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.
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.
41st Congress
Readmission of state are treated here as regular (late) elections, not special elections.
Alabama
1868 elections to finish the term
1869 elections to the next term
Arkansas
California
California's delegation remained at two Democrats and one Republican.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Missouri
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
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah Territory
See non-voting delegates, below.
Vermont
Virginia
Washington Territory
See non-voting delegates, below.
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wisconsin elected six members of congress on Election Day, November 3, 1868.
Non-voting delegates
Colorado Territory
Montana Territory
The election date is speculative.
Idaho Territory
Wyoming Territory
On July 25, 1868, an act of Congress gave Wyoming Territory the authority to elect a congressional delegate, although the first delegate did not take his seat until 1869.
See also
- 1868 United States elections
- 1868 United States presidential election
- 1868–69 United States Senate elections
- 40th United States Congress
- 41st United States Congress
Notes
References
Bibliography
- Ben. Perley Poore (1869). "Massachusetts". Congressional Directory for the First Session of the Forty-First Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/nyp.33433081796686.
- 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)
