# 1844 Iowa Council election

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In the 1844 Iowa Territory Council elections, electors selected councilors to serve in the seventh Iowa Territory Council. All 13 members of the Territory Council were elected. 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).
Following the previous election in 1843, Democrats held a majority with seven seats to Whigs' six seats. During the sixth session of the Territory Council, Councilor Cox died, causing a vacancy in a Democratic Party seat. Therefore, on election day in 1844, the Democrats and Whigs both had six seats each.
To claim a majority of seats, the Whigs needed to net one seat from Democrats.
Democrats maintained a majority of seats in the Iowa Territory Council following the 1844 general election with the balance of power shifting to Democrats holding 11 seats and Whigs having two seats (a net gain of 5 seat for Democrats, including regaining the vacant seat). Democratic Councilor Serranus Clinton Hastings was chosen as the President of the seventh Territory Council to succeed the deceased Democratic Councilor Thomas Cox in that leadership position.

## Summary of Results

| Iowa Territory Council District | Incumbent | Party | Elected Councilor | Party | Outcome |
| 1st | Robert M. G. Patterson | Whig | James Brierly | Dem | Dem Gain |
| 1st | William Patterson | Dem | John Thompson | Dem | Dem Hold |
| 2nd | John D. Elbert | Whig | Paul Brattain | Dem | Dem Gain |
| 2nd | James H. Jenkins | Dem | Henry M. Shelby | Dem | Dem Hold |
| 3rd | Shepherd Leffler | Dem | Shepherd Leffler | Dem | Dem Hold |
| 4th | William Henson Wallace | Whig | John Stephenson | Whig | Whig Hold |
| 5th | Joseph B. Teas | Dem | William Greyer Coop | Dem | Dem Hold |
| 6th | Francis Springer | Whig | Enoch Ross | Whig | Whig Hold |
| 7th | Pleasant Harris | Dem | Serranus Clinton Hastings | Dem | Dem Hold |
| 8th | John Parsons Cook | Whig | William Abbe | Dem | Dem Gain |
| 9th | Robert Christie | Whig | Laurel Summers | Dem | Dem Gain |
| 10th | Thomas Cox | Dem | Philip Burr Bradley | Dem | Dem Gain |
| Dem Gain |||
| 10th | Francis Gehon | Dem | Stephen Hempstead | Dem | Dem Hold |
Source:
* 1 2 3 4 5 Councilor Cox of Jackson County died during the sixth session of the Iowa Territory Council on November 9, 1844 from pneumonia, causing a vacancy in a Democratic seat.
* ↑ At the time, the Iowa Territory Council had several multi-member districts.
* ↑ The 1st was a 2-member district.
* ↑ The 2nd was a 2-member district.
* ↑ The 3rd was a 1-member district.
* ↑ The 4th was a 1-member district.
* ↑ The 5th was a 1-member district.
* ↑ The 6th was a 1-member district.
* ↑ The 7th was a 1-member district.
* ↑ The 8th was a 1-member district.
* ↑ The 9th was a 1-member district.
* ↑ The 10th was a 2-member district.

## Detailed Results

* NOTE: The Iowa General Assembly does not contain detailed vote totals for Territory Council elections in 1844.