The 1812–13 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between August 3, 1812, and April 30, 1813. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 13th United States Congress convened on May 24, 1813. They coincided with James Madison being re-elected president.
With the addition of the new state of Louisiana's at-large seat, along with the 39-seat gain as a result of the congressional reapportionment based on the 1810 United States census, the size of the House increased to 182 seats. Most relative population growth was in the West.
After America's entry into the War of 1812 against Britain, the Democratic-Republican and Federalist parties maintained pro-war and anti-war positions, respectively. Democratic-Republican representatives supported by voters in agrarian regions and Southern and Western states promoted war, asserting that Britain had violated American sovereignty and that despite Britain's strength, war was a manageable risk. Federalists and their supporters in New England and more densely populated Eastern districts opposed the war, citing likely damage to American trade and infrastructure.
This election saw significant voter support shift to the declining Federalists for the last time, almost entirely in New England, New York, and New Jersey. Despite this shift, Federalists did not approach national political recovery, House control, or meaningful policy influence.
Incumbent resigned in 1812. New member electedApril 6, 1812.[2][c] Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated June 3, 1812.[3] Successor later lost re-election, see below.
Incumbent resigned before October 1812 to accept a captain's commission in the U.S. Army. New member electedOctober 5, 1812.[c] Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated November 27, 1812.[3] Successor also elected the same day to the next term, see below.
Incumbent resigned to accept commission as a lieutenant colonel. New member electedDecember 15–17, 1812. Federalist hold. Successor seated January 29, 1813.[3] Successor also elected the same day to the next term, see below.
Incumbent died February 7, 1812. New member electedJanuary 11, 1813. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated January 30, 1813.[3] Successor later re-elected, see below.
Member-elect died February 18, 1813. New member electedApril 27–29, 1813. Federalist hold. Successor seated June 21, 1813.[5] Election was later successfully challenged by Isaac Williams Jr. (Democratic-Republican).
Incumbent/member-elect resigned March 3, 1813, to become U.S. Senator. New member electedMay 4, 1813. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated May 28, 1813.[5]
Member-elect resigned April 5, 1813, to stay in the state militia. New member electedMay 10, 1813. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated June 15, 1813.[5]
Incumbent resigned after election as U.S. Senator. New member electedDecember 13, 1813. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor seated February 7, 1814.[5]
Delaware gained a seat after the 1810 census, and chose to elect both seats on a general ticket. The ten years between 1813 and 1823 were the only time when Delaware was represented by more than one Representative, and is one of only three states (the other two being Alaska and Wyoming) that have never been divided into districts.
Incumbent resigned before October 1812 to accept a captain's commission in the U.S. Army. New member elected. Democratic-Republican hold. Successor also elected the same day to finish the current term; see above.
Louisiana held its election for the 13th Congress September 28–30, 1812, at the same time as the election for the 12th Congress, with nearly-identical results.
New district, seat created. New member electedSeptember 28–30, 1812. Democratic-Republican gain. New member seated December 23, 1812.[3] Member also elected the same day to the next term, see below.
New district, seat created. New member electedSeptember 28–30, 1812. Democratic-Republican gain. Successor elected the same day to finish the current term, see above.
Massachusetts gained three seats after the 1810 census, all of which were added to the District of Maine. Its elections were held November 5, 1812, but since Massachusetts law required a majority for election, which was not met in the 19th district, a second ballot was held there January 6, 1813.
New Jersey kept its delegation at six seats but changed from electing its Representatives on a statewide general ticket to using three plural districts of two seats each. These districts were used only for the 1812 election, and These districts were used only for the 1812 electionThese districts were used only for the 1812 electionthe state returned to using a single at-large district in 1814. This was only the second time that New Jersey used districts (the first being in 1798).
