List of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives elections

The first-ever election for Speaker of the House took place on April 1, 1789, at the start of the 1st Congress, following the 1788 / 89 elections in which candidates who supported the new Frame of Government won a majority of the seats. Frederick A. Muhlenberg, who had promoted the ratification of the Constitution, received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[9] Though political parties did not yet exist, political factions, from which they evolved, formed almost immediately after Congress began its work. Those who supported the Washington administration were referred to as "Pro-Administration", while those in opposition were known as "Anti-Administration".[10]

An election for speaker took place October 24, 1791, at the start of the 2nd Congress, following the 1790 / 91 elections in which Pro-Administration candidates won a majority of the seats. Jonathan Trumbull Jr. received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[12]

An election for speaker took place December 2, 1793, at the start of the 3rd Congress, following the 1792 / 93 elections in which anti-administration candidates won a majority of the seats. Former speaker Frederick Muhlenberg received a majority of the votes cast in the 3rd ballot and was elected speaker. This was the first Speaker of the House election to be contested primarily on a partisan basis.[13]

An election for speaker took place December 7, 1795, at the start of the 4th Congress, following the 1794 / 95 elections. During the preceding Congress, the Pro-Administration faction coalesced into the Federalist Party, and the Anti-Administration faction into the Democratic-Republican Party. Though Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats in these elections, several joined with the Federalists to elect Jonathan Dayton speaker on the first ballot.[13]

An election for speaker took place May 15, 1797, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 5th Congress, following the 1796 / 97 elections in which Federalists won a majority of the seats. In a near-unanimous vote, Jonathan Dayton was re-elected Speaker.[13]

An election for speaker took place December 2, 1799, at the start of the 6th Congress, following the 1798 / 99 elections in which Federalists won a majority of the seats. Theodore Sedgwick received a majority of the votes cast in the 2nd ballot and was elected speaker.[13]

An election for speaker took place on December 7, 1801, at the start of the 7th Congress, following the 1800 / 01 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Nathaniel Macon received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[13]

An election for speaker took place on October 17, 1803, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 8th Congress, following the 1802 / 03 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Nathaniel Macon received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[13]

An election for speaker took place December 2, 1805, at the start of the 9th Congress, following the 1804 / 05 elections in which the Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Nathaniel Macon received a majority of the votes cast in the 3rd ballot and was re-elected speaker.[13] A number of Democratic-Republicans did not support Macon's bid for a third term as he had broken ranks with President Jefferson and aligned himself with the splinter Quids faction.[16]

An election for speaker took place on October 26, 1807, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 10th Congress, following the 1806 / 07 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Joseph B. Varnum received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[13]

An election for speaker took place May 22, 1809, at the start of the 11th Congress, following the 1808 / 09 elections in which the Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. On the first ballot, Joseph Varnum received 60 of the 118 votes cast for individuals. In addition to these, two ballots were returned blank. The question arose over whether or not the blank ballots counted. If they were, then the total number of votes cast would be 120, making the threshold for election 61. If they were not, then the threshold would be 60 (of 118), thus making Varnum the winner. After a brief debate a motion to proceed with a second ballot was approved. Varnum received a majority of the votes cast in the 2nd ballot and was re-elected speaker.[17]

An election for speaker took place on November 4, 1811, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 12th Congress, following the 1810 / 11 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Henry Clay, a freshman congressman, received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[19]

An election for speaker took place on May 24, 1813, at the start of the 13th Congress, following the 1812 / 13 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Henry Clay received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[19]

On January 19, 1814, during the third session of the 13th Congress, Henry Clay resigned as speaker to accept a commission from President James Madison to serve as a negotiator for a peace agreement to end the War of 1812.[19] Later that day, an intra-term election for a new speaker was held. Langdon Cheves received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[22]

An election for speaker took place on December 4, 1815 at the start of the 14th Congress following the 1814 / 15 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Elected again to the House, former speaker Henry Clay received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[19]

An election for speaker took place on December 1, 1817 at the start of the 15th Congress following the 1816 / 17 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. In a near-unanimous vote, Henry Clay was re-elected Speaker.[19][25]

An election for speaker took place on December 6, 1819 at the start of the 16th Congress following the 1818 / 19 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. In a near-unanimous vote, Henry Clay was re-elected Speaker.[19][25]

