1796–1797 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Massachusetts law required a majority for election, necessitating additional trials in three districts.

District	Incumbent	Party	First elected	Result	Candidates
Massachusetts 1 Known as the 1st Western District	Vacant			Incumbent representative-elect Theodore Sedgwick (Federalist) resigned sometime in June 1796 to become U.S. Senator. Democratic-Republican gain.	√ Thomson J. Skinner (Democratic-Republican) 56.4% Ephraim Williams (Federalist) 43.6%
Massachusetts 2 Known as the 2nd Western District	William Lyman	Democratic-Republican	1792	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain.	First ballot (November 7, 1796): William Shepard (Federalist) 46.3% Sam Hinshaw 23.9% William Lyman (Democratic-Republican) 21.4% John Williams 4.0% Nahum Park 2.0% Scattering 2.4% Second ballot (January 16, 1797): √ William Shepard (Federalist) 100%
Massachusetts 3 Known as the 3rd Western District	Samuel Lyman	Federalist	1794	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Samuel Lyman (Federalist) 83.3% Daniel Bigelow (Democratic-Republican) 16.7%
Massachusetts 4 Known as the 4th Western District	Dwight Foster	Federalist	1792	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Dwight Foster (Federalist) 80.8% Levi Lincoln Sr. (Democratic-Republican) 19.2%
Massachusetts 5 Known as the 1st Southern District	Nathaniel Freeman	Democratic-Republican	1794	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Nathaniel Freeman (Democratic-Republican) 82.1% Peleg Coffin Jr. (Federalist) 17.9%
Massachusetts 6 Known as the 2nd Southern District	John Reed Sr.	Federalist	1794	Incumbent re-elected.	√ John Reed Sr. (Federalist) 78.8% Edward H. Robbins (Federalist) 21.2%
Massachusetts 7 Known as the 3rd Southern District	George Leonard	Federalist	1788 1794	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist hold.	First ballot (November 7, 1796): Elisha May (Federalist) 45.3% Stephen Bullock (Federalist) 28.3% Laban Wheaton (Federalist) 26.4% Second ballot (January 16, 1797): Stephen Bullock (Federalist) 35.8% Laban Wheaton (Federalist) 32.7% Elisha May (Federalist) 31.5% Third ballot (April 3, 1797): √ Stephen Bullock (Federalist) 56.7% Elisha May (Federalist) 28.3% Laban Wheaton (Federalist) 15.1%
Massachusetts 8 Known as the 1st Middle District	Fisher Ames	Federalist	1788	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Federalist hold.	√ Harrison Gray Otis (Federalist) 57.0% James Bowdoin (Democratic-Republican) 43.0%
Massachusetts 9 Known as the 2nd Middle District	Joseph Varnum	Democratic-Republican	1794	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Joseph Varnum (Democratic-Republican) 69.0% Ebenezer Bridge (Federalist) 16.8% Samuel Dexter (Federalist) 14.3%
Massachusetts 10 Known as the 3rd Middle District	Vacant			Predecessor Benjamin Goodhue (Federalist) resigned sometime in June 1796 to become U.S. Senator. New member elected. Federalist gain. Winner was also elected to finish the current term, see below.	√ Samuel Sewall (Federalist) 67.9% Loammi Baldwin (Federalist) 22.1%
Massachusetts 11 Known as the 4th Middle District	Theophilus Bradbury	Federalist	1794	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Theophilus Bradbury (Federalist) 100%
Massachusetts 12 Known as the 1st Eastern District of the District of Maine	Henry Dearborn	Democratic-Republican	1792	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Federalist gain.	First ballot (November 7, 1796): Isaac Parker (Federalist) 40.5% Henry Dearborn (Democratic-Republican) 31.7% John Bowman 27.8% Second ballot (January 16, 1797): Isaac Parker (Federalist) 48.2% Henry Dearborn (Democratic-Republican) 33.8% John Bowman 18.0% Third ballot (April 3, 1797): √ Isaac Parker (Federalist) 52.6% Henry Dearborn (Democratic-Republican) 47.5%
Massachusetts 13 Known as the 2nd Eastern District of the District of Maine	Peleg Wadsworth	Federalist	1792	Incumbent re-elected.	√ Peleg Wadsworth (Federalist) 100%
Massachusetts 14 Known as the 3rd Eastern District of the District of Maine	George Thatcher	Federalist	1788	Incumbent re-elected.	√ George Thatcher (Federalist) 100%

v t e Federal elections in Massachusetts
U.S. President	1788 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
U.S. Senate Class 1	1803 1808 1839 1851 1857 1863 1869 1887 1893 1899 1905 1911 1916 1922 s/1926 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 s/1962 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 s/2010 2012 2018 2024
U.S. Senate Class 2	s/1855 1859 1865 1871 s/1873 1877 1883 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1942 s/1944 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 s/2013 2014 2020
U.S. House	1788–89 1790–92 1792-93 1794–95 1796–97 1798–99 1800–01 1802–03 1804 1806 1808 1810–11 1812–13 1814–15 1816–17 1818–19 1820–21 1822–23 1824–25 1826–27 1828 1830–1970 1972 1974–2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
U.S. House Special Elections	1796–1797 s/1st s/10th s/11th 1800–1801 s/3rd s/4th s/10th s/4th s/12th s/14th 1804 s/12th 1807 s/12th 1808 s/2nd 1810–1811 s/10th s/11th s/4th 1812 s/17th 1814–1815 s/4th s/12th s/3rd 1816–1817 s/11th s/1st 1818 s/20th 1820 s/1st s/8th s/13th 1823 s/10th 1824 s/10th 1827 s/1st 1834–1991 listed here 2001 s/9th 2007 s/5th 2013 s/5th
"s/" = Special election See also: Political party strength in Massachusetts For statewide elections, see Template:State elections in Massachusetts footer.