There was a statewide at-large election held in November 1812, that was invalidated:
In October 1812, when the Federalists captured the State Legislature, both parties had already nominated their tickets for Presidential Electors and Congress. That election was scheduled for November 1812. However, … the Federalist[s], now controlling the legislature, changed the method of selecting Presidential Electors, from popular vote, to a choice by the Legislature and as a result the election for Presidential Electors was invalidated. In addition to changing the method of choosing Presidential electors, the Federalist also decided to alter the election of congressmen from state wide At-Large to Districts. The scheduled November elections were postponed and three separate Districts were created, each electing two Congressmen. This election was held January 12th and 13th 1813. Some towns, either because word of these changes did not reach them in time, or most likely in defiance, went ahead and held elections. The Republican ticket received almost all of the votes cast, with the Federalist getting only a single votes in two towns, which suggests they were protesting the changes made by the Legislature. These returns were never reported in the newspapers.
Ten seats were added after the 1810 census, bringing New York's representation to 27, the largest of any state at the time. New York would remain the state with the most members until surpassed by California in the 1970 census. There were two separate House of Representatives elections in 1812. The first was held in April 1812 for an un-reapportioned 17 representatives. This election was subsequently declared void and a new election was held on December 15–17, 1812, in which only three incumbents ran and two of whom were re-elected. New York thereby lost 4 Democratic-Republicans and gained 14 Federalists.
Incumbent resigned May 6, 1812, to accept a commission as a lieutenant colonel. Federalist hold. Successor also elected the same day to finish the term; see above.
North Carolina gained one representative as a result of the census of 1810. Its elections were held April 30, 1813, after the term began but before Congress's first meeting.
The 1810 census revealed dramatic population growth in Ohio since 1800, resulting in its representation increasing from a single Representative to six, resulting in the State being broken up into 6 districts, abolishing the at-large district. Jeremiah Morrow (Democratic-Republican), who had served since Ohio achieved statehood in 1803, retired to run for U.S. Senator, so that all six seats were open. Its elections were held October 13, 1812.
New seat. Democratic-Republican gain. Successor resigned April 5, 1813, after the new Congress began but before it first met, leading to a special election; see above.
There was a special election in the 6th district, held due to the death of Representative-elect John S. Edward before Congress met. That election was won by Reasin Beall.
Pennsylvania gained five seats in the House of Representatives as a result of the census of 1810, which awarded it a total of 23 seats. Pennsylvania was re-districted into 15 districts, one with 4 seats, five with 2, and the remaining nine with 1 seat each. There were seven open seats for this election, five resulting from the increase in apportionment, and two resulting from the retirement of incumbents. Its elections were held October 13, 1812.
New seat. Democratic-Republican gain. The difference between the top two candidates was a single vote. William Kelly unsuccessfully contested the election.
Vermont gained two seats after the 1810 census. Rather than re-district, however, Vermont replaced its districts with a single at-large district. It would continue to use an at-large district in 1814, 1816, and 1818, then one more time in 1822 (with 5 seats).
Virginia gained one seat after the 1810 census, bringing its representation in the House of Representatives to 23 seats, the largest number Virginia would ever have. Virginia went from having the most representatives to having the second-most tied with Pennsylvania. New York, with its 27 seats, surpassed Virginia and remained the most populous state until the late 1960s.
Its elections were held in April 1813, after the term began but before Congress's first meeting.
Four territories had delegates in the 13th Congress: Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, and Missouri. Illinois Territory and Missouri Territory elected their delegates in 1812 for both the end of the 12th and the start of the 13th Congresses.
Illinois Territory had been created in 1809, but was not awarded a delegate until 1812. New delegate elected. Democratic-Republican gain. New delegate seated December 3, 1812.[3]
Missouri Territory was created in 1812 when Louisiana became a state. New delegate elected. Democratic-Republican gain. New delegate seated January 4, 1813.[3]
^ Massachusetts law required a majority to elect, which was not met in the 19th district, so a second election was held January 6, 1813.
^ abcdefghOnly candidates with at least 1% of the vote listed
^ ab Date given for the start of the term, of the person elected at the special election (source: Congressional Biographical Directory). In some cases this is clearly wrong as the date of the legal start of the Congress is given, even though the member was elected at a later date.
^"Louisiana 1812 U.S. House of Representatives, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved October 12, 2018., although listed in the source as a "special" election, it was a regular or "initial" election for the 12th Congress.