Connecticut's at-large congressional district

During the first twenty-four Congresses (March 4, 1789 until March 3, 1837) Connecticut elected all its Representatives in Congress from a single multi-member Connecticut at-large congressional district.

Connecticut elected a varying number of representatives during this period. From its inception in 1789 through the first reapportionment in 1793, there were five seats. From 1793 through 1823, there were seven seats. In 1823 the seats were reduced to six and in 1837 the system of at-large members was replaced with districts.

From 1903 to 1913 and from 1933 to 1965, Connecticut had a member of the United States House of Representatives who represented the state at-large, in addition to the members who represented distinct districts.

This practice was prohibited by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

List of representatives

1789–1837: five, then seven, then six seats

All members were elected statewide at-large on a general ticket.

Congress and years
		Seat A				Seat B				Seat C				Seat D				Seat E				Seat F				Seat G
		Rep.	Party	Electoral history		Rep.	Party	Electoral history		Rep.	Party	Electoral history		Rep.	Party	Electoral history		Rep.	Party	Electoral history		Rep.	Party	Electoral history		Rep.	Party	Electoral history
1st	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791	Benjamin Huntington	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1788. Lost re-election.		Roger Sherman	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1788. Re-elected in 1790,[1] but instead resigned to become U.S. Senator.		Jonathan Sturges	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1788. Re-elected in 1790. Re-elected in 1792 but declined to serve.		Jonathan Trumbull Jr.	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1788. Re-elected in 1790. Re-elected in 1792. Re-elected in 1794 but declined to serve when instead elected U.S. Senator.		Jeremiah Wadsworth	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1790 to finish the term of Pierpont Edwards (Pro-Administration), who had declined to serve. Elected in 1790. Re-elected in 1792. Retired.		Seat created in 1793.				Seat created in 1793.
2nd	March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793	James Hillhouse	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1790. Re-elected in 1792. Re-elected in 1794. Resigned when elected U.S. Senator.		Amasa Learned	Pro-Admin	Elected to finish Sherman's term. Re-elected in 1792. Retired.
3rd	March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795									Joshua Coit	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1792. Re-elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796. Died.										Zephaniah Swift	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1792. Re-elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796 but declined to serve.		Uriah Tracy	Pro-Admin	Elected in 1792. Re-elected in 1794. Resigned when elected U.S. Senator.
4th	March 4, 1795 – April 13, 1795		Federalist			Chauncey Goodrich	Federalist	Elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Lost re-election.			Federalist			Vacant				Nathaniel Smith	Federalist	Elected in 1794. Elected in 1796. Lost re-election.			Federalist				Federalist
	April 13, 1795 – October 13, 1796													Roger Griswold	Federalist	Elected to finish Trumbull's term. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Re-elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804 but resigned.
	October 13, 1796 – December 5, 1796																									Vacant
	December 5, 1796 – January 3, 1797	James Davenport	Federalist	Elected to finish Hillhouse's term, having already been elected to the next term, see below. Elected in 1796. Died.
	January 3, 1797 – March 3, 1797																									Samuel W. Dana	Federalist	Elected to finish Tracy's term. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Re-elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Resigned to become U.S. Senator.
5th	March 4, 1797 – August 3, 1797																					John Allen	Federalist	Elected to finish Swift's term. Retired.
	August 3, 1797 – November 13, 1797	Vacant
	November 13, 1797 – September 5, 1798	William Edmond	Federalist	Elected to finish Davenport's term. Re-elected in 1798. Retired.
	September 5, 1798 – December 3, 1798									Vacant
	December 3, 1798 – March 3, 1799									Jonathan Brace	Federalist	Elected in 1798. Later elected to finish Coit's term. Resigned.
6th	March 4, 1799 – ?																	Elizur Goodrich	Federalist	Elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800 but declined to serve.		John Davenport		Elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Re-elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Retired.
	? 1800 – November 17, 1800									Vacant
	November 17, 1800 – March 3, 1801									John Cotton Smith	Federalist	Elected to finish Brace's term. Elected in 1800 to the next term. Re-elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Resigned.
7th	March 4, 1801 – May 14, 1801	Vacant				Elias Perkins	Federalist	Elected in 1800. Re-elected in 1802 but declined to serve.										Vacant
	May 14, 1801 – September 21, 1801																	Calvin Goddard	Federalist	Elected to finish Goodrich's term. Re-elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804 but resigned.
	September 21, 1801 – March 3, 1803	Benjamin Tallmadge	Federalist	Elected to finish Edmond's term. Re-elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Retired.
8th	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805					Simeon Baldwin	Federalist	Elected to finish Perkins's term. Retired.
9th	March 4, 1805 – ?before September 16, 1805					Jonathan O. Moseley	Federalist	Elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Re-elected in 1818 as a Democratic-Republican. Retired.
	?before September 16, 1805 – September 16, 1805													Vacant				Vacant
	September 16, 1805 – August 1806													Timothy Pitkin	Federalist	Elected to finish Griswold's term. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Retired.		Lewis B. Sturges	Federalist	Elected to finish Goddard's term. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Lost re-election.
	August 1806 – December 1, 1806									Vacant
	December 1, 1806 – March 3, 1807									Theodore Dwight	Federalist	Elected to finish Smith's term. Retired.
10th	March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1809									Epaphroditus Champion	Federalist	Elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Lost re-election.
11th	March 4, 1809 – May 10, 1810
	May 10, 1810 – October 11, 1810																									Vacant
	October 11, 1810 – March 3, 1811																									Ebenezer Huntington	Federalist	Elected September 17, 1810 to finish Dana's term (seated October 11, 1810). Not also elected to the next term.
12th	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813																									Lyman Law	Federalist	Elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Lost re-election.
13th	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815
14th	March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817
15th	March 4, 1817 – ? 1818	Thomas Scott Williams	Federalist	Elected in 1816. Retired.						Uriel Holmes	Federalist	Elected in 1816. Resigned.						Samuel B. Sherwood	Federalist	Elected in 1816. Retired.		Nathaniel Terry	Federalist	Elected to finish the term of member-elect Charles Dennison, who had declined the seat. Retired.		Ebenezer Huntington	Federalist	Elected to finish the term of member-elect Sylvanus Backus, who had died. Retired.
	? 1818 – November 16, 1818									Vacant
	November 16, 1818 – March 3, 1819									Sylvester Gilbert	Democratic-Republican	Elected to finish Holmes's term. Was not elected to the next term.
16th	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821	Gideon Tomlinson	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1821. Re-elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Retired.			Democratic-Republican			Samuel A. Foot	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818. Lost re-election.		John Russ	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1821. Lost re-election.		James Stevens	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818. Retired.		Elisha Phelps	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818. Lost re-election.		Henry W. Edwards	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1821. Lost re-election.
17th	March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823					Ansel Sterling	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1821. Re-elected in 1823. Retired.		Daniel Burrows	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1821. Lost re-election.						Noyes Barber	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1821. Re-elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Re-elected in 1833. Lost re-election.		Ebenezer Stoddard	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1821. Re-elected in 1823. Retired.
18th	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825		Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican				Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican			Samuel A. Foot	Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1823. Lost re-election.		Lemuel Whitman	Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1823. Retired.			Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican				Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican			Seat eliminated in 1823.
19th	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827		Anti-Jacksonian			John Baldwin	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Retired.		Ralph I. Ingersoll	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Retired.		Orange Merwin	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Lost re-election.			Anti-Jacksonian			Elisha Phelps	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Lost re-election.
20th	March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1829	David Plant	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1827. Retired.
21st	March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831	William W. Ellsworth	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Re-elected in 1833. Resigned.		Jabez W. Huntington	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Re-elected in 1833. Resigned to become judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors.						Ebenezer Young	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Re-elected in 1833. [data unknown/missing]						William L. Storrs	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. [data unknown/missing]
22nd	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833
23rd	March 4, 1833 – May 9, 1834									Samuel A. Foot	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1833. Resigned to become Governor of Connecticut.										Samuel Tweedy	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1833. [data unknown/missing]
	May 9, 1834 – July 8, 1834									Vacant
	July 8, 1834 – August 16, 1834	Vacant
	August 16, 1834 – December 1, 1834					Vacant
	December 1, 1834 – March 3, 1835	Joseph Trumbull	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected to finish Ellsworth's term. [data unknown/missing]		Phineas Miner	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected to finish Huntington's term. [data unknown/missing]		Ebenezer Jackson Jr.	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected to finish Huntington's term. [data unknown/missing]
24th	March 4, 1835 – December 10, 1835	Isaac Toucey	Jacksonian	Elected in 1835. Redistricted to the 1st district.		Samuel Ingham	Jacksonian	Elected in 1835. Redistricted to the 2nd district.		Elisha Haley	Jacksonian	Elected in 1835. Redistricted to the 3rd district.		Zalmon Wildman	Jacksonian	Elected in 1835. Died.		Lancelot Phelps	Jacksonian	Elected in 1835. Redistricted to the 5th district.		Andrew T. Judson	Jacksonian	Elected in 1835. Resigned to become U.S. District Judge.
	December 10, 1835 – April 29, 1836													Vacant
	April 29, 1836 – July 4, 1836													Thomas T. Whittlesey	Jacksonian	Elected to finish Wildman's term. Redistricted to the 4th district.
	July 4, 1836 – December 5, 1836																					Vacant
	December 5, 1836 – March 3, 1837																					Orrin Holt	Jacksonian	Elected to finish Judson's term. Redistricted to the 6th district.