In October 1820, between the first and the second session of the 16th Congress, Henry Clay resigned as speaker so he could return to his private law practice; he kept his House seat however, until his term ended the following March (he had not run for re-election in 1820).[19] Consequently, an intra-term election for a new speaker was held on November 13–15, 1820. Coming as it did less than a year after the rancorous Missouri statehood debate, the choice of Clay's successor became mired in the continuing national debate between Northerners and Southerners over the expansion of slavery into territories and future states. The chief candidate of Northern antislavery members, John W. Taylor of New York, finally received a majority of the votes cast in the 22nd ballot and was elected speaker.[28] In addition to discord over slavery, Taylor's path to victory was made even more difficult by a division within that state's congressional delegation between supporters of Governor DeWitt Clinton and those who opposed him (known as the Bucktails).[25]

An election for speaker took place December 3–4, 1821, at the start of the 17th Congress, following the 1820 / 21 elections in which the Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Philip Barbour received a majority of the votes cast in the 12th ballot and was elected speaker.[17]

An election for speaker took place on December 1, 1823 at the start of the 18th Congress following the 1822 / 23 elections in which Democratic-Republicans won a majority of the seats. Elected again to the House, former speaker Henry Clay received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[19]

An election for speaker took place December 5, 1825, at the start of the 19th Congress, following the 1824 / 25 elections and the 1825 presidential contingent election. In the aftermath of these elections, the Democratic-Republican Party rapidly splintered between those who supported the new president, John Quincy Adams, and those who supported Andrew Jackson. Representatives who supported Adams held a slim majority in the House. Former speaker John W. Taylor received a majority of the votes cast in the 2nd ballot and was elected speaker.[17]

An election for speaker took place on December 3, 1827 at the start of the 20th Congress following the 1826 / 27 elections in which Jacksonians, candidates supporting Andrew Jackson in opposition to President John Quincy Adams won a majority of the seats. Andrew Stevenson won a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[33]

An election for speaker took place on December 7, 1829 at the start of the 21st Congress following the 1828 / 29 elections in which Jacksonians, candidates supporting now-President Andrew Jackson won a majority of the seats. Andrew Stevenson won a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[33]

An election for speaker took place on December 5, 1831 at the start of the 22nd Congress following the 1830 / 31 elections in which Jacksonians won a majority of the seats. Andrew Stevenson won a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[33]

An election for speaker took place on December 2, 1833 at the start of the 23rd Congress following the 1832 / 33 elections in which Jacksonians won a majority of the seats. Andrew Stevenson won a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[37]

In June 1834, Andrew Stevenson resigned as speaker of the House and from Congress to accept President Andrew Jackson's nomination as the U.S. minister to the United Kingdom.[39] Consequently, an intra-term election for a new speaker was held on June 2, 1834, during the 23rd Congress. The president favored James K. Polk for the post, but when members of his "Kitchen Cabinet" went to Capitol Hill and lobbied on Polk's behalf, they were rebuffed. Perceived as an encroachment upon a constitutional prerogative of the House, the effort to influence the vote splintered Jacksonian party unity and energized the opposition. John Bell ultimately received a majority of the votes cast in the 10th ballot and was elected speaker.[40][lower-alpha 4]

An election for speaker took place on December 7, 1835, at the start of the 24th Congress, following the 1834 / 35 elections in which Jacksonians won a majority of the seats. James K. Polk won a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[43]

An election for speaker took place on September 4, 1837, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 25th Congress, following the 1836 / 37 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. James K. Polk won a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[43]

An election for speaker took place December 14–16, 1839, at the start of the 26th Congress, following the 1838 / 39 elections in which the Democrats won a slim majority of the seats. Balloting was delayed for two weeks as Democrats and Whigs contested the seating of five representatives-elect from New Jersey,[46] commencing only after the House resolved not to seat either delegation immediately. Once underway, the narrowly divided House was unable to make a quick choice. Finally, on the 11th ballot, Robert M. T. Hunter received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[17]

An election for speaker took place on May 31, 1841, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 27th Congress, following the 1840 / 41 elections in which Whigs won a majority of the seats. John White won a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[49]

An election for speaker took place December 4, 1843, at the start of the 28th United States Congress following the 1842 / 43 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. John W. Jones received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place December 1, 1845, at the start of the 29th United States Congress following the 1844 / 45 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. John W. Davis received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[52]

