Mapping Early American Elections

19th Congress: Rhode Island 1825

Rhode Island elected two Democratic-Republicans to the Nineteenth Congress. Both of those Democratic-Republicans were part of a faction led by John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay.

Rhode Island used a statewide at-large system for electing members to Congress.

Rhode Island’s election law allowed voters to cast two ballots, and required candidates to receive a majority of votes to be elected. Since two candidates did not receive the required majority in the general election, on November 25, 1825 a runoff ballot elected Dutee J. Pearce to Rhode Island’s second seat.

In most cases, only candidates who received more than 5 percent of the vote in a district are reported. Other candidates are reported as a group, but only if they in aggregate received more than 5 percent of the vote. In addition, percentages for each district may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding. The term Dissenting Republican includes various breakaway factions of the Democratic-Republican party.

New Nation Votes Data

• RI US Congress 1825 At Large