1878–79 United States House of Representatives elections

The 1878–79 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 3, 1878, and September 3, 1879. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before or after the first session of the 46th United States Congress convened on March 18, 1879. Elections were held for all 293 seats, representing 38 states. This was the last election cycle that at least one state held its regular congressional election in an oddnumbered year.

These elections occurred in the middle of President Rutherford B. Hayes's term. With a sour economy as the nation's pressing issue, both major parties lost seats to the new Greenback Party, which was established to promote the long-term use of paper money as a solution to stop enormous economic fluctuations. The Democratic Party remained the largest party, but lost its majority. However, it allied with several independent politicians and was able to remain in power. This was the fourth and last recorded House election where both major parties lost seats at the same time.

Election summaries + ↓ 141 7 13 132 Democratic Republican

State Type Totalseats Democratic Ind. Democratic Greenback Republican Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Alabama District 8 7 1 0 1 1 0 Arkansas District 4 4 1 0 1 0 0 California District 4 1 1 0 0 3 1 Colorado At-large 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 Connecticut District 4 1 2 0 0 3 2 Delaware At-large 1 1 0 0 0 Florida District 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 Georgia District 9 6 2 3 2 0 0 Illinois District 19 6 2 0 1 1 12 1 Indiana District 13 6 2 0 1 1 6 3 Iowa District 9 0 0 2 2 7 2 Kansas District 3 0 0 0 3 Kentucky District 10 9 1 1 1 0 0 Louisiana District 6 6 1 0 0 0 1 Maine District 5 0 0 2 2 3 2 Maryland District 6 5 1 0 0 1 1 Massachusetts District 11 1 1 0 0 10 1 Michigan District 9 0 1 0 0 9 1 Minnesota District 3 1 1 0 0 2 1 Mississippi District 6 6 0 0 0 Missouri District 13 11 2 1 1 1 1 0 4 Nebraska At-large 1 0 0 0 1 Nevada At-large 1 0 0 0 1 New Hampshire District 3 0 1 0 0 3 1 New Jersey District 7 3 1 0 0 4 1 New York District 33 6 9 2 2 0 25 7 North Carolina District 8 7 0 1 1 0 1 Ohio District 20 11 3 0 0 9 3 Oregon At-large 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 Pennsylvania District 27 8 2 0 2 2 17 Rhode Island District 2 0 0 0 2 South Carolina District 5 5 3 0 0 0 3 Tennessee District 10 9 1 0 0 1 1 Texas District 6 5 1 0 1 1 0 Vermont District 3 0 0 1 1 2 1 Virginia District 9 8 0 0 1 West Virginia District 3 3 0 0 0 Wisconsin District 8 3 0 0 5 Total 293 141 14 7 5 13 13 132 5

Election dates

In most states, the elections were held November 5, 1878.

In 1845, Congress set a uniform nationwide date for choosing presidential electors. This Act of Congress 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 this cycle, there were still 7 states with earlier election dates, and 1 with a later election date:

Early elections June 3, 1878: Oregon September 3, 1878: Vermont September 9, 1878: Maine October 7, 1878: Indiana October 8, 1878: Iowa, Ohio, West Virginia Standard election date November 5, 1878 Late election September 3, 1879: California

California's elections were the last time a state held congressional general elections after November.

Special elections

Elections are listed by date and district.

Alabama

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Patterson successfully contested the election and was seated March 4, 1877.

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

In the the difference between the two candidates, in the initial returns, was just 22 votes. Bisbee challenged Hull's election, and was eventually awarded the seat on January 22, 1881.

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

! | Dudley C. Haskell | | Republican | 1876

1878–79 United States House of Representatives elections

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