1790 and 1791 United States House of Representatives elections
Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 2nd Congress took place in 1790 and 1791, in the middle of President George Washington's first term. While formal political parties still did not exist, coalitions of pro-Washington representatives and anti-Administration representatives each gained two seats as a result of the addition of new states to the union. Speaker Frederick Muhlenberg, who had led the Pro-Administrationists in 1789, switched loyalties to the Anti-Administrationists during the tenure of the 1st Congress. He failed to win election to the Speakership as their leader as a result of these elections, and was succeeded by Jonathan Trumbull Jr., who became the 2nd Speaker of the House.
Election summaries
In this period, each state fixed its own date for congressional general elections, as early as April 27, 1790 and as late as October 11, 1791. Elections to a Congress took place both in the even-numbered year before and in the odd-numbered year when the Congress convened. In some states, the congressional delegation was not elected until after the legal start of the Congress. The first session of this Congress was convened in Philadelphia on October 24, 1791.Kentucky and Vermont became states during the 2nd Congress, adding two seats each. The legislation admitted Vermont was passed at the end of the 1st Congress taking effect on March 4, 1791, the first day of the 2nd Congress, so that Vermont was represented from the start of the Congress, while Kentucky was unrepresented until the 2nd session.
House composition
End of the last Congress
Beginning of the next Congress
Special elections
There were special elections in 1790 and 1791 during the 1st United States Congress and 2nd United States Congress.Elections are sorted here by state then district.
1st Congress
North Carolina and Rhode Island ratified the Constitution November 21, 1789 and May 29, 1790, respectively. The states elected its representatives after their admission. North Carolina would redistrict for the 2nd Congress.2nd Congress
Connecticut
Connecticut elected all five of its representatives at-large on a general ticket on September 20, 1790.| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| Roger Sherman | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. Winner declined to serve and a new member would later be elected in a special election. | √ Roger Sherman 2,969 votes √ Pierpont Edwards 2,239 votes √ James Hillhouse 2,035 votes √ Jonathan Sturges 1,730 votes √ Jonathan Trumbull Jr. 1,720 votes Tapping Reeve 1,672 votes Jeremiah Wadsworth 1,658 votes Amasa Learned 1,463 votes Stephen M. Mitchell 1,435 votes Benjamin Huntington 1,372 votes John Chester 881 votes James Davenport 786 votes | |
| Benjamin Huntington | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration hold. | √ Roger Sherman 2,969 votes √ Pierpont Edwards 2,239 votes √ James Hillhouse 2,035 votes √ Jonathan Sturges 1,730 votes √ Jonathan Trumbull Jr. 1,720 votes Tapping Reeve 1,672 votes Jeremiah Wadsworth 1,658 votes Amasa Learned 1,463 votes Stephen M. Mitchell 1,435 votes Benjamin Huntington 1,372 votes John Chester 881 votes James Davenport 786 votes | |
| Jonathan Sturges | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Roger Sherman 2,969 votes √ Pierpont Edwards 2,239 votes √ James Hillhouse 2,035 votes √ Jonathan Sturges 1,730 votes √ Jonathan Trumbull Jr. 1,720 votes Tapping Reeve 1,672 votes Jeremiah Wadsworth 1,658 votes Amasa Learned 1,463 votes Stephen M. Mitchell 1,435 votes Benjamin Huntington 1,372 votes John Chester 881 votes James Davenport 786 votes | |
| Jonathan Trumbull Jr. | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Roger Sherman 2,969 votes √ Pierpont Edwards 2,239 votes √ James Hillhouse 2,035 votes √ Jonathan Sturges 1,730 votes √ Jonathan Trumbull Jr. 1,720 votes Tapping Reeve 1,672 votes Jeremiah Wadsworth 1,658 votes Amasa Learned 1,463 votes Stephen M. Mitchell 1,435 votes Benjamin Huntington 1,372 votes John Chester 881 votes James Davenport 786 votes | |
| Jeremiah Wadsworth | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration hold. Winner declined to serve and the incumbent was re-elected in a special election. | √ Roger Sherman 2,969 votes √ Pierpont Edwards 2,239 votes √ James Hillhouse 2,035 votes √ Jonathan Sturges 1,730 votes √ Jonathan Trumbull Jr. 1,720 votes Tapping Reeve 1,672 votes Jeremiah Wadsworth 1,658 votes Amasa Learned 1,463 votes Stephen M. Mitchell 1,435 votes Benjamin Huntington 1,372 votes John Chester 881 votes James Davenport 786 votes |
There were two subsequent special elections. The first was held to fill the vacancy left by Pierpont Edwards declining to serve and was won by Jeremiah Wadsworth. The second was held September 19, 1791 to fill the vacancy left by Roger Sherman 's election to the Senate and was won by Amasa Learned.
