1798–99 United States House of Representatives elections
The 1798–99 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between April 24, 1798 in New York and August 1, 1799 in Tennessee. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives, with some after the official start of the 6th United States Congress on March 4, 1799, but before the start of the first session of this Congress in Philadelphia on December 2, 1799.[1] These elections were held during President John Adams term. It was the last congressional session before the move to the new capital at Washington, D.C. Elections were held for all 106 seats, representing 16 states.
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All 106 seats in the United States House of Representatives 54 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Results: Federalist hold Federalist gain Democratic-Republican hold Democratic-Republican gain Undistricted | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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President Adams, a Federalist elected two years prior in the election of 1796, remained popular during a time of national economic growth, and the Federalists made a modest gain of three seats at the expense of the opposition Democratic-Republicans, the party of Vice President and future President Thomas Jefferson. This resulted in an increased Federalist majority in the House, 60-46 seats.
The Federalist party squandered its popularity by passing a series of controversial new laws in the summer of 1798, including the Naturalization Act of 1798 and the Alien and Sedition Acts. Their passage seriously injured the chances of President Adams and Federalist congressional candidates in the elections of 1800.
The House that met during this Congress would ultimately elect Thomas Jefferson over Aaron Burr in the presidential election of 1800.
Election summaries
60 | 46 |
Federalist | Democratic-Republican |
State | Type | Date | Total seats |
Federalist | Democratic- Republican | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | Change | Seats | Change | ||||
New York | Districts | April 24–26, 1798 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
New Hampshire | At-large | August 2, 1798 | 4 | 4 | 0 | ||
North Carolina | Districts | August 10, 1798 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
Connecticut | At-large | September 7, 1798 | 7 | 7 | 0 | ||
Maryland | Districts | October 1, 1798 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Rhode Island | At-large | August 28, 1798 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
Vermont | Districts | September 4, 1798[lower-alpha 1] | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
Delaware | At-large | October 2, 1798 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
Georgia | At-large | October 8, 1798 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Pennsylvania | Districts | October 9, 1798 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
New Jersey | District | October 10, 1798 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
South Carolina | Districts | October 12, 1798 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Massachusetts | Districts | November 5, 1798[lower-alpha 2] | 14 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Late general elections (After the March 4, 1799, start of the next Congress) | |||||||
Virginia | Districts | April 24, 1799 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 2 |
Kentucky | Districts | May 7, 1799 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
Tennessee | At-large | August 1, 1799 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
Total | 106 | 60 56.6% |
3 | 46 43.4% |
3 |
Special elections
There were special elections in 1798 and 1799 during the 5th United States Congress and 6th United States Congress.
Elections are sorted here by date then district.
5th Congress
District | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representative | Party | First elected | |||
Pennsylvania 4 | Samuel Sitgreaves | Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent resigned sometime in 1798. New member elected October 9, 1798.[2] Democratic-Republican gain. New member seated December 4, 1798. New member also elected to the next term, on the same day, see below. |
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North Carolina 10 | Nathan Bryan | Democratic-Republican | 1795 | Incumbent died June 4, 1798. New member elected August 2, 1798.[2] Democratic-Republican hold. New member seated December 10, 1798. New member also elected to the next term, one week later, see below. |
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Pennsylvania 1 | John Swanwick | Democratic-Republican | 1794 | Incumbent died July 31, 1798. New member elected October 9, 1798.[2] Federalist gain. New member seated December 3, 1798. New member also elected to the next term, on the same day, see below. |
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Connecticut at-large | Joshua Coit | Federalist | 1792 | Incumbent died September 5, 1798. New member elected October 22, 1798.[2] Federalist hold. New member seated December 3, 1798. New member had already been elected to the next term, see below. |
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Virginia 9 | William Giles | Democratic-Republican | 1790 (Special) | Incumbent resigned October 2, 1798. New member elected November 1, 1798.[2] Democratic-Republican hold. New member seated December 3, 1798. New member would later be elected to the next term, see below. |
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Maryland 7 | Joshua Seney | Democratic-Republican | 1789 1792 (resigned) 1798 |
Representative-elect died October 20, 1798. New member elected November 29, 1798. Democratic-Republican hold. New member seated with the new Congress. |
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6th Congress
District | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representative | Party | First elected | |||
New York 1 | Jonathan Havens | Democratic-Republican | 1794 | Incumbent died October 25, 1799. New member elected December 27, 1799. Democratic-Republican hold. Winner seated February 27, 1800. |
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Connecticut
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates[lower-alpha 4] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Connecticut at-large 7 seats on a general ticket |
William Edmond | Federalist | 1797 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Chauncey Goodrich | Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent re-elected. | ||
Vacant | Incumbent Joshua Coit (Federalist) died September 5, 1798. New member elected. Federalist hold. | ||||
Roger Griswold | Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent re-elected. | ||
Nathaniel Smith | Federalist | 1795 (Special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist hold. | ||
John Allen | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected, but declined to serve. | ||
Samuel W. Dana | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
Delaware
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Delaware at-large | James A. Bayard | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Georgia
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Georgia at-large 2 seats on a general ticket |
Abraham Baldwin | Democratic- Republican |
1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. Winner died January 11, 1801, and seat remained vacant throughout the next Congress. |
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John Milledge | Democratic- Republican |
1794 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
Kentucky
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kentucky 1 "Southern district" |
Thomas T. Davis | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Kentucky 2 "Northern district" |
John Fowler | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Maryland
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maryland 1 | George Dent | Federalist | 1792 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Maryland 2 | Richard Sprigg, Jr. | Democratic- Republican |
1796 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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Maryland 3 | William Craik | Federalist | 1796 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Maryland 4 | George Baer Jr. | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Maryland 5 | Samuel Smith | Democratic- Republican |
1792 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Maryland 6 | William Matthews | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
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Maryland 7 | William Hindman | Federalist | 1792 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. New member died October 20, 1798, before the new Congress, causing a special election, see above. |
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Maryland 8 | John Dennis | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts
Massachusetts required a majority for election. This was not met in the 5th district and 7th district necessitating additional ballots in those districts.
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Massachusetts 1 "1st Western District" |
Thomson J. Skinner | Democratic- Republican |
1796 (Special) | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
|
Massachusetts 2 "2nd Western District" |
William Shepard | Federalist | 1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 3 "3rd Western District" |
Samuel Lyman | Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 4 "4th Western District" |
Dwight Foster | Federalist | 1793 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 5 "1st Southern District" |
Nathaniel Freeman Jr. | Democratic- Republican |
1794 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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Massachusetts 6 "2nd Southern District" |
John Reed Sr. | Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 7 "3rd Southern District" |
Stephen Bullock | Federalist | 1797 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
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Massachusetts 8 "1st Middle District" |
Harrison Gray Otis | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 9 "2nd Middle District" |
Joseph Bradley Varnum | Democratic- Republican |
1795 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 10 "3rd Middle District" |
Samuel Sewall | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 11 "4th Middle District" |
Bailey Bartlett | Federalist | 1797 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 12 District of Maine "1st Eastern District" |
Isaac Parker | Federalist | 1797 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist hold. |
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Massachusetts 13 District of Maine "2nd Eastern District" |
Peleg Wadsworth | Federalist | 1793 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 14 District of Maine "3rd Eastern District" |
George Thatcher | Federalist | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New Hampshire
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Hampshire at-large 4 seats on a general ticket |
Abiel Foster | Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
William Gordon | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. | ||
Jonathan Freeman | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. | ||
Peleg Sprague | Federalist | 1797 (special) | Incumbent re-elected, but declined to serve. A special election was then held. |
New Jersey
New Jersey switched to district representation for this election. The districts were not numbered at the time, but are retroactively numbered here as 1–5. New Jersey would go back to an at-large district the following election.
