1916 United States House of Representatives elections were elections for the United States House of Representatives to elect members to serve in the 65th United States Congress. They were held for the most part on November 7, 1916, while Maine held theirs on September 11. They coincided with the re-election of President Woodrow Wilson.
Wilson eked out a narrow re-election, but his Democratic Party lost seats to the Republican Party. Wilson's hybrid approach, which injected a progressive element into Democratic policies, had proved to be dissatisfying to much of the nation. International affairs also became important in the traditionally non-interventionist United States, as voters attempted to determine which party would be best served to keep the nation from entering the Great War.
Republicans won a plurality of seats in the 1916 election. However, when the 65th Congress convened in April 1917, the Democrats narrowly maintained control of the House, forming an alliance with third-party (Progressive and Socialist) members. Not since the 34th Congress (1855–1857) had the party with the most seats not been part of the ruling government. This Congress is the last example to date of a type of coalition holding power in the House, rather than a single party winning a majority of seats. This was also the last time that no party in the house held an overall majority.
Jeannette Rankin, a Republican from Montana, became the first woman ever elected to congress.
Election summaries
+ ↓ 214 5 216 Democratic Republican
StateTypeTotalseats Democratic Progressive Republican Others Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Alabama District 10 10 0 0 0 Arizona At-large 1 1 0 0 0 Arkansas District 7 7 0 0 0 California District 11 4 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 Colorado District 4 3 0 1 0 Connecticut District 5 1 1 0 4 1 0 Delaware At-large 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 Florida District 4 4 0 0 0 Georgia District 12 12 0 0 0 Idaho At-large 2 0 0 2 0 Illinois District+2 at-large 27 6 4 0 1 21 5 0 Indiana District 13 4 7 0 9 7 0 Iowa District 11 0 1 0 11 1 0 Kansas District 8 5 1 0 3 1 0 Kentucky District 11 9 0 2 0 Louisiana District 8 7 1 1 1 0 0 Maine District 4 0 1 0 4 1 0 Maryland District 6 4 1 0 2 1 0 Massachusetts District 16 4 0 12 0 Michigan District 13 1 1 0 12 1 0 Minnesota District 10 1 0 1 9 1 0 Mississippi District 8 8 0 0 0 Missouri District 16 14 0 2 0 Montana At-large 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 Nebraska District 6 3 0 3 0 Nevada At-large 1 0 0 1 0 New Hampshire District 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 New Jersey District 12 3 1 0 9 1 0 New Mexico At-large 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 New York District 43 16 3 0 1 26 4 1 North Carolina District 10 10 1 0 0 1 0 North Dakota District 3 0 0 3 0 Ohio District 22 13 4 0 9 4 0 Oklahoma District 8 6 1 0 2 1 0 Oregon District 3 0 0 3 0 Pennsylvania District+4 at-large 36 6 1 1 29 1 0 Rhode Island District 3 1 0 2 0 South Carolina District 7 7 0 0 0 South Dakota District 3 1 0 2 0 Tennessee District 10 8 0 2 0 Texas District+2 at-large 18 18 0 0 0 Utah District 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 Vermont District 2 0 0 2 0 Virginia District 10 9 0 1 0 Washington District 5 1 1 0 2 4 1 0 West Virginia District 6 2 1 0 4 1 0 Wisconsin District 11 0 3 0 11 3 0 Wyoming At-large 1 0 0 1 0 Total 435 214 16 3 2 216 19 2 1 The Democrats retained control of the House by forming a coalition with the three Progressive members and the single Socialist member, combining to form a razor-thin majority of 218 Representatives.
Early election date Maine held its election early, on September 11, 1916. There had previously been multiple states with earlier elections, but between 1914 and 1958, Maine was alone in holding early elections.
Special elections
There were special elections in 1916 to the 64th United States Congress.
Special elections are sorted by date then district.
