The US House of Representatives has failed to elect a speaker on the first ballot for the first time in 100 years.

The Republicans won a majority in the chamber following the elections in November and the new session adjourned on Tuesday.

Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy was seen as a favorite within the Republican Party to become speaker. But he fell short of a majority in the first ballot after failing to gain support from hardliners and other Republican representatives.

He also failed to win a majority in the subsequent two rounds of voting. The next vote will be held on Wednesday or later.

To become speaker, a candidate must receive more than half the House's 435 representatives' votes. The House is unable to conduct debates or hold votes without a speaker.

Local media say Tuesday's balloting marked the first time in a century that a House speaker nominee has failed to win.

The vote highlights divisions within the Republican Party at a time when it must step up its efforts to confront the Biden administration as the 2024 presidential election approaches.