Election of the speaker of the House Of Representatives, william bankhead (d) versus joseph martin (r).

On Jan 3, 1939, the House voted 249–0. Result: passed. By party: Democrats 248–0, Republicans 167–0, Others 3–1. It was a bipartisan vote: majorities of both parties voted yes.

During the 76th Congress (1939–1940), Franklin D. Roosevelt was president, and Democrats held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Yes: 249
No: 0
Did not vote: 39
Date: Jan 3, 1939

By party

Democrats248 yes · 0 no · 28 didn’t vote
Republicans167 yes · 0 no · 11 didn’t vote
Others3 yes · 1 no

Who broke with their party

Every member who voted sided with their party's majority.

How each representative voted: Yes

How each representative voted: No

Bernard John Gehrmann O-WI

Did not vote

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “Election of the speaker of the House Of…: House Vote, Jan 3, 1939,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/76-H-1/election-of-the-speaker-of-the-house-of-representatives (accessed 2026-10-17).