! | Samuel A. Witherspoon | | Democratic | 1910 | | Incumbent died November 24, 1915.New member elected January 4, 1916.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | William G. Brown Jr. | | Democratic | 1910 | | Incumbent died March 9, 1916.New member elected May 9, 1916.Republican gain.Winner was later re-elected; see below. | nowrap |
! | William Stephens | | Progressive | 1910 | | Incumbent resigned July 22, 1916 to become Lieutenant Governor of California.New member elected November 7, 1916. Progressive hold.Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. | nowrap |
! | James Hay | | Democratic | 1896 | | Incumbent resigned October 1, 1916 to become Judge of the United States Court of Claims.New member elected November 7, 1916.Democratic hold.Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. | nowrap |
Alabama
! | Oscar L. Gray | | Democratic | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | S. Hubert Dent Jr. | | Democratic | 1908 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Henry B. Steagall | | Democratic | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Fred L. Blackmon | | Democratic | 1910 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | J. Thomas Heflin | | Democratic | 1904 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | William B. Oliver | | Democratic | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | John L. Burnett | | Democratic | 1898 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Edward B. Almon | | Democratic | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | George Huddleston | | Democratic | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | colspan=3 | None | | New seat.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
Arizona
! | Carl Hayden | | Democratic | 1911 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Arkansas
! | Thaddeus H. Caraway | | Democratic | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | William A. Oldfield | | Democratic | 1908 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | John N. Tillman | | Democratic | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Otis Wingo | | Democratic | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Henderson M. Jacoway | | Democratic | 1910 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Samuel M. Taylor | | Democratic | 1913 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | William S. Goodwin | | Democratic | 1910 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
California
! | William Kent | | Independent | 1910 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | John E. Raker | | Democratic | 1910 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Charles F. Curry | | Republican | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Julius Kahn | | Republican | 1898 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | John I. Nolan | | Republican | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | John A. Elston | | Progressive | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Denver S. Church | | Democratic | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Everis A. Hayes | | Republican | 1904 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Charles H. Randall | | Prohibition | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | colspan=3 | Vacant | | William Stephens (P) resigned July 22, 1916 to become Lieutenant Governor of California.Republican gain.Successor was not elected to finish the term. | nowrap |
! | William Kettner | | Democratic | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Colorado
! | Benjamin Hilliard | | Democratic | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Charles B. Timberlake | | Republican | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Edward Keating | | Democratic | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Edward T. Taylor | | Democratic | 1908 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Connecticut
! |P. Davis Oakey | |Republican |1914 | |Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap="" |
! |Richard P. Freeman | |Republican |1914 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" |
! |John Q. Tilson | |Republican |1914 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" |
! |Ebenezer J. Hill | |Republican |1914 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" |
! |James P. Glynn | |Republican |1914 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" |
Delaware
! | Thomas W. Miller | | Republican | 1914 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
Florida
! |Stephen M. Sparkman | |Democratic |1894 | |Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. | nowrap="" | |- ! |Frank Clark | |Democratic |1904 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |Emmett Wilson | |Democratic |1912 | |Incumbent lost renomination.Democratic hold. | nowrap="" | |- ! |William J. Sears | |Democratic |1914 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" |
Georgia
! | Charles G. Edwards | |Democratic | 1906 | |Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. | nowrap="" | |- ! |Frank Park | |Democratic |1913 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |Charles R. Crisp | |Democratic |1912 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |William C. Adamson | |Democratic |1896 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |William S. Howard | |Democratic |1910 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |James W. Wise | |Democratic |1914 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |Gordon Lee | |Democratic |1904 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |Samuel J. Tribble | |Democratic |1910 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |Thomas M. Bell | |Democratic |1904 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |Carl Vinson | |Democratic |1914 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap="" | |- ! |John R. Walker | |Democratic |1912 |Incumbent re-elected | nowrap="" | |- ! |Dudley M. Hughes | |Democratic |1908 | |Incumbent lost renomination.Democratic hold. | nowrap="" |
Idaho
! rowspan=2 | | Robert M. McCracken | | Republican | nowrap | 1914 | | Incumbent lost renomination.Republican hold. | nowrap rowspan=2 |
| Addison T. Smith | | Republican | nowrap | 1912 | Incumbent re-elected.
Illinois
DistrictIncumbentThis raceMemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidatesMartin B. MaddenRepublican1904Incumbent re-elected.James R. MannRepublican1896Incumbent re-elected.William W. WilsonRepublican1914Incumbent re-elected.James T. McDermottDemocratic1906Incumbent retired.Democratic hold.Adolph J. SabathDemocratic1906Incumbent re-elected.James McAndrewsDemocratic1912Incumbent re-elected.Frank BuchananDemocratic1910Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain.Thomas GallagherDemocratic1908Incumbent re-elected.Frederick A. BrittenRepublican1912Incumbent re-elected.George E. FossRepublican1914Incumbent re-elected.Ira C. CopleyRepublican1910Incumbent re-elected.Charles Eugene FullerRepublican1914Incumbent re-elected.John C. McKenzieRepublican1910Incumbent re-elected.Clyde H. TavennerDemocratic1912Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain.Edward John KingRepublican1914Incumbent re-elected.Claude U. Stone Democratic1910Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. John A. SterlingRepublican 1914 Incumbent re-elected. Joseph G. CannonRepublican 1914 Incumbent re-elected. William B. McKinleyRepublican 1914 Incumbent re-elected. Henry T. RaineyDemocratic 1902 Incumbent re-elected. Loren E. WheelerRepublican 1914 Incumbent re-elected. William A. RodenbergRepublican 1914 Incumbent re-elected. Martin D. FosterDemocratic 1906 Incumbent re-elected. Thomas Sutler WilliamsRepublican 1914 Incumbent re-elected. Edward E. DenisonRepublican 1914 Incumbent re-elected. Burnett M. ChiperfieldRepublican 1914Incumbent retired.Republican hold. William E. Williams Democratic 1912Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain.
Indiana
! | Charles Lieb | | Democratic | 1912 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. |nowrap |
! | William A. Cullop | | Democratic | 1908 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. |nowrap |
! | William E. Cox | | Democratic | 1906 | Incumbent re-elected. |nowrap |
! | Lincoln Dixon | | Democratic | 1904 | Incumbent re-elected. |nowrap |
! | Ralph W. Moss | | Democratic | 1908 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. |nowrap | |- ! | Finly H. Gray | | Democratic | 1910 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. |nowrap |
! | Merrill Moores | | Republican | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. |nowrap |
! | John A. M. Adair | | Democratic | 1906 | | Incumbent retired to run for Governor of Indiana.Republican gain. |nowrap | |- ! | Martin A. Morrison