Delaware
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| John M. Vining | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ John M. Vining 50.3% Joshua Clayton 28.9% Thomas Duff 20.8% |
Georgia
Georgia switched to a conventional district system for the Second Congress. At the time, the districts were not numbered, but are retroactively renumbered as the,, and respectively here.| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| James Jackson | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Anti-Administration hold. Election was subsequently challenged, the House determined that electoral fraud had occurred, and the seat was declared void. | √ Anthony Wayne 50.4% James Jackson 49.5% Others 0.2% | |
| Abraham Baldwin | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Abraham Baldwin 56.2% Thomas P. Carnes James Jackson 1.2% John Jones 0.3% | |
| George Mathews | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Anti-Administration hold. | √ Francis Willis 66.5% George Mathews 33.5% |
Kentucky
was admitted during the 2nd Congress and elected its first representatives in 1792.Maryland
Under Maryland law for the election for the 1st and 2nd Congresses "candidates were elected at-large but had to be residents of a specific district with the statewide vote determining winners from each district."| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| Michael J. Stone | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration gain. | √ Philip Key 56.8% Michael J. Stone 43.2% | |
| Joshua Seney | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Joshua Seney 57.1% James Tilghman 42.9% | |
| Benjamin Contee | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration gain. Winner later resigned due to questions of ineligibility due to his residence and was replaced in a special election by John Francis Mercer. | √ William Pinkney 61.6% Benjamin Contee 38.4% | |
| William Smith | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Anti-Administration hold. | √ Samuel Sterett 100% | |
| George Gale | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration hold. | √ William Vans Murray 56.4% George Gale 43.6% | |
| Daniel Carroll | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Anti-Administration gain. | √ Upton Sheredine 55.5% Daniel Carroll 44.5% |
Massachusetts
Massachusetts law required a majority for election. This condition was met in four of the eight districts, the remaining four required between 2 and 9 ballots for election.| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| Fisher Ames | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Fisher Ames 75.1% Benjamin Austin 16.1% Thomas Dawes 8.8% | |
| Benjamin Goodhue | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Benjamin Goodhue 88.8% Samuel Holten 11.2% | |
| Elbridge Gerry | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Elbridge Gerry 60.4% Nathaniel Gorham 39.6% | |
| Theodore Sedgwick | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Theodore Sedgwick 75.0% Samuel Lyman 16.3% Scattering 8.7% | |
| George Partridge | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent resigned August 14, 1790. New member elected. Pro-Administration hold. | ': Shearjashub Bourne 41.8% Thomas Davis 37.3% Joshua Thomas 20.9% ': √ Shearjashub Bourne 65.3% Joshua Thomas 27.2% Thomas Davis 7.5% | |
| George Leonard | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | ': Walter Spooner 25.5% Phanuel Bishop 22.6% George Leonard 22.3% Peleg Coffin Jr. 16.7% David Cobb 12.9% ': Walter Spooner 24.8% Phanuel Bishop 28.4% George Leonard 12.5% Peleg Coffin Jr. 25.7% David Cobb 8.6% ': Walter Spooner 28.3% Phanuel Bishop 33.9% George Leonard 8.5% Peleg Coffin Jr. 24.0% David Cobb 5.3% ': Walter Spooner 38.8% Phanuel Bishop 38.8% George Leonard 5.3% Peleg Coffin Jr. 15.7% David Cobb 1.5% ': Walter Spooner 6.6% Phanuel Bishop 42.3% George Leonard 29.3% Peleg Coffin Jr. 21.8% ':% Phanuel Bishop 42.2% George Leonard 41.6% Peleg Coffin Jr. 16.2% ': Phanuel Bishop 31.6% George Leonard 45.0% Peleg Coffin Jr. 22.2% ': Phanuel Bishop 27.7% George Leonard 55.6% Peleg Coffin Jr. 16.7% ': √ George Leonard 55.6% Phanuel Bishop 27.7% Peleg Coffin Jr. 16.7% | |
