1868–69 United States House of Representatives elections

The 1868–69 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 1, 1868, to August 2, 1869. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before or after the first session of the 41st United States Congress convened on March 4, 1869. They coincided with the 1868 United States presidential election, which was won by Ulysses S. Grant. Elections were held for all 243 seats, representing 37 states. All of the former Confederate states were represented in Congress for the first time since they seceded from the Union.

The Democrats gained 20 seats, but Grant's Republican Party retained a commanding majority in the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War, holding onto a firm legitimacy through an association with victory. As more Southern states exited Reconstruction, more Democratic seats appeared in the South. However, Democratic gains in the South were limited, as the Republican powerbrokers of Reconstruction held a great deal of influence. The small Conservative Party of Virginia also picked up several seats in Virginia, as it had support among wealthy Southern leaders who wanted to increase the region's power.

Election summary Mississippi, Texas, and Virginia were readmitted during this Congress, leaving Congress without vacant State delegations for the first time since 1860. Georgia had been partially readmitted in the previous Congress, but was not initially admitted to the 41st Congress. With Georgia's final readmission in 1870, all former Confederate states were once more represented in Congress.

+ ↓ 67 5 171 Democratic Republican

State Type Totalseats Democratic Conservative Republican Seats ChangeSeatsChange Seats Change Alabama District 6 2 2 0 4 2 Arkansas District 3 1 1 0 2 1 California District 3 2 0 1 Connecticut District 4 1 2 0 3 2 Delaware At-large 1 1 0 0 Florida At-large 1 0 0 1 Georgia District 7 4 2 0 3 1 Illinois District+ 1 at-large 14 4 1 0 10 1 Indiana District 11 4 1 0 7 1 Iowa District 6 0 0 6 Kansas At-large 1 0 0 1 Kentucky District 9 9 2 0 0 1 Louisiana District 5 0 1 0 5 1 Maine District 5 0 0 5 Maryland District 5 5 2 0 1 0 1 Massachusetts District 10 0 0 10 Michigan District 6 0 0 6 Minnesota District 2 1 1 0 1 1 Mississippi District 5 0 0 5 5 Missouri District 9 2 1 0 7 1 Nebraska At-large 1 0 0 1 Nevada At-large 1 0 0 1 New Hampshire District 3 0 0 3 New Jersey District 5 3 1 0 2 1 New York District 31 12 2 0 19 2 North Carolina District 7 1 1 0 1 6 Ohio District 19 6 3 0 13 3 Oregon At-large 1 1 1 0 0 1 Pennsylvania District 24 6 0 18 Rhode Island District 2 0 0 2 South Carolina District 4 0 0 4 Tennessee District 8 0 0 8 Texas District 4 1 1 0 3 3 Vermont District 3 0 0 3 Virginia District 8 0 5 5 3 3 West Virginia District 3 0 0 3 Wisconsin District 6 1 0 5 Total 243 67 22 5 3 171 6

Election dates Mississippi held rejected elections on July 1, 1868. New (accepted) elections were held December 1, 1869.

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 that date. 1868 was the first year in which the majority of States (20 of 37) held their elections on that date. There were still 9 states which held elections before that date and 4 that held regular elections after that date, in addition to 4 readmitted states that held elections after that date.

Early dates (1868): June 1: Oregon September 1: Vermont September 14: Maine October 13: Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania October 22: West Virginia Late dates (regular elections): December 29, 1868: Florida March 9, 1869: New Hampshire April 5, 1869: Connecticut August 2, 1869: Alabama Readmitted states: July 6, 1869: Virginia December 1, 1869: Mississippi (also held elections to the 42nd Congress on the same day) December 3, 1868: Texas December 20–22, 1870: Georgia

Special elections

There were special elections in 1868 and 1869 to the 40th United States Congress and 41st United States Congress.

Special elections are sorted by date then district.

40th Congress Readmission of state are treated here as regular (late) elections, not special elections.

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Cornelius S. Hamilton Republican 1866 Incumbent died December 22, 1867.New member elected January 27, 1868.Republican hold.Winner was later re-elected to the next term; see below. Thaddeus Stevens Republican 1848 Incumbent died August 11, 1868.New member elected October 13, 1868.Republican hold.Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. Darwin A. Finney Republican 1866 Incumbent died August 25, 1868.New member elected October 13, 1868.Republican hold.Winner was not a candidate for the next term; see below. Joseph W. McClurg Republican 1862 Incumbent resigned in July 1868.New member elected November 3, 1868.Republican hold.Winner was not a candidate for the next term; see below. James M. Hinds Republican 1868 Incumbent died October 22, 1868.New member elected on an unknown date.Republican hold.Winner was not elected to the next term; see below.

41st Congress Readmission of state are treated here as regular (late) elections, not special elections.

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates George S. Boutwell Republican 1862 Incumbent resigned March 12, 1869, after being appointed Secretary of the Treasury.New member elected November 2, 1869.Republican hold. Elihu B. Washburne Republican 1852 Incumbent resigned March 6, 1869, to become U.S. Secretary of State.New member elected December 6, 1869.Republican hold.

Alabama

1868 elections to finish the term

1869 elections to the next term

Arkansas

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates None State readmitted.Republican gain. None State readmitted.Democratic gain. None State readmitted.Republican gain.

California

California's delegation remained at two Democrats and one Republican.

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Samuel Beach Axtell Democratic 1867 Incumbent re-elected. William Higby Republican 1863 Incumbent lost renomination.Republican hold. James A. Johnson Democratic 1867 Incumbent re-elected.

Colorado Territory See non-voting delegates, below.

Dakota Territory See non-voting delegates, below.

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Florida had been unrepresented in Congress since January 21, 1861, when its sole member and both senators withdrew from Congress following the secession of Florida from the Union. Following the end of the Civil War, an election had been held in 1865, but it was rejected by Congress. In 1868, Congress readmitted Florida following Reconstruction.

Election to the current term The first election, for the duration of the 40th congress, was held May 5, 1868.

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates None State readmitted.New member elected May 5, 1868 to finish the term and seated July 1, 1868.Republican gain.Winner was later re-elected to the next term.

Hamilton was seated on July 1, 1868, during the 2nd session of the 40th Congress.

Election to the next term Florida elected its one at-large member on December 29, 1868, re-electing Hamilton, who had just been elected in May to finish the current term.

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Charles M. Hamilton Republican 1868 Re-elected

Georgia

Idaho Territory See non-voting delegates, below.

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

1868 rejected elections

Mississippi elected its members July 1, 1868, but that election was later rejected by the House.

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates None, seat not admitted New member elected, but election rejected by the House. None, seat not admitted New member elected, but election rejected by the House. None, seat not admitted New member elected, but election rejected by the House. None, seat not admitted New member elected, but election rejected by the House. None, seat not admitted New member elected, but election rejected by the House.

1869 accepted elections Mississippi then held new elections December 1, 1869 both: to finish the term in the 40th Congress and to the next term (starting in 1871) in the 41st Congress. Both elections had the same vote totals and were accepted by the House. The new members were seated in 1870.

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates None, seat not admitted New member elected to finish the term and to the next term.Republican gain. None, seat not admitted New member elected to finish the term and to the next term.Republican gain. None, seat not admitted New member elected to finish the term and to the next term.Republican gain. None, seat not admitted New member elected to finish the term and to the next term.Republican gain. None, seat not admitted New member elected to finish the term and to the next term.Republican gain.

Missouri

Missouri elected its members on November 3, 1868.

Montana Territory See non-voting delegates, below.

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico Territory See non-voting delegates, below.

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

1868–69 United States House of Representatives elections

Bron en licentie