In the 1841 Iowa Territory Council elections, electors selected councilors to serve in the fourth Iowa Territory Council. All 13 members of the Territory Council were elected.[c] Councilors served one-year terms.
The Iowa Territory existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when Iowa was admitted to the Union as a state. At the time, the Iowa Territory had a Legislative Assembly consisting of an upper chamber (i.e., the Territory Council) and a lower chamber (i.e., the Territory House).
To claim a majority of seats, the Whigs needed to net one seat from the Democrats.
The Democrats maintained a majority of seats in the Council following the 1841 general election with the balance of power shifting to Democrats holding eight seats and Whigs having five seats (a net gain of 1 seat for Democrats). Democratic Councilor Jonathan W. Parker was chosen as the President of the fourth Territory Council to succeed Whig Councilor Mortimer Phillips Bainbridge in that leadership position.[a]