In 1837, Connecticut abandoned general tickets and adopted districts instead.

1903–1913: one seat

In 1903, one at-large seat was created, four district seats continued.

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress(es)	Electoral history
George L. Lilley	Republican	March 4, 1903 – January 5, 1909	58th 59th 60th	[data unknown/missing] Resigned when elected Governor of Connecticut.
Vacant		January 5, 1909 – March 3, 1909
John Q. Tilson	Republican	March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1913	61st 62nd	[data unknown/missing] Redistricted to the 3rd district and lost re-election.
At-large seat eliminated

1933–1965: one seat

In 1933, one at-large seat was created, five district seats continued.

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress(es)	Electoral history
Charles Montague Bakewell	Republican	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935	73rd	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
William M. Citron	Democratic	January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1939	74th 75th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
B. J. Monkiewicz	Republican	January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941	76th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Lucien J. Maciora	Democratic	January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943	77th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
B. J. Monkiewicz	Republican	January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1945	78th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Joseph F. Ryter	Democratic	January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947	79th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Antoni Sadlak	Republican	January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1959	80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Frank Kowalski	Democratic	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1963	86th 87th	[data unknown/missing] Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Bernard F. Grabowski	Democratic	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1965	88th	[data unknown/missing] Redistricted to the 6th district.
At-large district eliminated

References

• "Our Campaigns - United States - Connecticut - CT At-Large". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

1. "Connecticut 1790 U.S. House of Representatives". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 4, 2018., citing The Connecticut Gazette (New London, CT). October 22, 1790.