United States House Committee on Elections
# United States House Committee on Elections

The United States House Committee on Elections is a former standing committee of the United States House of Representatives.

Article 1, section 5, of the Constitution of the United States specifies: "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns, and Qualifications of its own Members." The Committee on Elections was established as the first standing committee of the House to perform this function on April 13, 1789, just two weeks after the first quorum allowed the House of Representatives to organize itself. Rule number 7 of the first rules adopted by the House of Representatives specifies the character and jurisdiction of the committee:

    7. A standing Committee on Elections shall be appointed, to consist of seven members, it shall be the duty of the said committee to examine and report upon the certificates of election, or other credentials of the members returned to serve in this House, and to take into their consideration all such matters as shall or may come in question, and be referred to them by the House, touching returns and elections, and to report their proceedings, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

From 1789 until the mid-19th century the number of contested election cases remained stable at an average of three per Congress. After the 34th Congress (1855–57) the number of contested seats rose sporadically to a peak of 38 during the 54th Congress (1895–97). In 1895, due to the increase in workload, the committee was split into three separate committees: Elections #1, Elections #2, and Elections #3. After 1935 the number of contested elections returned to an average of three per Congress, and in 1947 the three Elections Committees were abolished and their jurisdiction included in that of the new House Administration Committee.

In November 2018, Nancy Pelosi announced her intention to restore the Elections Subcommittee of the Committee on House Administration in the 116th Congress and name Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge the Chair.

## Historical committee rosters

### 1st Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Pro-Administration) | Minority (Anti-Administration) |
| - | - |
| George Clymer, Pennsylvania, chairman Fisher Ames, Massachusetts Egbert Benson, New York Daniel Carroll, Maryland Nicholas Gilman, New Hampshire Benjamin Huntington, Connecticut Alexander White, Virginia | none |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Pro-Administration) | Minority (Anti-Administration) |
| - | - |
| Fisher Ames, Massachusetts, chairman Egbert Benson, New York Roger Sherman, Connecticut Thomas Sinnickson, New Jersey Alexander White, Virginia Henry Wynkoop, Pennsylvania | Michael Jenifer Stone, Maryland |

### 2nd Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Pro-Administration) | Minority (Anti-Administration) |
| - | - |
| Samuel Livermore, New Hampshire, chairman Elias Boudinot, New Jersey John Steele, North Carolina Benjamin Bourne, Rhode Island James Hillhouse, Connecticut | Elbridge Gerry, Massachusetts William Branch Giles, Virginia |

### 3rd Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Anti-Administration) | Minority (Pro-Administration) |
| - | - |
| Nathaniel Macon, North Carolina William Irvine, Pennsylvania | William Loughton Smith, South Carolina, chairman Richard Bland Lee, Virginia Shearjashub Bourne, Massachusetts Jonathan Dayton, New Jersey James Gordon, New York |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Anti-Administration) | Minority (Pro-Administration) |
| - | - |
| Nathaniel Macon, North Carolina John Hunter, South Carolina John Samuel Sherburne, New Hampshire | Jonathan Dayton, New Jersey, chairman Richard Bland Lee, Virginia James Hillhouse, Connecticut George Dent, Maryland |

### 4th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| Abraham B. Venable, Virginia, chairman Thomas Blount, North Carolina Henry Dearborn, Massachusetts | John W. Kittera, Pennsylvania George Dent, Maryland Zephaniah Swift, Connecticut Robert Goodloe Harper, South Carolina |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| Abraham B. Venable, Virginia, chairman Thomas Blount, North Carolina Frederick Muhlenberg, Pennsylvania Henry Dearborn, Massachusetts | George Dent, Maryland Zephaniah Swift, Connecticut Abiel Foster, New Hampshire |

### 5th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Federalist) | Minority (Democratic-Republican) |
| - | - |
| Joshua Coit, Connecticut, chairman Thomas Hartley, Pennsylvania George Dent, Maryland John Williams, New York | Abraham Baldwin, Georgia Carter Bassett Harrison, Virginia Joseph Bradley Varnum, Massachusetts |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Federalist) | Minority (Democratic-Republican) |
| - | - |
| Joshua Coit, Connecticut, chairman Thomas Hartley, Pennsylvania George Dent, Maryland John Williams, New York Thomas Evans, Virginia | Abraham Baldwin, Georgia Joseph Bradley Varnum, Massachusetts |

**3rd session**

| Majority (Federalist) | Minority (Democratic-Republican) |
| - | - |
| John W. Kittera, Pennsylvania George Dent, Maryland Chauncey Goodrich, Connecticut John Williams, New York | Joseph Bradley Varnum, Massachusetts, chairman Abraham Baldwin, Georgia Anthony New, Virginia |

