The 1918 United States House of Representatives elections were elections for the United States House of Representatives to elect members to serve in the 66th United States Congress. They were held for the most part on November 5, 1918, while Maine held theirs on September 9. They occurred in the middle of President Woodrow Wilson's second term.

Quick Facts All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives 218 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1918 United States House of Representatives elections

← 1916 November 5, 1918[lower-alpha 1] 1920 →
All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives 218 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Frederick Gillett Champ Clark Party Republican Democratic Leader since May 19, 1919 March 4, 1909 Leader's seat Massachusetts 2nd Missouri 9th Last election 216 seats 214 seats Seats won 240 192 Seat change 24 22 Popular vote 6,661,655 5,458,549 Percentage 52.42% 42.95% Swing 4.07% 2.96%   Third party Fourth party   Party Socialist Prohibition Last election 1 seat 1 seat Seats won 1 [lower-alpha 2] 1 Seat change Popular vote 406,852 120,789 Percentage 3.20% 0.95% Swing 0.43% 0.55%   Fifth party   Party Independent Last election 0 seats Seats won 1 [lower-alpha 3] Seat change 1 Popular vote 60,646 Percentage 0.48% Swing 0.08%
Results:      Democratic hold      Democratic gain      Republican hold      Republican gain      Socialist gain      Prohibition hold      Farmer-Labor gain
Speaker before election Champ Clark Democratic Elected Speaker Frederick Gillett Republican

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With the country in World War I (contrary to previous promises by Wilson), and Wilson's personal popularity ebbing, the Republicans gained 25 seats and took over control of the House from Wilson's Democrats. Internal divide among Democratic leadership over aspects related to payment of the war also decreased the unity of the party, which had been the organization's strength during the decade. The Progressive Party also disappeared, with its former members generally becoming Democrats. Minnesota's Farmer–Labor Party, a descendant of populism, also gained its very first seat.

Frederick H. Gillett (R-Massachusetts) became Speaker, and previous speaker Champ Clark (D-Missouri) became Minority Leader.

Woodrow Wilson was elected to the presidency in the 1912 presidential election and his victory in the 1916 election made him the first Democratic president to win reelection since Andrew Jackson had in the 1832 election.^[1]

Wilson's wheat policies aided in the Democratic defeat. The Food and Fuel Control Act allowed for the cost of wheat to be set at a price control limit of $2.20 per bushel while other products like cotton were not. Wilson later vetoed an attempt by the Republicans to increase the limit to $2.40 per bushel. Republicans were more likely to gain seats in areas with higher amounts of wheat acreage with the Republicans gaining twenty-two seats in the ten highest wheat producing states while the Democrats only gained two seats.^[1]

Wilson was also unable to aid the Democratic candidates before the election due to his preparations for involvement in the Paris Peace Conference.^[1]

More information Party, Total seats ...

Party	Total seats	Change	Seat percentage
Republican Party	240	25	55.2%
Democratic Party	192	22	44.2%
Farmer–Labor Party	1	1	0.2%
Prohibition Party	1		0.2%
Totals	4351		Unopposed

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¹ One vacancy, Victor L. Berger, a member of the Socialist Party of America, whom the House refused to seat.

Sorted by election date, then by state/district.

This was the first election in which Idaho was divided into districts, formerly it had had a single at-large district with two seats.