United States House of Representatives elections, 1794

Election summaries

During this period, each state fixed its own date for a congressional general election. Elections took place both in the even-numbered year before and in the odd-numbered year when a Congress convened. In some states, the congressional delegation was not elected until after the legal start of the Congress (on the 4th day of March in the odd-numbered year).

One new seat was added during the 4th Congress upon the admission of Tennessee on June 1, 1796. Tennessee was not represented in the 1st session.

Non-voting delegates

On September 3, 1796, the 3rd Congress admitted the first Delegate after some debate. The individual elected, James White, represented voters in the Southwest Territory. He also served during the 4th Congress. The delegate was elected by the Territorial legislature.

Complete returns

Tennessee elected its first representative in 1796 for this Congress.

Connecticut

There were three subsequent vacancies in Connecticut's representation. The first occurred before the start of the 4th Congress when Trumbull was elected to the Senate and was filled by Nathaniel Smith. Then, on July 1, 1796, Hillhouse resigned, having also been elected to the Senate, and was replaced by James Davenport (F). The third occurred when Uriah Tracy resigned on October 13, 1796, having been elected to the Senate to replace Trumbull. Tracy, in turn, was replaced by Samuel W. Dana (F)

Delaware

Only two candidates are recorded for Delaware's congressional election in 1794, suggesting that the voting procedure in place for the first three Congresses for two candidates had been changed.

Maryland

Gabriel Duvall (DR) of the 2nd district resigned on March 28, 1796, to become Chief Justice of the Maryland General Court and was replaced in a special election by Richard Sprigg, Jr. (DR).

Jeremiah Crabb (F) of the 3rd district resigned on June 1, 1796, and was replaced in a special election by William Craik (F)

Massachusetts

Massachusetts redistricted between the 3rd and 4th Congress, dividing itself into 14 districts. The 12th-14th districts were in the District of Maine (the modern State of Maine). A majority was required for election. Additional ballots were required in five districts due to the majority requirement not being met on the first ballot.

Theodore Sedgwick (F) of the 1st district resigned upon being elected to the Senate and was replaced in a special election by Thomson J. Skinner (DR).

In the 9th district, a petition by various citizens of Massachusetts contested the election of Varnum. The Committee on Elections ruled in Varnum's favor and added "that the attempt to deprive him of his seat was rather the act of malevolence than a desire to promote the public good." On January 25, 1797, these words were stricken out and expressions of compliment to the sitting Member were substituted, and the report was agreed to.

Benjamin Goodhue (F) of the 10th district resigned upon being elected to the Senate and was replaced in a special election by Samuel Sewall (F).

New Hampshire

Under New Hampshire's electoral laws, a majority of voters (12.5% of votes) was required for election. Only three candidates achieved a majority, and so a run-off election was held for the fourth seat.

New York

New York's districts were not numbered at the time, but were later numbered retroactively.

North Carolina

There were two special elections in the 4th district. The first was held to fill a vacancy left by the death of Alexander Mebane (DR) on July 5, 1795, before the first meeting of the 4th Congress, which elected Absalom Tatom (DR). Tatom, in turn, resigned June 1, 1796, and a special election was held to fill that vacancy, won by William F. Strudwick (F)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania once again divided itself into districts instead of electing representatives at-large, as it had for the 3rd Congress. The state divided intself into 12 districts, one of which (the 4th) had two seats. Pennsylvania would continue to use one or more plural districts until 1842.

The 2nd seat in the 4th district was disputed between John Richards and James Morris. The original returns showed Morris in 2nd place and Richards in a close 3rd place, but Richards disputed it, and the Governor of Pennsylvania only issued certification for Samuel Sitgreaves (F) leaving the other seat undecided. Morris died on July 10, 1795, before the House could act. The House Committee on Elections ruled in favor of Richards on January 10, 1798.

In the 5th district, Daniel Hiester (DR) resigned on July 1, 1796. A special election was held to fill the resulting vacancy which elected George Ege (F).

Rhode Island

Benjamin Bourne (F) resigned in 1796, and was replaced in a special election by Elisha Potter (F)

South Carolina

Electoral data are only available for the 1st and 5th district of South Carolina's 6 districts at the time of the elections of 1794.

Representative-elect Barnwell of the 2nd district declined to serve. A special election was held to fill the resulting vacancy, electing Wade Hampton (DR).

Vermont

Vermont's laws required a majority for election to Congress, with a second election to be held if the first did not return a majority. Run-off elections were required in both districts.

In the 1st district, Lyon unsuccessfully contested Smith's election

Virginia

In the 13th district, Burwell unsuccessfully contested Clopton's election