| Election Name: | 1850–51 United States House of Representatives elections |
| Country: | United States |
| Flag Year: | 1848 |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1848–49 United States House of Representatives elections |
| Next Election: | 1852–53 United States House of Representatives elections |
| Seats For Election: | All 233 seats in the United States House of Representatives |
| Majority Seats: | 117 |
| Election Date: | August 5, 1850 – November 4, 1851 |
| Image1: | LinnBoyd.jpg |
| Leader1: | Linn Boyd |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Last Election1: | 113 seats |
| Seats1: | 120 |
| Seat Change1: | 7 |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,142,783 |
| Percentage1: | 43.31% |
| Swing1: | 0.85% |
| Leader2: | Edward Stanly |
| Party2: | Whig Party (US) |
| Last Election2: | 106 seats |
| Seats2: | 82 |
| Seat Change2: | 24 |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,105,286 |
| Percentage2: | 41.89% |
| Swing2: | 2.95% |
| Party4: | Union |
| Color4: | ffaadd |
| Last Election4: | Pre-creation |
| Seats4: | 15 |
| Seat Change4: | 15 |
| Popular Vote4: | 123,727 |
| Percentage4: | 4.69% |
| Swing4: | New Party |
| Party5: | Southern Rights Party (US) |
| Last Election5: | Pre-creation |
| Seats5: | 8 |
| Seat Change5: | 8 |
| Popular Vote5: | 109,060 |
| Percentage5: | 4.13% |
| Swing5: | New Party |
| Party7: | Free Soil Party |
| Last Election7: | 8 seats |
| Seats7: | 4 |
| Seat Change7: | 4 |
| Popular Vote7: | 82,221 |
| Percentage7: | 3.12% |
| Swing7: | 5.54% |
| Party8: | Independent (US) |
| Last Election8: | 3 seats |
| Seats8: | 4 |
| Seat Change8: | 1 |
| Popular Vote8: | 70,262 |
| Percentage8: | 2.79% |
| Swing8: | 1.03% |
| Speaker | |
| Before Election: | Howell Cobb |
| After Election: | Linn Boyd |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (US) |
The 1850–51 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between August 5, 1850, and November 4, 1851. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 32nd United States Congress convened on December 1, 1851. Elections were held for all 233 seats, representing 31 states.
The Democrats gained 17 seats, increasing their majority relative to the rival Whigs, who lost 22 seats. Incumbent Whig President Millard Fillmore, who succeeded to the Presidency in July 1850 after the death of more charismatic General Zachary Taylor, lacked a strong political base. The Compromise of 1850, which admitted California alone as a free state in exchange for concessions to slave state interests, began integration of the Mexican Cession. It appeared in the short term that Congress had politically feasible options to contain sectionalism and to reduce tensions over expanding slavery in the West. This optimism soon would prove unfounded.
The Union Party, formed in support of the Compromise of 1850, gained 10 seats in the South, as did the Southern Rights Party. The Free Soil Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery into the Western territories, lost five seats and was reduced to four Representatives, all in New England.
| State | Type | Date | Total seats | Democratic | Free Soil | Southern Rights | Union | Whig | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | Change | Seats | Change | Seats | Change | Seats | Change | Seats | Change | |||||||||||||||
| Iowa | District | August 5, 1850 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Missouri | District | August 5, 1850 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Vermont | District | September 3, 1850 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| Maine | District | September 9, 1850 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Florida | At-large | October 7, 1850 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ohio | District | October 8, 1850 | 21 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Pennsylvania | District | October 8, 1850 | 24 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | |||||||||||||
| South Carolina | District | data-sort-value="October 14, 1850" | October 14–15, 1850 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Illinois | District | November 5, 1850 (Election Day) | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | District | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| New Jersey | District | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| New York | District | 34 | 17 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 15 | ||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | District | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Massachusetts | District | November 11, 1850 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Delaware | At-large | November 12, 1850 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Late elections (after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Hampshire | District | March 11, 1851 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Rhode Island | District | April 2, 1851 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Connecticut | District | April 7, 1851 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Alabama | District | August 4, 1851 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | At-large | August 4, 1851 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | District | August 4, 1851 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | District | August 4, 1851 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Texas | District | August 4, 1851 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| North Carolina | District | August 7, 1851 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | District | August 7, 1851 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| California | At-large | September 3, 1851 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Maryland | District | October 1, 1851 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Georgia | District | October 6, 1851 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Virginia | District | October 23, 1851 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi | District | data-sort-value="November 3, 1851" | November 3–4, 1851 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Louisiana | District | November 4, 1851 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 233 | 130 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 86 | 22 | |||||||||||||
The previous election had 1 Know-Nothing and 1 Independent.
See also: List of United States representatives from Alabama.
Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Arkansas.
The election was held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|-! | Robert W. Johnson| | Democratic| 1846| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |}
See also: List of United States representatives from California. California's members were elected late, at-large statewide, September 3, 1851. There were nevertheless seated with the rest of the House at the beginning of the first session.
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| George W. Wright| | Independent| 1849| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| rowspan=2 nowrap |
|-| Edward Gilbert| | Democratic| 1849| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.|}
See also: List of United States representatives from Connecticut.
Elections were held April 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Delaware.
The election was held November 12, 1850.
|-! | John W. Houston| | Whig| 1844| |Incumbent retired. New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap | |}
See also: List of United States representatives from Florida.
