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.Annals of the Congress of the United States, 1st Cong., 1st sess., April 13, 1789, p. 122.
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, PennsylvaniaMichael Jenifer Stone, Maryland
3rd session
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, ConnecticutElbridge Gerry, Massachusetts William Branch Giles, Virginia
2nd session
3rd Congress
1st session Majority (Anti-Administration) Minority (Pro-Administration)Nathaniel Macon, North Carolina William Irvine, PennsylvaniaWilliam 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 HampshireJonathan 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, MassachusettsJohn 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, MassachusettsGeorge 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 YorkAbraham 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, VirginiaAbraham 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 YorkJoseph 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 CarolinaThomas 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, MassachusettsPeter 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, VirginiaJohn 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 JerseyJohn 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 CarolinaCalvin 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 CarolinaHenry 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 YorkMartin Chittenden, Vermont Caleb Ellis, New Hampshire
2nd session
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 CarolinaJames 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, MassachusettsKillian 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, GeorgiaKillian 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, VirginiaLewis 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, GeorgiaJohn 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 JerseyJohn 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 YorkRoger 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, TennesseeCharles 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, VirginiaLyman 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, VirginiaLyman 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, MassachusettsJohn 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, PennsylvaniaJohn 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, OhioEzekiel 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, Virginianone
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 Yorknone
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, VirginiaJoseph 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, Kentuckynone
2nd session Majority (Democratic-Republican) Minority (Federalist)John Sloane, Ohio, chairman Thomas H. Hall, North Carolina Starling Tucker, South Carolina Daniel H. Miller, Pennsylvania