1870–71 United States House Of Representatives Elections
The 1870–71 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 6, 1870, and October 6, 1871.
Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before or after the first session of the 42nd United States Congress convened on March 4, 1871. They occurred in the middle of President Ulysses S. Grant's first term. Elections were held for all 243 seats, representing 37 states.
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All 243 seats in the United States House of Representatives 122 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Results: Democratic hold Democratic gain Republican hold Republican gain Conservative Gain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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With Grant's administration rocked by a number of scandals (including a shady deal for gold speculation that led to a crash in the market and several business deals that saw high-ranking governmental officials gain kickbacks) and Reconstruction winding down, his Republican Party lost seats to the opposition Democratic Party but retained an overall majority. Also, since white-supremacist governments controlled by the Democratic Party were reestablishing themselves in some portions of the South, the Democrats were able to make huge gains in this election.
Election summaries
| 104 | 139 |
| Democratic | Republican |
| State | Type | Total seats | Democratic | Republican | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | Change | Seats | Change | |||
| Mississippi | District | 5 | 0 |  | 5 | |
| Alabama | District | 6 | 3 |  1 | 3 |  1 |
| Arkansas | District | 3 | 1 | | 2 | |
| California | District | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Connecticut | District | 4 | 1 | | 3 | |
| Delaware | At-large | 1 | 1 | | 0 | |
| Florida | At-large | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Georgia | District | 7 | 4 | | 3 | |
| Illinois | District + 1 at-large | 14 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| Indiana | District | 11 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Iowa | District | 6 | 0 | | 6 | |
| Kansas | At-large | 1 | 0 | | 1 | |
| Kentucky | District | 9 | 9 | | 0 | |
| Louisiana | District | 5 | 0 | | 5 | |
| Maine | District | 5 | 0 | | 5 | |
| Maryland | District | 5 | 5 | | 0 | |
| Massachusetts | District | 10 | 0 | | 10 | |
| Michigan | District | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Minnesota | District | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Missouri | District | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Nebraska | At-large | 1 | 0 | | 1 | |
| Nevada | At-large | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| New Hampshire | District | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| New Jersey | District | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| New York | District | 31 | 16 | 3 | 15 | 3 |
| North Carolina | District | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Ohio | District | 19 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 1 |
| Oregon | At-large | 1 | 1 | | 0 | |
| Pennsylvania | District | 24 | 11 | 3 | 13 | 3 |
| Rhode Island | District | 2 | 0 | | 2 | |
| South Carolina | District | 4 | 0 | | 4 | |
| Tennessee | District | 8 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| Texas | District | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Vermont | District | 3 | 0 | | 3 | |
| Virginia | District | 8 | 5 | 5 | 3 | |
| West Virginia | District | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Wisconsin | District | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Total | 243 | 104 42.8% | 37 | 139 57.2% | 32 | |
The previous election included 5 Conservatives
Election dates
In 1845, Congress passed a law providing for a uniform nationwide date for choosing Presidential electors. This law did not affect election dates for Congress, which remained within the jurisdiction of State governments, but over time, the States moved their congressional elections to this date as well. In 1870, there remained 12 States that held elections before Election Day, and 4 that held it after at this time:
- Early elections:
- December 1, 1869: Mississippi (Mississippi was a special case, having held elections for both the 41st Congress upon readmission and for the 42nd Congress on the same day)
- June 6: Oregon
- August 4: North Carolina
- September 6: Vermont
- September 12: Maine
- October 11: Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania
- October 25: West Virginia
- November 1: South Carolina
- Late elections:
- March 14, 1871: New Hampshire
- April 4, 1871: Connecticut
- August 6, 1871: Montana Territory
- September 6, 1871: California
- October 6, 1871: Texas
Special elections
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Iowa 2 | |||||
| Michigan 4 | |||||
| South Carolina 1 | |||||
| Wisconsin 2 | Benjamin F. Hopkins | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent died January 1, 1870. New member elected February 15, 1870. Republican hold. |
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Alabama
Arizona Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Arkansas
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Arkansas 1 | Logan Roots | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent defeated. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Arkansas 2 | Anthony A.C. Rogers | Democratic | 1868 | Incumbent defeated. New member elected. Republican gain. |
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| Arkansas 3 | Thomas Boles | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent defeated. New member elected. Liberal Republican gain. |
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California
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3 seats | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Republican hold Republican gain | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| California 1 | Samuel Beach Axtell | Democratic | 1867 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican gain. |
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| California 2 | Aaron Sargent | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| California 3 | James A. Johnson | Democratic | 1867 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican gain. |
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Colorado Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Connecticut
Dakota Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Delaware
District of Columbia
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Florida
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1 seat | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Florida at-large | Charles M. Hamilton | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold. |
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Niblack subsequently successfully challenged Walls's election and was seated from Florida's at-large district on January 29, 1873.