### 6th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Federalist) | Minority (Democratic-Republican) |
| - | - |
| Samuel W. Dana, Connecticut, chairman John W. Kittera, Pennsylvania Anthony New, Virginia William Gordon, New Hampshire Archibald Henderson, North Carolina | Thomas Sumter, South Carolina Theodorus Bailey, New York |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Federalist) | Minority (Democratic-Republican) |
| - | - |
| George Dent, Maryland, chairman Thomas Evans, Virginia William Edmond, Connecticut Joseph Dickson, North Carolina Lemuel Williams, Massachusetts | Peter Muhlenberg, Pennsylvania William C. C. Claiborne, Tennessee |

### 7th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John Milledge, Georgia, chairman John A. Hanna, Pennsylvania John Condit, New Jersey John Taliaferro, Virginia | John Dennis, Maryland Samuel Tenney, New Hampshire John Stanly, North Carolina |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John Bacon, Massachusetts, chairman Anthony New, Virginia John Condit, New Jersey Ebenezer Elmer, New Jersey | John Dennis, Maryland Samuel Tenney, New Hampshire John Stanly, North Carolina |

### 8th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| William Findley, Pennsylvania, chairman Joseph Bradley Varnum, Massachusetts Matthew Clay, Virginia William Kennedy, North Carolina | Calvin Goddard, Connecticut Samuel Hunt, New Hampshire Henry W. Livingston, New York |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| William Findley, Pennsylvania, chairman Joseph Bradley Varnum, Massachusetts Ebenezer Elmer, New Jersey John Wayles Eppes, Virginia William Kennedy, North Carolina | Henry W. Livingston, New York Clifton Clagett, New Hampshire |

### 9th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| William Findley, Pennsylvania, chairman Ebenezer Elmer, New Jersey John Wayles Eppes, Virginia Barnabas Bidwell, Massachusetts Martin G. Schuneman, New York | Martin Chittenden, Vermont Caleb Ellis, New Hampshire |

### 10th Congress

**1st and 2nd sessions**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| William Findley, Pennsylvania, chairman Matthew Clay, Virginia John Blake Jr., New York John Lambert, New Jersey David Rogerson Williams, South Carolina | James Elliot, Vermont Lewis B. Sturges, Connecticut |

### 11th Congress

**1st and 2nd sessions**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| William Findley, Pennsylvania, chairman Matthew Clay, Virginia John Taylor, South Carolina George Troup, Georgia Barzillai Gannett, Massachusetts | Killian K. Van Rensselaer, New York Lewis B. Sturges, Connecticut |

**3rd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| William Findley, Pennsylvania, chairman Matthew Clay, Virginia John Taylor, South Carolina George Troup, Georgia | Killian K. Van Rensselaer, New York Samuel Taggart, Massachusetts Lewis B. Sturges, Connecticut |

### 12th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| William Findley, Pennsylvania, chairman Nathaniel Macon, North Carolina George Troup, Georgia James Fisk, Vermont James Pleasants, Virginia | Lewis B. Sturges, Connecticut James Emott, New York |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| William Findley, Pennsylvania, chairman Nathaniel Macon, North Carolina John Dawson, Virginia Willis Alston, North Carolina George Troup, Georgia | John Davenport, Connecticut James Emott, New York |

### 13th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| James Fisk, Vermont, chairman William A. Burwell, Virginia William Anderson, Pennsylvania Daniel Avery, New York Lewis Condict, New Jersey | John Davenport, Connecticut Timothy Pickering, Massachusetts |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| James Fisk, Vermont, chairman Thomas Gholson Jr., Virginia William Anderson, Pennsylvania William R. King, North Carolina]] Israel Pickens, North Carolina]] Oliver C. Comstock, New York | Roger Vose, New Hampshire |

**3rd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| James Fisk, Vermont, chairman Willis Alston, North Carolina William Anderson, Pennsylvania Oliver C. Comstock, New York Thomas K. Harris, Tennessee | Charles Goldsborough, Maryland Roger Vose, New Hampshire |

### 14th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John W. Taylor, New York, chairman William Piper, Pennsylvania Solomon P. Sharp, Kentucky Philip P. Barbour, Virginia | Lyman Law, Connecticut Timothy Pickering, Massachusetts Roger Vose, New Hampshire |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John W. Taylor, New York, chairman John Hahn Isaac Thomas, Tennessee John Kerr, Virginia | Lyman Law, Connecticut Timothy Pickering, Massachusetts Roger Vose, New Hampshire |

### 15th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John W. Taylor, New York, chairman John Tyler, Virginia Orsamus Cook Merrill, Vermont Henry Shaw, Massachusetts | John Linscom Boss Jr., Rhode Island Solomon Strong, Massachusetts Ezekiel Whitman, Massachusetts |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John W. Taylor, New York, chairman Orsamus Cook Merrill, Vermont Henry Shaw, Massachusetts Alexander Smyth, Virginia Christian Tarr, Pennsylvania | John Linscom Boss Jr., Rhode Island Ezekiel Whitman, Massachusetts |

