1839 Iowa Council election

1839 Iowa Council election

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All 13 seats in the Iowa Territory Council
7 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Stephen Hempstead[a] Jesse B. Browne
Party Democratic Whig
Leader's seat 8th-Dubuque County 2nd-Lee County
Last election 7 6
Seats after 7 6
Seat change Steady Steady

President of the Iowa Territory Council before election

Jesse B. Browne
Whig

Elected President of the Iowa Territory Council

Stephen Hempstead[a]
Democratic

In the 1839 Iowa Territory Council elections, electors selected councilors to serve in the second Iowa Territory Council.[2] All 13 members of the Territory Council were elected.[b] Councilors served one-year terms.

The Iowa Territory existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when Iowa was admitted to the Union as a state. At the time, the Iowa Territory had a Legislative Assembly consisting of an upper chamber (i.e., the Territory Council) and a lower chamber (i.e., the Territory House of Representatives).[4]

Following the organization of the first Territory Council in 1838, Democrats held a majority with seven seats to Whigs' six seats.[5]

To claim a majority of seats, the Whigs needed to net one seat from the Democrats.

The Democrats maintained a majority of seats in the Council following the 1839 general election with the balance of power remaining unchanged with the Democrats holding seven seats and the Whigs having six seats.[6] Democratic Councilor Stephen P. Hempstead was chosen as the President of the second Territory Council to succeed Whig Councilor Jesse B. Browne in that leadership position.[a]

Summary of Results

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Iowa Territory Council District Incumbent Party Elected Councilor Party Outcome
1st[c] George Hepner Dem George Hepner[d] Dem Dem Hold
Arthur Inghram Dem Arthur Inghram[e] Dem Dem Hold
Robert Ralston Dem Robert Ralston[f] Dem Dem Hold
2nd[g] Jesse B. Browne Whig Jesse B. Browne[h] Whig Whig Hold
3rd[i] Lawson B. Hughes Whig Lawson B. Hughes[j] Whig Whig Hold
Jesse D. Payne Whig Jesse D. Payne[k] Whig Whig Hold
4th[l] E. A. M. Swazy Dem E. A. M. Swazy[m] Dem Dem Hold
Isham Keith Whig Isham Keith[n] Whig Whig Hold
5th[o] James M. Clark Whig James M. Clark[p] Whig Whig Hold
6th[q] Charles Whittlesey Whig Charles Whittlesey[r] Whig Whig Hold
7th[s] Jonathan W. Parker Dem Jonathan W. Parker[t] Dem Dem Hold
8th[u] Stephen Hempstead[a] Dem Stephen Hempstead[a] Dem Dem Hold
Warner Lewis Dem Warner Lewis[v] Dem Dem Hold

Source:[19]

  1. ^ a b c d e Councilor Hempstead of Dubuque County was chosen to be the President of the second Iowa Territory Council.[1]
  2. ^ At the time, the Council had several multi-member districts.[3]
  3. ^ The 1st was a 3-member district.
  4. ^ Councilor Hepner resided in Des Moines County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[7]
  5. ^ Councilor Inghram resided in Des Moines County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[8]
  6. ^ Councilor Ralston resided in Des Moines County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[9]
  7. ^ The 2nd was a 1-member district.
  8. ^ Councilor Browne resided in Lee County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[10]
  9. ^ The 3rd was a 2-member district.
  10. ^ Councilor Hughes resided in Henry County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[11]
  11. ^ Councilor Payne resided in Henry County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[12]
  12. ^ The 4th was a 2-member district.
  13. ^ Councilor Swazy resided in Van Buren County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[13]
  14. ^ Councilor Keith resided in Van Buren County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[14]
  15. ^ The 5th was a 1-member district.
  16. ^ Councilor Clark resided in Louisa County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[15]
  17. ^ The 6th was a 1-member district.
  18. ^ Councilor Whittlesey resided in Cedar County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[16]
  19. ^ The 7th was a 1-member district.
  20. ^ Councilor Parker resided in Scott County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[17]
  21. ^ The 8th was a 2-member district.
  22. ^ Councilor Lewis resided in Dubuque County during the second Iowa Territory Council.[18]

Detailed Results

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  • NOTE: The Iowa General Assembly does not contain detailed vote totals for Territory Council elections in 1839.

See also

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District boundaries for the Iowa Territory Council in 1839:

References

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  1. ^ "Councilor Stephen Hempstead". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "Iowa Legislators Past and Present". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Legislative Assembly: 2 (11/04/1839 - 11/01/1840)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  4. ^ "Early History: Iowa Territory" (PDF). Iowa Official Register. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "Legislative Assembly: 1 (11/12/1838 - 11/03/1839)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  6. ^ "Legislative Assembly: 2 (11/04/1839 - 11/01/1840)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "Councilor George Hepner". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  8. ^ "Councilor Arthur Inghram". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  9. ^ "Councilor Robert Ralston". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  10. ^ "Councilor Jesse B. Browne". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  11. ^ "Councilor Lawson B. Hughes". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  12. ^ "Councilor Jesse D. Payne". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  13. ^ "Councilor E. A. M. Swazy". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  14. ^ "Councilor Isham Keith". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  15. ^ "Councilor James M. Clark". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  16. ^ "Councilor Charles Whittlesey". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  17. ^ "Councilor Jonathan W. Parker". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  18. ^ "Councilor Warner Lewis". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  19. ^ "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved July 14, 2021.