| Jonathan Grout | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration gain. | ': Jonathan Grout 39.1% Artemas Ward 39.0% John Sprague 14.5% Nathan Tyler 7.4% ': √ Artemas Ward 56.6% Jonathan Grout 43.4% | |
| George Thatcher | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | ': George Thatcher 37.2% William Lithgow 22.3% Nathaniel Wells 16.1% Josiah Thatcher 9.2% William Martin 4.9% Arthur Noble 3.6% Daniel Davis 1.8% Peleg Wadsworth 1.5% ': George Thatcher 49.8% Nathaniel Wells 31.0% William Lithgow 14.8% Scattering 4.4% ': George Thatcher 49.1% William Lithgow 39.7% Nathaniel Wells 11.2% : √ George Thatcher 52.3% William Lithgow 41.1% Nathaniel Wells 6.6% |
New Hampshire
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| Abiel Foster | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration hold. | √ Samuel Livermore 25.1% √ Jeremiah Smith 13.1% √ Nicholas Gilman 11.8% John Samuel Sherburne 11.1% Abiel Foster 8.5% James Sheafe 7.8% Nathaniel Peabody 7.0% Others 15.5% | |
| Samuel Livermore | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected as Pro-Administration. | √ Samuel Livermore 25.1% √ Jeremiah Smith 13.1% √ Nicholas Gilman 11.8% John Samuel Sherburne 11.1% Abiel Foster 8.5% James Sheafe 7.8% Nathaniel Peabody 7.0% Others 15.5% | |
| Nicholas Gilman | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Samuel Livermore 25.1% √ Jeremiah Smith 13.1% √ Nicholas Gilman 11.8% John Samuel Sherburne 11.1% Abiel Foster 8.5% James Sheafe 7.8% Nathaniel Peabody 7.0% Others 15.5% |
New Jersey
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| Elias Boudinot | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Abraham Clark 19.9% √ Jonathan Dayton 13.8% √ Elias Boudinot 13.7% √ Aaron Kitchell 8.8% Lambert Cadwalader 7.0% James Linn 5.5% Thomas Sinnickson 5.1% Robert Hoops 4.9% Thomas Henderson 3.7% John Witherspoon 2.7% John Beatty 2.3% John Sheppard 1.9% Joseph Ellis 1.7% Robert Ogden 1.5% James Schureman 1.5% John Harring 1.1% John Hugg 1.1% | |
| Lambert Cadwalader | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration hold. | √ Abraham Clark 19.9% √ Jonathan Dayton 13.8% √ Elias Boudinot 13.7% √ Aaron Kitchell 8.8% Lambert Cadwalader 7.0% James Linn 5.5% Thomas Sinnickson 5.1% Robert Hoops 4.9% Thomas Henderson 3.7% John Witherspoon 2.7% John Beatty 2.3% John Sheppard 1.9% Joseph Ellis 1.7% Robert Ogden 1.5% James Schureman 1.5% John Harring 1.1% John Hugg 1.1% | |
| James Schureman | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration hold. | √ Abraham Clark 19.9% √ Jonathan Dayton 13.8% √ Elias Boudinot 13.7% √ Aaron Kitchell 8.8% Lambert Cadwalader 7.0% James Linn 5.5% Thomas Sinnickson 5.1% Robert Hoops 4.9% Thomas Henderson 3.7% John Witherspoon 2.7% John Beatty 2.3% John Sheppard 1.9% Joseph Ellis 1.7% Robert Ogden 1.5% James Schureman 1.5% John Harring 1.1% John Hugg 1.1% | |
| Thomas Sinnickson | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration hold. | √ Abraham Clark 19.9% √ Jonathan Dayton 13.8% √ Elias Boudinot 13.7% √ Aaron Kitchell 8.8% Lambert Cadwalader 7.0% James Linn 5.5% Thomas Sinnickson 5.1% Robert Hoops 4.9% Thomas Henderson 3.7% John Witherspoon 2.7% John Beatty 2.3% John Sheppard 1.9% Joseph Ellis 1.7% Robert Ogden 1.5% James Schureman 1.5% John Harring 1.1% John Hugg 1.1% |
New York
New York's districts were not numbered at the time, therefore the numbering here is retroactive.| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| William Floyd | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration gain. Winner died May 24, 1790, before the start of the 2nd Congress. A special election was then held, see above. | √ James Townsend 35.5% John Vanderbilt 19.6% William Floyd 19.1% Thomas Tredwell 17.0% Ezra L'Hommedieu 8.8% | |
| John Laurance | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ John Laurance 98.4% Melancton Smith 1.6% | |
| Egbert Benson | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Egbert Benson 60.8% Theodorus Bailey 39.2% | |