An election for speaker took place December 6, 1847, at the start of the 30th Congress, following the 1846 / 47 elections in which the Whigs won a slim majority of the seats. Robert C. Winthrop received a majority of the votes cast in the 3rd ballot and was elected speaker.[17] The election became a multi-ballot affair when a few "Conscience Whigs" initially refused to support Winthrop because he rejected their demand for a pledge to constitute key House committees so as to favor the reporting of antislavery legislation.[54]

An election for speaker took place December 3–22, 1849, at the start of the 31st Congress, following the 1848 / 49 elections in which the Democrats won a slim majority of the seats. Divisions within both the Democratic Party and Whig Party over slavery plus the presence of the new Single-issue antislavery Free Soil Party led to pandemonium in the House and a protracted struggle to elect a speaker. After 59 ballots without a majority choice, the House adopted a plurality rule stating that, if after three more ballots no one garnered a majority of the votes, the person receiving the highest number of votes on the next ensuing ballot would be declared to have been chosen speaker.[17] On the decisive 63rd ballot, Howell Cobb received the most votes, 102 votes out of 221, or nine less than a majority, and was elected speaker.[56]

An election for speaker took place December 1, 1851, at the start of the 32nd Congress following the 1850 / 51 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. Linn Boyd received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place December 5, 1853, at the start of the 33rd Congress following the 1852 / 53 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. Linn Boyd received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place over the course of two months, December 3, 1855 through February 2, 1856, at the start of the 34th Congress, following the 1854 / 55 elections in which candidates primarily in Northern states running on various fusion tickets—included members from the Whig, Free Soil and American parties, along with members of the nascent Republican Party—grouped together under the Opposition Party label, won a majority of the seats. This new, but transitional, party sprang-up amid the fallout from the Kansas–Nebraska Act (approved by Congress in mid 1854), which had sparked violence over slavery in Kansas and hardened sectional positions on the subject.[61] Personal views on slavery drove members' words and actions during this protracted electoral contest. After 129 ballots without a majority choice, the House once again adopted a plurality rule to break the deadlock. On the decisive 133rd ballot, Nathaniel P. Banks[lower-alpha 6] received the most votes, 103 votes out of 214, or five less than a majority, and was elected speaker.[56][61] A record 135 individual congressmen received votes in this the longest Speaker election in House history.[63]

An election for speaker took place on December 7, 1857 at the start of the 35th Congress, following the 1856 / 57 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. James L. Orr received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place over the course of eight weeks, December 5, 1859 through February 1, 1860, at the start of the 36th Congress, following the 1858 / 59 elections in which the Republicans won a plurality of the seats. William Pennington, a freshmen congressmen, received a majority of the votes cast in the 44th ballot and was elected speaker.[68] The bitter election dispute deepened the rift between slave states and free states and helped push Southern political leaders further toward secession.[69]

An election for speaker took place July 4, 1861, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 37th Congress, following the 1860 / 61 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats, and the subsequent secession of several states from the Union at the outset of the Civil War.[lower-alpha 8] Galusha A. Grow received a majority of the votes cast on the first ballot and was elected speaker, but only after his chief opponent, Francis Preston Blair Jr., withdrew following the roll call vote, at which time 28 votes shifted to Grow.[73]

An election for speaker took place on December 7, 1863, at the start of the 38th Congress, following the 1862 / 63 elections in which Republicans won only a plurality of the seats, but retained control of the House with the assistance of Unconditional Unionist members. Schuyler Colfax received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place on December 4, 1865, at the start of the 39th Congress, following the 1864 / 65 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Schuyler Colfax received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place on March 4, 1867, at the start of the 40th Congress, following the 1866 / 67 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Schuyler Colfax received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

On March 3, 1869, the final full day of the 40th Congress, Schuyler Colfax, who was to be sworn into office as the nation's 17th vice president the next day, resigned as speaker. Immediately afterward, the House passed a motion declaring Theodore Pomeroy duly elected speaker in place of Colfax (for one day).[78]