Georgia
Idaho Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Nebraska
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Nebraska at-large | John Taffe | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
New Mexico Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Ohio
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Ohio 1 | Peter W. Strader | Democratic | 1868 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican gain. |
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| Ohio 2 | Job E. Stevenson | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 3 | Robert C. Schenck | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Ohio 4 | William Lawrence | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Ohio 5 | William Mungen | Democratic | 1866 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic hold. |
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| Ohio 6 | John Armstrong Smith | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 7 | James J. Winans | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 8 | John Beatty | Republican | 1868 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 9 | Edward F. Dickinson | Democratic | 1868 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain. |
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| Ohio 10 | Erasmus D. Peck | Republican | 1870 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 11 | John Thomas Wilson | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 12 | Philadelph Van Trump | Democratic | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 13 | George W. Morgan | Democratic | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 14 | Martin Welker | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 15 | Eliakim H. Moore | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 16 | John Bingham | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 17 | Jacob A. Ambler | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 18 | William H. Upson | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 19 | James A. Garfield | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Tennessee 1 | Roderick R. Butler | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 2 | Horace Maynard | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 3 | William B. Stokes | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Tennessee 4 | Lewis Tillman | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Tennessee 5 | William F. Prosser | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Tennessee 6 | Samuel M. Arnell | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Tennessee 7 | Isaac R. Hawkins | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Tennessee 8 | William J. Smith | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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Texas
Utah Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Vermont
Virginia
Washington Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
West Virginia
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| West Virginia 1 | Isaac H. Duval | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| West Virginia 2 | James McGrew | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| West Virginia 3 | John Witcher | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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Wisconsin
Wisconsin elected six members of congress on Election Day, November 8, 1870.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Wisconsin 1 | Halbert E. Paine | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
|
| Wisconsin 2 | David Atwood | Republican | 1870 (special) | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold. |
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| Wisconsin 3 | Amasa Cobb | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold. |
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| Wisconsin 4 | Charles A. Eldredge | Democratic | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Wisconsin 5 | Philetus Sawyer | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Wisconsin 6 | Cadwallader C. Washburn | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold. |
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Wyoming Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Non-voting delegates
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delegate | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Arizona Territory at-large | Richard C. McCormick | Republican | 1869 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Colorado Territory at-large | Allen A. Bradford | Republican | 1868 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost renomination. New delegate elected. Republican hold. |
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| Dakota Territory at-large | Solomon L. Spink | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent lost re-election as a Democrat. New delegate elected. Independent Democratic gain. |
|
| District of Columbia at-large | New district | New seat. New delegate elected in 1871. Republican gain. |
| ||
| Idaho Territory at-large | Jacob K. Shafer | Democratic | 1868 | Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Democratic hold. |
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| Montana Territory at-large | James M. Cavanaugh | Democratic | 1859 (Minn.) 1861 (lost) 1868 | Incumbent lost renomination. New delegate elected August 7, 1871. Republican gain. |
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| New Mexico Territory at-large | José F. Chaves | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain. |
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| Utah Territory at-large | William H. Hooper | Democratic | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Washington Territory at-large | Selucius Garfielde | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected June 6, 1870. |
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| Wyoming Territory at-large | Stephen F. Nuckolls | Democratic | 1869 | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican gain. |
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See also
Notes
References
Bibliography
- Dubin, Michael J. (March 1, 1998). United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997: The Official Results of the Elections of the 1st Through 105th Congresses. McFarland and Company. ISBN 978-0786402830.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (January 1, 1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989. Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0029201701.
- Moore, John L., ed. (1994). Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections (Third ed.). Congressional Quarterly Inc. ISBN 978-0871879967.
- "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present". Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
External links
- Office of the Historian (Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)
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