Electing the Speaker of the House of Representatives: Frequently Asked Questions

Current practice for electing a Speaker, either at the start of a Congress or in the event of a vacancy (e.g., death or resignation), is by roll call vote, during which Members state aloud the name of their preferred candidate. Members may vote for any individual. If no candidate receives a majority of votes cast, balloting continues. In subsequent ballots, Members may still vote for any individual. For a more detailed treatment of these election procedures, as well as data on elections of the Speaker in each Congress since 1913, see CRS Report RL30857, Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2025, by Valerie Heitshusen. For additional discussion of selection procedures and a selected bibliography on the office, see CRS Report 97-780, The Speaker of the House: House Officer, Party Leader, and Representative.