### 16th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John W. Taylor, New York, chairman Orsamus Cook Merrill, Vermont Christian Tarr, Pennsylvania Starling Tucker, South Carolina William Brown, Kentucky John Sloane, Ohio | Ezekiel Whitman, Massachusetts |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John W. Taylor, New York, chairman Christian Tarr, Pennsylvania Starling Tucker, South Carolina Charles Hooks, North Carolina Robert Clark, New York John Sloane, Ohio Thomas Love Moore, Virginia | none |

### 17th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John Sloane, Ohio, chairman Weldon Nathaniel Edwards, North Carolina Starling Tucker, South Carolina Thomas Jones Rogers, Pennsylvania Thomas Love Moore, Virginia John Speed Smith, Kentucky Reuben H. Walworth, New York | none |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John Sloane, Ohio, chairman Weldon Nathaniel Edwards, North Carolina Starling Tucker, South Carolina Thomas Jones Rogers, Pennsylvania Rollin Carolas Mallary, Vermont Thomas Love Moore, Virginia | Joseph Kirkland, New York |

### 18th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John Sloane, Ohio, chairman William Lee Ball, Virginia Thomas H. Hall, North Carolina Starling Tucker, South Carolina Rollin Carolas Mallary, Vermont James Israel Standifer, Tennessee Philip Thompson, Kentucky | none |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Democratic-Republican) | Minority (Federalist) |
| - | - |
| John Sloane, Ohio, chairman Thomas H. Hall, North Carolina Starling Tucker, South Carolina Daniel H. Miller, Pennsylvania James Israel Standifer, Tennessee Philip Thompson, Kentucky John Taliaferro, Virginia | none |

### 19th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Anti-Jacksonian) | Minority (Jacksonian) |
| - | - |
| John Sloane, Ohio, chairman Moses Hayden, New York Elisha Phelps, Connecticut Alfred H. Powell, Virginia | Starling Tucker, South Carolina John Heritage Bryan, North Carolina Michael Hoffman, New York |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Anti-Jacksonian) | Minority (Jacksonian) |
| - | - |
| John Sloane, Ohio, chairman Moses Hayden, New York Elisha Phelps, Connecticut | Willis Alston, North Carolina Starling Tucker, South Carolina Nathaniel Claiborne, Virginia Michael Hoffman, New York |

### 20th Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Jacksonian) | Minority (Anti-Jacksonian) |
| - | - |
| Willis Alston, North Carolina Starling Tucker, South Carolina John Anderson, Maine Nathaniel Claiborne, Virginia John G. Stower, New York | John Sloane, Ohio, chairman Elisha Phelps, Connecticut |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Jacksonian) | Minority (Anti-Jacksonian) |
| - | - |
| John Anderson, Maine, chairman Willis Alston, North Carolina Nathaniel Claiborne, Virginia John G. Stower, New York | Elisha Phelps, Connecticut John Davenport, Ohio James F. Randolph, New Jersey |

### 21st Congress

**1st and 2nd sessions**

| Majority (Jacksonian) | Minority (Anti-Jacksonian) |
| - | - |
| Willis Alston, North Carolina, chairman Starling Tucker, South Carolina Nathaniel Claiborne, Virginia Nicholas D. Coleman, Kentucky Cave Johnson, Tennessee | James F. Randolph, New Jersey Thomas Beekman, New York |

### 22nd Congress

**1st and 2nd sessions**

| Majority (Jacksonian) | Minority (Anti-Jacksonian) |
| - | - |
| Nathaniel Claiborne, Virginia, chairman Cornelius Holland, Maine Lauchlin Bethune, North Carolina | James F. Randolph, New Jersey Thomas Dickens Arnold, Tennessee John A. Collier, New York John K. Griffin, South Carolina |

### 23rd Congress

**1st session**

| Majority (Jacksonian) | Minority (Anti-Jacksonian) |
| - | - |
| Nathaniel Claiborne, Virginia, chairman Micajah Thomas Hawkins, North Carolina Thomas L. Hamer, Ohio Seaborn Jones, Georgia Balie Peyton, Tennessee Aaron Vanderpoel, New York | John Banks, Pennsylvania John K. Griffin, South Carolina Edward A. Hannegan, Indiana |

**2nd session**

| Majority (Jacksonian) | Minority (Anti-Jacksonian) |
| - | - |
| Nathaniel Claiborne, Virginia, chairman Micajah Thomas Hawkins, North Carolina Robert Burns, New Hampshire Aaron Vanderpoel, New York James Bouldin, Virginia Daniel Kilgore, Ohio | John K. Griffin, South Carolina Edward A. Hannegan, Indiana Gideon Hard, New York |