An election for speaker took place on March 4, 1869, at the start of the 41st Congress, following the 1868 / 69 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. James G. Blaine received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place on March 4, 1871, at the start of the 42nd Congress, following the 1870 / 71 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. James G. Blaine received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place on December 2, 1873, at the start of the 43rd Congress, following the 1872 / 73 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. James G. Blaine received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place on December 6, 1875, at the start of the 44th Congress, following the 1874 / 75 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. Michael C. Kerr, who had just returned to Congress after losing re-election two years earlier, received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[83] This was the first time in 16 years, since 1859, that Democrats controlled the House.[84]

Michael C. Kerr died on August 19, 1876,[83] between the first and second sessions of the 44th Congress. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new speaker was held on December 4, 1876, when Congress reconvened. Samuel J. Randall received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[86][87]

An election for speaker took place on October 15, 1877, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 45th Congress, following the 1876 / 77 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats, and the electoral crisis spawned by the contentious 1876 presidential election. Samuel J. Randall received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[86]

An election for speaker took place on March 18, 1879, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 46th Congress, following the 1878 / 79 elections in which Democrats won only a plurality of the seats, but retained control of power with the help of several Independent Democrats. Samuel J. Randall received a slim majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[90]

An election for speaker took place on December 5, 1881, at the start of the 47th Congress following the 1880 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. J. Warren Keifer won a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[92]

An election for speaker took place on December 3, 1883, at the start of the 48th Congress following the 1882 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. John G. Carlisle received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[94]

An election for speaker took place on December 7, 1885, at the start of the 49th Congress following the 1884 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. John G. Carlisle received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[94]

An election for speaker took place on December 5, 1887, at the start of the 50th Congress following the 1886 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. John G. Carlisle received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[94]

An election for speaker took place on December 2, 1889, at the start of the 51st Congress following the 1888 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Thomas B. Reed received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[98]

An election for speaker took place on December 8, 1891, at the start of the 52nd Congress following the 1890 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. Charles F. Crisp received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[100]

An election for speaker took place on August 7, 1893, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 53rd Congress following the 1892 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. Charles F. Crisp received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[100]

An election for speaker took place on December 2, 1895, at the start of the 54th Congress following the 1894 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Former speaker Thomas B. Reed received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[103]

An election for speaker took place on March 15, 1897, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 55th Congress following the 1896 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Thomas B. Reed received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[103]

An election for speaker took place December 4, 1899, at the start of the 56th Congress following the 1898 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. David B. Henderson received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[106]

An election for speaker took place December 2, 1901, at the start of the 57th Congress following the 1900 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. David B. Henderson received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.[108]

An election for speaker took place November 9, 1903, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 58th Congress following the 1902 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Joseph Cannon received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place December 4, 1905, at the start of the 59th Congress following the 1904 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Joseph Cannon received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place December 2, 1907, at the start of the 60th Congress following the 1906 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Joseph Cannon received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place March 15, 1909, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 61st Congress following the 1908 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Joseph Cannon received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker. Cannon's election to a fourth term as speaker was challenged by a group of dissatisfied progressive Republicans; 12 of these insurgents voted for other people.[113][114]

An election for speaker took place April 4, 1911, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 62nd Congress following the 1910 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. Champ Clark received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker. This was the first time in 16 years, since 1895, that Democrats controlled the House.[116]

An election for speaker took place April 7, 1913, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 63rd Congress following the 1912 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. Champ Clark received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place December 6, 1915, at the start of the 64th Congress following the 1914 elections in which Democrats won a majority of the seats. Champ Clark received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place April 2, 1917, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 65th Congress following 1916 elections in which Republicans won a plurality of the seats. Even so, Champ Clark received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker. Democrats were able to retain control of the House by forming a Coalition with third-party (Progressive, Prohibition and Socialist) members.[120]

An election for speaker took place May 19, 1919, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 66th Congress following 1918 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Frederick H. Gillett received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.[122]

An election for speaker took place April 11, 1921, at the start[lower-alpha 3] of the 67th Congress following 1920 elections in which Republicans won a majority of the seats. Frederick H. Gillett received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

An election for speaker took place December 3–5, 1923, at the start of the 68th Congress, following the 1922 elections in which the Republicans won a majority of the seats. Frederick H. Gillett received a majority of the votes cast in the 9th ballot and was re-elected speaker. Progressive Republicans had refused to support Gillett for the first eight ballots. Only after winning concessions from Republican conference leaders (a seat on the House Rules Committee and a pledge that requested House rules changes would be considered) did they agree to support him.[125]