1931 United States House of Representatives elections

There were special elections to the United States House of Representatives in 1931 to the 71st United States Congress and 72nd United States Congress. After the 1930 House elections, the Republicans held a narrow majority of 218 seats, the smallest possible majority in congress. However, following these elections, the Democrats gained 3 seats resulting in a Democratic House majority. This Democratic majority was only further increased in the 1932 house elections and would survive for 63 years, with the Republicans only briefly holding the House following the 1946 and 1952 House elections. Republicans would only hold House control for a significant amount of time following the Republican Revolution of 1994.

1931 U.S. House of Representatives elections

← 1930 May 12, 1931 – December 1, 1931 1932 →

11 (out of 435) seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
218 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader John Nance Garner Bertrand Snell
Party Democratic Republican
Leader since March 4, 1929 March 4, 1931
Leader's seat Texas 15th New York 31st
Last election 216 seats 218 seats[a]
Seats won 219 216
Seat change Increase 3 Decrease 2
Seats up 5 5
Races won 8 3

  Third party
 
Party Farmer–Labor
Last election 1 seat
Seats won 1
Seat change Steady
Seats up 0
Races won 0

71st Congress

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Elections are listed by date and district.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
New York 9 David J. O'Connell Democratic 1918
1920 (lost)
1922
Incumbent died December 29, 1930.
New member elected February 17, 1931.
Democratic hold.
  •  Y Stephen A. Rudd (Democratic) 71.53%
  • William Koch (Republican) 26.13%
  • James Oneal (Socialist) 2.34%

72nd Congress

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Elections are listed by date and district.

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
New York 7 John Quayle Democratic 1922 Incumbent died November 27, 1930.
New member elected February 17, 1931.
Democratic hold.
  •  Y Matthew V. O'Malley (Democratic) 69.97%
  • Leonard Greenstone (Republican) 28.17%
  • David Munroe Cory (Socialist) 1.85%
Louisiana 8 James B. Aswell Democratic 1912 Incumbent died March 16, 1931.
New member elected May 12, 1931.
Democratic hold.
Georgia 1 Charles G. Edwards Democratic 1906
1916 (retired)
1924
Incumbent died July 13, 1931.
New member elected September 9, 1931.
Democratic hold.
Missouri 7 Samuel C. Major Democratic 1918
1920 (lost)
1922
Incumbent died July 28, 1931.
New member elected September 29, 1931.
Democratic hold.
Wisconsin 1 Vacant Incumbent member-elect Henry A. Cooper (R) died March 1, 1931, in the previous congress.
New member elected October 13, 1931.
Republican hold.
  •  Y Thomas R. Amlie (Republican) 54.38%
  • Otis J. Bouma (Socialist) 27.41%
  • G. H. Herzog (Ind. Democratic) 12.95%
  • Henry H. Tubbs (Prohibition) 3.44%
  • John Sikat (Ind. Communist) 1.83%[2]
Michigan 8 Bird J. Vincent Republican 1922 Incumbent died July 18, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Democratic gain.
New York 7 Matthew V. O'Malley Democratic 1931
(did not take office)
Representative-elect died May 26, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Democratic hold.
  •  Y John J. Delaney (Democratic) 69.30%
  • William L. Padgett (Republican) 22.10%
  • Abraham Zucker (Socialist) 7.68%
  • J. Louis Engdahl (Communist) 0.93%
Ohio 1 Nicholas Longworth Republican 1902
1912 (lost)
1914
Incumbent died April 9, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Republican hold.
  •  Y John B. Hollister (Republican) 60.22%
  • David Lorbach (Democratic) 37.13%
  • Robert A. Duderstadt (Independent) 2.66%
Ohio 20 Charles A. Mooney Democratic 1918
1920 (lost)
1922
Incumbent died May 29, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 2 George S. Graham Republican 1912 Incumbent died July 4, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Republican hold.
  •  Y Edward L. Stokes (Republican) 94.97%
  • Charles S. Hill (Democratic) 5.03%
Texas 14 Harry M. Wurzbach Republican 1920
1928 (lost)
1930 (won challenge)
Incumbent died November 6, 1931.
New member elected November 24, 1931.
Democratic gain.
  •  Y Richard M. Kleberg (Democratic) 47.06%
  • Carl W. Johnson (Democratic) 34.47%
  • Charles W. Anderson (Republican) 14.23%
  • Tom B. Smiley (Republican) 4.24%
New Jersey 5 Ernest R. Ackerman Republican 1918 Incumbent died October 18, 1931.
New member elected December 1, 1931.
Democratic gain.
  •  Y Percy H. Stewart (Democratic) 49.20%
  • Donald H. McLean (Republican) 46.37%
  • Alexis L. Clark (Prohibition) 3.95%
  • Harry F. Kopp (Socialist) 0.30%
  • Morris Langer (Communist) 0.18%

References

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  1. ^ Fletcher Hale (R) of New Hampshire's 1st congressional district died October 22, 1931, but the special election was held January 5, 1932.
  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - LA District 08 - Special Election Race - May 12, 1931". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  2. ^ Wisconsin Blue Book 1933, p. 510.
  3. ^ "Our Campaigns - MI District 08 - Special Election Race - Nov 03, 1931". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2021-04-09.

Witte, Edwin E.; Kelly, Alice, eds. (1933). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1933. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer.