongly opposed to the Kansas–Nebraska Act shifted sharply against the Democrats. The Whigs also lost seats as the party disintegrated over the issue of slavery.

The elected majority temporarily coalesced as the Opposition Party. This transitional party included Whigs, Free Soil members, American Party members or Know Nothings, the People's Party of Indiana, Anti-Nebraska candidates, disaffected Northern Democrats, and members of the nascent Republican Party, which soon would absorb most of these factions and replace the Whigs to rival the Democrats.

Candidates opposed to the Democratic Party won widely in the Northern United States through November 1854. The American Party, ignoring slavery and opposing immigration (particularly by Catholics from Ireland and Germany) won seats from both major parties, but to the net loss of Democrats, in New England and the Southern United States from November 1854 into 1855.

Congress had passed the Kansas–Nebraska Act in May 1854 after aggressive sponsorship by the Pierce Administration and Democrats led by Senator Stephen Douglas, including radical pro-slavery legislators. With widely foreseen risks and immediately negative results, the Act discredited the Democratic Party, fueling new partisan and sectional rancor. The Act repealed the 1820 Missouri Compromise and triggered the violent Bleeding Kansas conflict, creating uncertainty on the Western frontier by abruptly making slavery potentially legal in territories originally comprising the northern portion of the Louisiana Purchase. The numerous contemporary settlers of these territories then were expected to determine the status of slavery locally. This idea appealed to Democratic politicians and to some voters, but proved unworkable particularly in Kansas where more numerous Northern settlers and geographically closer Southern settlers violently disputed the status of slavery. Even some proslavery legislators and voters, particularly Southern Whigs, felt that repealing the Missouri Compromise was politically reckless, and that attempting to push slavery by law and force into territories where most settlers predictably were unlikely to want it could endanger slavery nationally, or even in the South. These fears proved prescient.

More than 21 representatives vied for the post of speaker of the House. After two months and 133 ballots, American Party representative Nathaniel Banks of Massachusetts, also a Free Soiler, defeated Democrat William Aiken of South Carolina by plurality, 103–100. To date, Banks is the only speaker to come from a third party.

Election summaries

State	Type	Date	Total seats	Opposition		Democratic		Know Nothing
				Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change
Arkansas	Districts	August 4, 1854	2	0		2		0
Iowa	Districts	August 7, 1854	2	1		1		0
Missouri	Districts		7	6	2	1	2	0
Vermont	Districts	September 5, 1854	3	3		0		0
California	At-large	September 6, 1854	2	0		2		0
Maine	Districts	September 11, 1854	6	5	2	1	2	0
Florida	At-large	October 2, 1854	1	0		1		0
South Carolina	Districts	October 9–10, 1854	6	0		6		0
Indiana	Districts	October 10, 1854	11	9	8	2	8	0
Ohio	Districts		21	21	12	0	12	0
Pennsylvania	Districts		25	17	8	7	9	1	1
Illinois	Districts	November 7, 1854 (Election Day)	9	4		5		0
Michigan	Districts		4	3	3	1	3	0
New Jersey	Districts		5	4	3	1	3	0
New York	Districts		33	25	13	5	16	3	3
Wisconsin	Districts		3	2	2	1	2	0
Massachusetts	Districts	November 12, 1854	11	0	10	0	1	11	11
Delaware	At-large	November 14, 1854	1	0		0	1	1	1
Late elections (after the March 4, 1855 beginning of the term)
New Hampshire	Districts	March 13, 1855	3	0		0	3	3	3
Connecticut	Districts	April 2, 1855	4	0		0	4	4	4
Rhode Island	Districts	April 4, 1855	2	0		0	2	2	2
Virginia	Districts	May 24, 1855	13	0		12	1	1	1
North Carolina	Districts	August 2, 1855	8	0	3	5		3	3
Tennessee	Districts		10	0	5	5		5	5
Alabama	Districts	August 6, 1855	7	0	1	5	1	2	2
Kentucky	Districts		10	0	5	4	1	6	6
Texas	Districts		2	0		1	1	1	1
Georgia	Districts	October 1, 1855	8	0	2	6		2	2
Louisiana	Districts	November 5, 1855	4	0	1	3		1	1
Mississippi	Districts	November 5–6, 1855	5	0		4	1	1	1
Maryland	Districts	November 6, 1855	6	0	2	2	2	4	4
Total			234	100 42.7%	29	83 35.0%	75	51 21.8%	51

Special elections

There were four special elections to the 33rd United States Congress, listed here by date and district.