The election was held October 7, 1850.
|-! | Edward C. Cabell| | Whig| 1845| |Incumbent re-elected.
Whig hold.| nowrap | |}
See also: List of United States representatives from Georgia.
Elections were held October 6, 1851.
|-! | Joseph W. Jackson| | Democratic| 1850| |Incumbent re-elected.
Southern Rights gain.| nowrap | |-! | Marshall Johnson Wellborn| | Democratic| 1848| | New member elected.
Union gain| nowrap | |-! | Allen F. Owen| | Whig| 1848| | New member elected.
Southern Rights gain| nowrap | |-! | Hugh A. Haralson| | Democratic| 1842| | New member elected.
Union gain| nowrap | |-! | Thomas C. Hackett| | Democratic| 1848| | New member elected.
Union gain| nowrap | |-! | Howell Cobb| | Democratic| 1842| | Incumbent retired. New member elected.
Union gain| nowrap | |-! | Alexander Hamilton Stephens| | Democratic| 1843| |Incumbent re-elected.
Union gain| nowrap | |-! | Robert Toombs| | Whig| 1844| |Incumbent re-elected.
Union gain| nowrap | |}
See also: List of United States representatives from Illinois.
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Indiana.
Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Iowa. Elections were held August 5, 1850.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Kentucky.
Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Louisiana.
Elections were held November 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Maine.
Elections were held September 9, 1850.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Maryland.
Elections were held October 1, 1851 elections were after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the new term, but still before the Congress convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Massachusetts.
Elections were held November 11, 1850, but at least one district's elections went to multiple ballots into 1851.
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|-! | colspan=3 | Vacant due to failure to elect.| | New member elected on the 4th ballot.
Whig gain.| nowrap |
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|-! | Julius Rockwell| | Whig| 1844 | | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected on the fourth ballot.
Whig hold.| nowrap |
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See also: List of United States representatives from Michigan.
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
|-! | Alexander W. Buel| | 1848| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |
|-! | William Sprague| | Whig| 1848| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |
|-! | Kinsley S. Bingham| | 1846| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |
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See Non-voting delegates, below.
See also: List of United States representatives from Mississippi.
Elections were held November 3–4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|-! | Jacob Thompson| | Democratic| 1839| | Incumbent lost re-election as a Southern Rights candidate.
New member elected.
Union gain. | nowrap |
|-! | Winfield S. Featherston| | Democratic| 1847| | Incumbent lost re-election as a Southern Rights candidate.
New member elected.
Union gain. | nowrap |
|-! | William McWillie| | Democratic| 1849| | Incumbent lost re-election as a Southern Rights candidate.
New member elected.
Union gain. | nowrap |
|-! | Albert G. Brown| | Democratic| 1847| | Incumbent re-elected.
Southern Rights gain. | nowrap |
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See also: List of United States representatives from Missouri.
Elections were held August 5, 1850.
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See also: List of United States representatives from New Hampshire.
Elections were held March 11, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from New Jersey.
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
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See Non-voting delegates, below.
See also: List of United States representatives from New York.
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
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See also: List of United States representatives from North Carolina.
Elections were held August 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Ohio.
Elections were held October 8, 1850.
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See Non-voting delegates, below.
See also: List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania.
Elections were held October 8, 1850.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Rhode Island.
Elections were held April 2, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from South Carolina.
Elections were held October 14–15, 1850.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Tennessee.
Elections were held August 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|-! | Andrew Johnson| | Democratic| 1842| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |
|-! | Albert G. Watkins| | Whig| 1849| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |
|-! | Josiah M. Anderson| | Whig| 1849| |Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |
|-! | John H. Savage| | Democratic| 1849| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |
|-! | George W. Jones| | Democratic| 1842| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | George W. Jones (Democratic) 100%[4]
|-! | James H. Thomas| | Democratic| 1847| |Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Independent Democratic gain.| nowrap |
|-! | Meredith P. Gentry| | Whig| 1845| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | Meredith P. Gentry (Whig) 100%[5]
|-! | Andrew Ewing| | Democratic| 1849| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |
|-! | Isham G. Harris| | Democratic| 1849| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |
|-! | Frederick P. Stanton| | Democratic| 1845| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |
|-! | Christopher H. Williams| | Whig| 1849 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | Christopher H. Williams (Whig) 100%[6]
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See also: List of United States representatives from Texas.
Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See Non-voting delegates, below.
See also: List of United States representatives from Vermont.
Elections were held September 3, 1850.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Virginia.
Elections were held October 23, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See also: List of United States representatives from Wisconsin.
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
|-! | Charles Durkee| | Free Soil| 1848| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Orsamus Cole| | Whig| 1848| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap | |-! | James Duane Doty| | Democratic| 1848| | Incumbent won re-election as an Independent.
Independent Democratic gain.| nowrap | |}
See also: Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives.
|-! | Henry Hastings Sibley| | Democratic| 1848
1849
1849 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |
|-! | colspan=3 | New seat| | New seat.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |
|-! | Samuel Thurston| | Democratic| 1849 | | Incumbent died April 9, 1851.
New delegate elected June 2, 1851.[7]
Democratic hold.| nowrap |
|-! | colspan=3 | New seat| | New seat.
Independent gain.| nowrap |
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