The 1802–03 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between April 26, 1802 (in New York) and December 14, 1803 (in New Jersey). Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives, either before or after the first session of the 8th United States Congress convened on October 17, 1803. They occurred during President Thomas Jefferson's first term in office.

Quick Facts All 142 seats in the United States House of Representatives 72 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1802–03 United States House of Representatives elections

← 1800 & 1801 April 26, 1802 – December 14, 1803 1804 & 1805 →
All 142 seats in the United States House of Representatives 72 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Nathaniel Macon John Cotton Smith Party Democratic-Republican Federalist Leader's seat North Carolina 6th Connecticut at-large Last election 68 seats 38 seats Seats won 103 39 Seat change 35 1
Results:      Federalist hold      Federalist gain      Democratic-Republican hold      Democratic-Republican gain      Undistricted
Speaker before election Nathaniel Macon Democratic-Republican Elected Speaker Nathaniel Macon Democratic-Republican

Close

With the addition of the new state of Ohio's representatives, and the congressional reapportionment based on the 1800 United States census, the size of the House increased from 106 to 142 seats. The greatest population growth revealed in the 1800 census was in territories that constituted the western regions of the country at the time, a tremendous boost for Democratic-Republican candidates. Nearly all of the new seats created in the reapportionment went to Democratic-Republicans, closely aligned as they were with the agrarian interests of Western farmers. As a result, the Democratic-Republicans won the largest proportion of seats that either they or the competing Federalists had ever been able to secure in any earlier Congress, a supermajority greater than two-thirds of the total number.

These elections were the first following reapportionment after the 1800 census. Thirty-five new seats were added in reapportionment,^[1] with three states having no change in apportionment, and thirteen states gaining between 1 and 7 seats. One further seat was added for the new state of Ohio, which is included in this table below.^[2]

More information State, Type ...

State	Type	Date	Total seats		Democratic- Republican		Federalist
			Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change
New York	Districts	April 26–29, 1802	17	7	12	6	5	1
Connecticut	At-large	August 20, 1802	7		0		7
New Hampshire	At-large	August 30, 1802	5	1	0		5	1
Rhode Island	At-large	August 31, 1802	2		2		0
Georgia	At-large	October 4, 1802	4	2	4	2	0
Delaware	At-large	October 5, 1802	1		1	1	0	1
Pennsylvania	Districts	October 12, 1802	18	5	18	8	0	3
Massachusetts	District	November 1, 1802[lower-alpha 1]	17	3	7		10	3
Vermont	Districts	December 13, 1802[lower-alpha 2]	4	2	1		3	2
Maryland	Districts	January 1, 1803	9	1	6	1	3
South Carolina	Districts	February 3, 1803	8	2	6	3	2	1
Late elections (After the March 4, 1803, beginning of Congress)
Virginia	Districts	April 1803	22	3	18		4	3
Kentucky	Districts	August 2, 1803	6	4	6	4	0
Tennessee	At-large	August 5, 1803	3	2	3	2	0
North Carolina	Districts	August 15, 1803	12	2	11	5	1	3
Very late elections (After the October 17, 1803, beginning of 1st session)
New Jersey	At-large	December 14, 1803	6	1	6	1	0
Election of new state during 8th Congress
Ohio	At-large	June 21, 1803	1	1	1	1	0
Total			142	36	102 71.8%	34	40 28.2%	2

Close

There were special elections in 1802 and 1803 during the 7th United States Congress and 8th United States Congress.

Elections are sorted here by date then district.

Georgia gained 2 seats in reapportionment after the 1800 census. It elected its representatives October 4, 1802, at-large on a general ticket.

Kentucky gained 4 seats to 6 in reapportionment after the 1800 census.

Maryland gained 1 seat in reapportionment after the 1800 census. Rather than increasing the number of districts, however, Maryland made the Maryland 5 a plural district with 2 seats.

Massachusetts increased 3 seats to 17 in reapportionment after the 1800 census. Massachusetts law at the time required a majority for election to an office, which requirement was not met in the 6th district, requiring two additional ballots.

See Non-voting delegates, below.

New Hampshire increased its apportionment from 4 seats to 5 after the 1800 census.

New Jersey increased its apportionment from 5 seats to 6 after the 1800 census.

The Federalists did not run any official candidates in 1802, but a few Federalists did receive scattered votes.

New York's apportionment increased from 10 seats to 17 seats after the 1800 census. The state was subsequently redistricted. 11 open seats were available due to the increase in apportionment and retirement of incumbents.

North Carolina increased its apportionment from 10 to 12 seats after the 1800 census.

Pennsylvania increased its apportionment from 13 to 18 seats after the 1800 census. The state was re-districted from 12 into 11 districts, four of which were plural districts.

South Carolina increased its apportionment from 6 seats to 8 after the 1800 census.

Tennessee increased its apportionment from 1 seat to 3 seats after the 1800 census.

Vermont increased its apportionment from 2 seats to 4 after the 1800 census. Vermont law at the time required a majority of votes to win an office, which frequently necessitated additional ballots.

Virginia increased its apportionment from 19 to 22 seats after the 1800 census. Virginia's congressional delegation remained the largest of any state, but would lose this distinction permanently after the census of 1810. Elections were held over three days in April 1803.

• 1802 United States elections
  • List of United States House of Representatives elections (1789–1822)
  • 1802–03 United States Senate elections
• 7th United States Congress
• 8th United States Congress