Alabama

Arkansas

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.

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Mississippi

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Elections held late, on August 2, 1855.

Texas

Vermont

Virginia

Wisconsin

Non-voting delegates

See also

• 1854 United States elections
• List of United States House of Representatives elections (1824–1854)
• 1854–55 United States Senate elections
• 33rd United States Congress
• 34th United States Congress

Notes

1. Includes two Anti-Broderick Democrats (California), one Anti-Benton Democrat (Missouri), one Hard-Shell Democrat (New York), and four Soft-Shell Democrats (New York)
2. Includes votes for those who ran labeled as an Anti-Broderick Democrat, Anti-Benton Democrat, Hard Shell Democrat or Soft-Shell Democrat.
3. ^ Counted as part of the plurality-winning "Opposition Party."
4. While Martis, et al. count 51 Know Nothings, Dubin (p. 174) counts 52.
5. Included one Independent Whig: Anthony Ellmaker Roberts of Pennsylvania.
6. Includes votes for those who ran labeled as an Independent, Benton Democrat, Independent Democrat, or Independent American.
7. Compared to Whigs, Free Soilers, and Independents elected in the previous election of 1852.
8. 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.
9. At-large district abolished in redistricting.
10. Compared to just Whig Party members elected in the previous election of 1852. If Whig Party and Free Soil Party members are counted together, the increase was only 25.
11. Listed as unsuccessful for re-election in Congressional bio, but no votes listed in source.
    • United States Congress. "1854–55 United States House of Representatives elections (id: G000453)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
12. Bennett led 578–560 in returns that included the results of Ottoe (175–95 Bennett), Richardson (76–36 Bennett), Dacotah (25–0 Chapman), and Burt (14–10 Chapman) counties. Gov. Izard excluded those results due to irregularities.

References

1. Party Breakdown of the 34th House
2. ^ Martis, p. 108–109.
3. ^ "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present". Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
4. Dubin, p. 174.
5. Nevins, Allan (1947). Ordeal of the Union, Volume II: A House Dividing 1852-1857. New York. pp. 413–415.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
6. Guide to U.S. Elections. Vol. II (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. 2010. p. 1021. ISBN 9781604265361. LCCN 2009033938. OCLC 430736650.
7. "Our Campaigns - CA - at Large Race - Sep 06, 1854".
8. "State of Connecticut Elections Database » Search Past Election Results". State of Connecticut Elections Database. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
9. The Tribune Almanac and Political Register For 1856. New York: Greeley & McElrath. 1856.
10. "MS - District 01 Race - Nov 05, 1855". Our Campaigns. October 27, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
11. "MS - District 02 Race - Nov 05, 1855". Our Campaigns. October 28, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
12. "MS - District 03 Race - Nov 05, 1855". Our Campaigns. October 29, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
13. "MS - District 04 Race - Nov 05, 1855". Our Campaigns. October 29, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
14. "MS - District 05 Race - Nov 05, 1855". Our Campaigns. October 29, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
15. "TN - District 01". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
16. "TN - District 02". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
17. "TN - District 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
18. "TN - District 04". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
19. "TN - District 05". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
20. "TN - District 06". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
21. "TN - District 07". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
22. "TN - District 08". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
23. "TN - District 09". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
24. "TN - District 10". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
25. "VT Elections Database » Vermont Election Results and Statistics". VT Elections Database. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
26. "Virginia Elections Database » Virginia Election Results and Statistics". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
27. "Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results" (PDF). Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
28. "Our Campaigns - MN Territorial Delegate Race - Aug 05, 1855". www.ourcampaigns.com.
29. ^ "Collections of the NSHS - Volume 18". www.usgennet.org.
30. "Our Campaigns - NE Territorial Delegate - Initial Election Race - Nov 07, 1854". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
31. "Our Campaigns - NE Territorial Delegate Race - Nov 07, 1854". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
32. Greeley, Horace (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. Retrieved September 16, 2020.

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)

• 1854 United States House of Representatives elections
• 1855 United States House of Representatives elections
• Presidency of Franklin Pierce
• Slavery in the United States
• Schuyler Colfax