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Jersey 1 "Eastern district" |
James Schureman Redistricted from the at-large district |
Federalist | 1797 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
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New Jersey 2 "Northern district" |
Mark Thomson Redistricted from the at-large district |
Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
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New Jersey 3 "Western district" |
Jonathan Dayton Redistricted from the at-large district |
Federalist | 1791 | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
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New Jersey 4 "Middle district" |
James H. Imlay Redistricted from the at-large district |
Federalist | 1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
New Jersey 5 "Southern district" |
Thomas Sinnickson Redistricted from the at-large district |
Federalist | 1797 | Unknown if incumbent lost re-election or retired. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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New York
Between the 1796 and 1798 elections, New York re-districted. This marked the first time that its districts were numbered.
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York 1 | Jonathan N. Havens | Democratic- Republican |
1794 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New York 2 | Edward Livingston | Democratic- Republican |
1794 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New York 3 | Philip Van Courtlandt | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New York 4 | Lucas C. Elmendorf | Democratic- Republican |
1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New York 5 | David Brooks | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
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New York 6 | Hezekiah L. Hosmer | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist hold. |
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New York 7 | John E. Van Alen | Federalist | 1793 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
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John Williams Redistricted from the 9th district |
Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent lost re-election. Federalist loss. | ||
New York 8 | Henry Glen | Federalist | 1793 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New York 9 | None (District created) | New seat. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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New York 10 | James Cochran | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist hold. |
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North Carolina
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates[lower-alpha 4] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Carolina 1 | Joseph McDowell | Democratic- Republican |
1796 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
|
North Carolina 2 | Matthew Locke | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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North Carolina 3 | Robert Williams | Democratic- Republican |
1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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North Carolina 4 | Richard Stanford | Democratic- Republican |
1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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North Carolina 5 | Nathaniel Macon | Democratic- Republican |
1791 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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North Carolina 6 | James Gillespie | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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North Carolina 7 | William B. Grove | Federalist | 1791 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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North Carolina 8 | Dempsey Burges | Democratic- Republican |
1795 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. |
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North Carolina 9 | Thomas Blount | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. |
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North Carolina 10 | Vacant | Incumbent Nathan Bryan (Democratic-Republican) died June 4, 1798. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. Winner was also elected to finish the current term, see above. |
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Northwest Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Pennsylvania
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates[8] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania 1 | Vacant | Incumbent John Swanwick (Democratic-Republican) died August 1, 1798. New member elected. Federalist gain. Winner was also elected to finish the current term; see above. |
| ||
Pennsylvania 2 | Blair McClenachan | Democratic- Republican |
1796 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. |
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Pennsylvania 3 | Richard Thomas | Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Pennsylvania 4 Plural district with 2 seats |
Vacant | Incumbent Samuel Sitgreaves (Federalist) resigned August 29, 1798. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
| ||
John Chapman | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. | ||
Pennsylvania 5 | Joseph Hiester | Democratic- Republican |
1797 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Pennsylvania 6 | John A. Hanna | Democratic- Republican |
1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 7 | John W. Kittera | Federalist | 1791 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 8 | Thomas Hartley | Federalist | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 9 | Andrew Gregg | Democratic- Republican |
1791 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 10 | David Bard | Democratic- Republican |
1794 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
|
Pennsylvania 11 | William Findley | Democratic- Republican |
1791 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. |
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Pennsylvania 12 | Albert Gallatin | Democratic- Republican |
1794 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island used at-large districts, but elected the candidates on separate tickets instead of using a general ticket.
