1820 United States elections explained

Year:1820
Type:Presidential election year
Incumbent President:James Monroe
(Democratic-Republican)
Next Congress:17th
President Control:Democratic-Republican hold
President Candidate1:James Monroe (DR)
Electoral Vote1:228
President Map Caption:1820 presidential election results. Numbers indicate the number of electoral votes allotted to each state.
Senate Control:Democratic-Republican hold
Senate Seats Contested:15 of 46 seats[1]
Senate Net Change:Democratic-Republican +1[2]
House Control:Democratic-Republican hold
House Seats Contested:All 187 voting members
House Net Change:Federalist +6

The 1820 United States elections elected the members of the 17th United States Congress. The election took place during Era of Good Feelings and the First Party System. Despite the Panic of 1819, the Democratic-Republican Party maintained control of the presidency and both houses of Congress, while the Federalist Party provided only limited opposition. Missouri joined the union during the 17th Congress.

In the presidential election, incumbent Democratic-Republican President James Monroe received no major opposition, although fellow Democratic-Republican John Quincy Adams received one electoral vote.[3] The Federalists did not nominate a presidential candidate, although four Federalists received a scattering of electoral votes for vice president. Monroe joined George Washington as the only presidential candidates who won election without any serious opposition.

In the House, Federalists picked up a small number of seats, but Democratic-Republicans continued to dominate the chamber.[4]

In the Senate, Democratic-Republicans picked up a moderate number of seats, increasing their already-dominant majority.[5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Not counting special elections.
  2. Congressional seat gain figures only reflect the results of the regularly-scheduled elections, and do not take special elections into account.
  3. Web site: 1820 Presidential Election. The American Presidency Project. 25 June 2014.
  4. Web site: Party Divisions of the House of Representatives. United States House of Representatives. 25 June 2014.
  5. Web site: Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present. United States Senate. 25 June 2014.