Vacancies in the Office of Speaker of the House
Vacancies Occurring When the House is in Session
| Congress | Name | Reason for Departure | Date | Vacancy Length (in Days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13th Congress (1813–1815) | Henry Clay | Resigned | January 19, 1814 | 0 |
| 23rd Congress (1833–1835) | Andrew Stevenson | Resigned | June 2, 1834 | 0 |
| 40th Congress (1867–1869) | Schuyler Colfax | Resigned | March 3, 1869 | 0 |
| 74th Congress (1935–1937) | Joseph W. Byrns | Died | June 4, 1936 | 0 |
| 76th Congress (1939–1941) | William B. Bankhead | Died | September 15, 1940 | 1 |
| 101st Congress (1989–1991) | Jim Wright | Resigned | June 6, 1989 | 0 |
| 114th Congress (2015–2017) | John A. Boehner | Resigned | October 29, 2015 | 0 |
| 118th Congress (2023–2025) | Kevin McCarthy | The Office of the Speaker was declared vacant following passage of H. Res. 757. | October 3, 2023 | 22 |
Vacancies Occurring When the House is Out of Session
| Congress | Name | Reason for Departure | Date | Vacancy Length (in Days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16th Congress (1819–1821) | Henry Clay | Resigned | October 28, 1820 | 16 1 |
| 44th Congress (1875–1877) | Michael C. Kerr | Died | August 19, 1876 | 107 |
| 73rd Congress (1933–1935) | Henry T. Rainey | Died | August 19, 1934 | 138 |
| 87th Congress (1961–1963) | Sam Rayburn | Died | November 16, 1961 | 55 |
Additional Resources
“A Chair Made Illustrious”: A Concise History of the U.S. House Speakership
The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives has held a central role in American society since 1789. This publication provides a concise history of the Speakership and shows how lawmakers have shaped the office over time.
Information on vacancies at the start of a Congress can be found on Speaker Elections Decided by Multiple Ballots.
Whereas: Stories from the People's House
The following stories from our blog dive deeper into incidents of vacancies and motions to vacate in the Speaker's Office.
Footnotes
1Balloting at the opening of the 16th Congress (1819–1821) extended the vacancy in the Speaker's office an additional two calendar days.