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rhode Island at-large (Seat A) |
Thomas Tillinghast | Federalist | 1797 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist hold. |
|
Rhode Island at-large (Seat B) |
Christopher G. Champlin | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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South Carolina
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
South Carolina 1 "Charleston district" |
Thomas Pinckney | Federalist | 1797 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
South Carolina 2 "Beaufort district" |
John Rutledge Jr. | Federalist | 1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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South Carolina 3 "Georgetown district" |
Lemuel Benton | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
|
South Carolina 4 "Camden district" |
Thomas Sumter | Democratic- Republican |
1796 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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South Carolina 5 "Ninety-Six district" |
Robert Goodloe Harper | Federalist | 1794 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
South Carolina 6 "Washington district" |
William Smith | Democratic- Republican |
1796 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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Tennessee
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tennessee at-large | William C. C. Claiborne | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Vermont
Majority vote required to win, necessitating a run-off election in the 1st (Western) district.
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates[lower-alpha 4] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vermont 1 "Western district" |
Matthew Lyon | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. | First ballot (September 4, 1798):
Second ballot (December 4, 1798):
|
Vermont 2 "Eastern district" |
Lewis R. Morris | Federalist | 1797 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia
District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates[lower-alpha 4] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Virginia 1 | Daniel Morgan | Federalist | 1797 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist hold. |
|
Virginia 2 | David Holmes | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Virginia 3 | James Machir | Federalist | 1797 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic-Republican gain. |
|
Virginia 4 | Abram Trigg | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Virginia 5 | John J. Trigg | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 6 | Matthew Clay | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 7 | Abraham B. Venable | Democratic- Republican |
1790 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. |
|
Virginia 8 | Thomas Claiborne | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. |
|
Virginia 9 | Joseph Eggleston | Democratic- Republican |
1798 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 10 | Carter B. Harrison | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. |
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Virginia 11 | Josiah Parker | Federalist | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 12 | Thomas Evans | Federalist | 1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 13 | John Clopton | Democratic- Republican |
1795 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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Virginia 14 | Samuel J. Cabell | Democratic- Republican |
1795 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Virginia 15 | John Dawson | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 16 | Anthony New | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 17 | Richard Brent | Democratic- Republican |
1795 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
|
Virginia 18 | John Nicholas | Democratic- Republican |
1793 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Virginia 19 | Walter Jones | Democratic- Republican |
1797 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain. |
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Non-voting delegates
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Delegate | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Northwest Territory at-large | New seat | New seat created. New delegate elected October 3, 1799. New delegate had no known party. |
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See also
Notes
- An additional trial was held in one district due to majority requirement not being on the first vote, and was held on December 4, 1798
- Additional trials required in 2 districts due to majority requirement not being met on first vote, additional trials were held January 17, April 1, June 6, and August 29, 1799
- Eggleston "was elected by a majority of more than two to one…"[5]
- Only candidates with at least 1% of the vote listed
- Milledge had declined to run for re-election. As a result, many Democratic-Republican voters cast their votes for Baldwin and one of the Federalists, giving the Federalists enough votes to win both seats. Milledge nevertheless received some votes.
- Source does not give numbers of votes or has incomplete data
References
- "Sixth Congress (membership roster)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 6, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
- 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.
- Cox, Harold E. (January 13, 2007). "5th Congress 1797–1798" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project.
- "NC District 10 - Special Election". August 7, 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2018 – via OurCampaigns.com.
- "Virginia 1798 U.S. House of Representatives, District 9, Special". A New Nation Votes. Tufts University. Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- "MD District 7". April 3, 2006. Retrieved September 11, 2018 – via OurCampaigns.com.
- "NY District 1". April 7, 2006. Retrieved August 16, 2018 – via OurCampaigns.com.
- Cox, Harold E. (January 6, 2007). "6th Congress 1799–1801" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project.[
- "TN-Initial District". January 15, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2018 – via Our Campaigns.
- Smith, William Henry (1882). The St. Clair Papers The Life and Public Services of Arthur St. Clair : Soldier of the Revolutionary War, President of the Continental Congress; and Governor of the North-western Territory : with His Correspondence and Other Papers · Volume 1. Harvard University. p. 214.
Bibliography
- "A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787-1825". Tufts Digital Library, Tufts University. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- 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.
- "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present". Office of the Historian, 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)