1796 Rhode Island's at-large congressional district special election
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A special election was held in Rhode Island's at-large congressional district on November 15, 1796, to fill a vacancy left in both the 4th and 5th Congresses by the resignation of Benjamin Bourne (F).
Election results
| Candidate | Party | Votes[1] | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elisha R. Potter | Federalist | 1,619 | 71.0% |
| Peleg Arnold | Democratic-Republican | 662 | 29.0% |
Potter took his seat December 19, 1796[2] but the subsequently resigned after the 1st Session of the 5th Congress, resulting in a second special election