| John Hathorn | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Anti-Administration hold. | √ Cornelius C. Schoonmaker 52.1% Peter Van Gaasbeck 43.7% John Hathorn 3.5% Christopher Tappen 0.8% | |
| Peter Silvester | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Peter Silvester 58.4% John Livingston 41.6% | |
| Jeremiah Van Rensselaer | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Pro-Administration gain. | √ James Gordon 59.0% Jeremiah Van Rensselaer 41.0% |
North Carolina
Due to the cession of North Carolina's trans-Appalachian territory to form the Southwest Territory, the territory of the old was lost. North Carolina retained the same number of Representatives, and so it redistricted for the Second Congress.Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania had elected its Representatives at-large in the 1st Congress, but switched to using districts in the 2nd Congress. Five incumbents ran for re-election, four of whom won, while three others retired leaving three open seats. Two districts had no incumbents residing in them, while one had a single representative who declined to run for re-election and one had three incumbents, only one of whom ran for re-election.Rhode Island
Rhode Island held elections for the 2nd Congress on October 18, 1790, about six weeks after elections for the 1st Congress due to the state's late ratification of the Constitution.| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| Benjamin Bourne | Pro-Administration | August 1790 | Incumbent re-elected. |
South Carolina
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| William L. Smith | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ William L. Smith | |
| Aedanus Burke | Anti-Administration | 1788 | Retired? Pro-Administration gain. | √ Robert Barnwell | |
| Daniel Huger | Pro-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Daniel Huger | |
| Thomas Sumter | Anti-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Thomas Sumter | |
| Thomas Tudor Tucker | Anti-Administration | 1788 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Thomas Tudor Tucker |
Vermont
Vermont was admitted at the end of the First Congress, with the admission taking effect at the start of the Second Congress. Vermont was entitled to elect two representatives. Vermont law at the time required a majority to win an office. In the, no candidate won a majority, necessitating a run-off.| District | Result | Candidates |
| First member elected. Anti-Administration win. | ': Matthew Lyon 28.7% Israel Smith 24.6% Isaac Tichenor 22.7% Samuel Hitchcock 18.1% Ira Allen 2.3% Ebenezer Marvin 1.6% Gideon Olin 1.3% Others 0.7% ': √ Israel Smith 68.4% Matthew Lyon 29.4% Isaac Tichenor 2.2% | |
| First member elected. Anti-Administration win. | √ Nathaniel Niles Stephen Jacob Daniel Buck |
Virginia
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| Alexander White | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Alexander White 93.3% J.P. Duvall 6.7% | |
| John Brown | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ John Brown James M. Marshall | |
| Andrew Moore | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Andrew Moore | |
| Richard Bland Lee | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Richard Bland Lee 62.1% Arthur Lee 37.9% | |
| James Madison | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ James Madison 97.8% James Monroe 2.2% | |
| Isaac Coles | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Anti-Administration hold. | √ Abraham B. Venable Charles Lintch Charles Clay | |
| John Page | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ John Page Meriwether Smith Francis Corbin Henry Lee | |
| Josiah Parker | Anti-Administration | 1789 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ Josiah Parker 76.1% Isaac Avery 23.9% | |
| William B. Giles | Anti-Administration | 1790 | Incumbent re-elected. | √ William B. Giles 59.3% Thomas Edmonds 40.6% John Mason 0.1% | |
| Samuel Griffin | Pro-Administration | 1789 | Re-elected as Anti-Administration. | √ Samuel Griffin |