Florida's at-large congressional district may refer to a few different occasions when a statewide at-large district was used for elections to the United States House of Representatives from Florida. The district is obsolete.
Prior to Florida's admittance as a state of the Union in 1845, congressional delegates for Florida Territory were elected from Florida Territory's at-large congressional district. The first elected U.S. representative from the state was installed October 6, 1845.
A single representative was elected from the state from after statehood to 1873, when a second representative was elected for 1 term beginning in 1873. District representation began in 1875.
Subsequently, on occasion an at-large representative would be elected in addition to representatives being elected from districts. This would occur 1913-1915, 1933–1937, and 1943-1945.
The district became obsolete January 3, 1945.
List of members representing the district
After the 1870 census, a second seat was apportioned to Florida. Briefly, for the 43rd Congress, a second at-large seat was used. After that, there were two geographic districts created.
| Years | Cong ress |
Seat A | Seat B | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | Electoral history | Member | Party | Electoral history | ||
| July 1, 1845 – October 6, 1845 |
29th | Vacant | Representative-elect David Levy Yulee declined to serve after his election to the U.S. Senate. | Seat inactive | |||
| October 6, 1845 – January 24, 1846 |
 Edward C. Cabell (Tallahassee) |
Whig | Elected to fill Levy Yulee's term. Lost contested election. | ||||
| January 24, 1846 – March 3, 1847 |
William Henry Brockenbrough (Tallahassee) |
Democratic | Successfully contested election. [data missing] | ||||
| March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853 |
30th 31st 32nd |
Edward C. Cabell (Tallahassee) |
Whig | Elected in 1846. Re-elected in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. Lost re-election. | |||
| March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1857 |
33rd 34th |
 Augustus Maxwell (Tallahassee) |
Democratic | Elected in 1852. Re-elected in 1854. Retired. | |||
| March 4, 1857 – January 21, 1861 |
35th 36th |
 George S. Hawkins (Pensacola) |
Democratic | Elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. Withdrew ahead of secession. | |||
| January 21, 1861 – July 1, 1868 |
36th 37th 38th 39th 40th |
Vacant | U.S. Civil War | ||||
| July 1, 1868 – March 3, 1871 |
40th 41st |
 Charles M. Hamilton (Jacksonville) |
Republican | Elected in 1868. Lost renomination. | |||
| March 4, 1871 – January 29, 1873 |
42nd |  Josiah T. Walls (Gainesville) |
Republican | Lost contested election. | |||
| January 29, 1873 – March 3, 1873 |
 Silas L. Niblack (Gainesville) |
Democratic | Successfully contested election. Lost re-election. | ||||
| March 4, 1873 – January 25, 1875 |
43rd |  William J. Purman (Tallahassee) |
Republican | Elected in 1872. Resigned. |
Josiah T. Walls (Gainesville) |
Republican | Elected in 1872. Redistricted to the 2nd district. |
| January 25, 1875 – March 3, 1875 |
Vacant | ||||||
| March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1913 |
44th 45th 46th 47th 48th 49th 50th 51st 52nd 53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd |
Seat inactive | Seat inactive | ||||
| March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 |
63rd |  Claude L'Engle (Jacksonville) |
Democratic | Elected in 1912. Lost renomination. | |||
| March 3, 1915 – March 3, 1933 |
64th 65th 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd |
Seat inactive | |||||
| March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1937 |
73rd 74th |
 William J. Sears (Jacksonville) |
Democratic | Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Lost renomination. | |||
| January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1943 |
75th 76th 77th |
Seat inactive | |||||
| January 3, 1943 – November 25, 1944 |
78th |  Robert A. Green (Starke) |
Democratic | Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1942. Resigned to join the U.S. Navy. | |||
| November 26, 1944 – January 3, 1945 |
Vacant | ||||||
| January 3, 1945 | Seats eliminated | ||||||
References
- 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