1870–71 United States House of Representatives elections
June 6, 1870 –
October 6, 1871[lower-alpha 1]
All 243 seats in the United States House of Representatives
122 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader James G. Blaine Fernando Wood
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat Maine 3rd New York 9th
Last election 171 seats 61 seats
Seats won 136 94[lower-alpha 2]
Seat change Decrease 35 Increase 33
Popular vote 2,719,276 2,441,956
Percentage 49.59% 44.53%
Swing Decrease 2.22% Increase 0.40%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Conservative Liberal Republican
Last election 6 seats New Party
Seats won 10 2
Seat change Increase 4 Increase 2
Popular vote 160,295 55,551
Percentage 2.92% 1.01%
Swing Decrease 0.27% Pre-creation
  Fifth party
 
Party Independent
Last election 0 seats
Seats won 1[lower-alpha 3]
Seat change Increase 1
Popular vote 98,591
Percentage 1.80%
Swing Decrease 0.81%
Map of U.S. House elections results from 1870 elections for 42nd Congress
Speaker before election

James G. Blaine
Republican

 Elected Speaker

James G. Blaine
Republican

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.

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[lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5] District 5 0 Steady 5 Steady
Alabama District 6 3 Increase 1 3 Decrease 1
Arkansas District 3 1 Steady 2 Steady
California[lower-alpha 6] District 3 0 Decrease 2 3 Increase 2
Connecticut[lower-alpha 6] District 4 1 Steady 3 Steady
Delaware At-large 1 1 Steady 0 Steady
Florida At-large 1 1 Increase 1 0 Decrease 1
Georgia District 7 4 Steady 3 Steady
Illinois District
+ 1 at-large		 14 6 Increase 2 8 Decrease 2
Indiana[lower-alpha 4] District 11 5 Increase 1 6 Decrease 1
Iowa[lower-alpha 4] District 6 0 Steady 6 Steady
Kansas At-large 1 0 Steady 1 Steady
Kentucky District 9 9 Steady 0 Steady
Louisiana District 5 0 Steady 5 Steady
Maine[lower-alpha 4] District 5 0 Steady 5 Steady
Maryland District 5 5 Steady 0 Steady
Massachusetts District 10 0 Steady 10 Steady
Michigan District 6 1 Increase 1 5 Decrease 1
Minnesota District 2 0 Decrease 1 2 Increase 1
Missouri District 9 4 Increase 2 5[lower-alpha 7] Decrease 2
Nebraska[lower-alpha 4] At-large 1 0 Steady 1 Steady
Nevada At-large 1 1 Increase 1 0 Decrease 1
New Hampshire[lower-alpha 6] District 3 3 Increase 3 0 Decrease 3
New Jersey District 5 2 Decrease 1 3 Increase 1
New York District 31 16 Increase 3 15 Decrease 3
North Carolina[lower-alpha 4] District 7 5 Increase 4 2 Decrease 4
Ohio[lower-alpha 4] District 19 5 Decrease 1 14 Increase 1
Oregon[lower-alpha 4] At-large 1 1 Steady 0 Steady
Pennsylvania[lower-alpha 4] District 24 11 Increase 3 13[lower-alpha 8] Decrease 3
Rhode Island District 2 0 Steady 2 Steady
South Carolina[lower-alpha 4] District 4 0 Steady 4 Steady
Tennessee District 8 6 Increase 6 2 Decrease 6
Texas[lower-alpha 6] District 4 4 Increase 3 0 Decrease 3
Vermont[lower-alpha 4] District 3 0 Steady 3 Steady
Virginia District 8 5 Increase 5[lower-alpha 9] 3 Steady
West Virginia[lower-alpha 4] District 3 2 Increase 2 1 Decrease 2
Wisconsin District 6 2 Increase 1 4 Decrease 1
Total 243 104
42.8%		 Increase 37 139[lower-alpha 10]
57.2%		 Decrease 32
Results shaded according to winning candidates share of popular vote
Popular vote
Conservative
 
 2.92%
Democratic
 
 44.53%
Independent
 
 1.80%
Lib. Republican
 
 1.01%
Republican
 
 49.59%
Others
 
 0.15%
House seats
Conservative
 
 4.08%
Democratic
 
 38.37%
Independent
 
 0.41%
Lib. Republican
 
 0.82%
Republican
 
 56.33%

The previous election included 5 Conservatives

Election dates

In 1845, Congress passed a law providing for a uniform nationwide date for choosing Presidential electors.[1] 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:

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.

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.
Arkansas 2 Anthony A.C. Rogers Democratic 1868 Incumbent defeated.
New member elected.
Republican gain.
Arkansas 3 Thomas Boles Republican 1868 Incumbent defeated.
New member elected.
Liberal Republican gain.

California

California elections
September 6, 1871
3 seats
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 1 2
Seats won 3 0
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 2
Popular vote 62,539 57,065
Percentage 52.3% 47.7%
  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.
California 2 Aaron Sargent Republican 1868 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY Aaron Sargent (Republican) 54%
  • ▌James W. Coffroth (Democratic) 46%
California 3 James A. Johnson Democratic 1867 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.
  • ▌Green tickY John M. Coghlan (Republican) 51.7%
  • ▌George Pearce (Democratic) 48.3%

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

Florida election
November 8, 1870 (Election Day)
1 seat
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 1 0
Seats won 1[4] 0[4]
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 12,439 11,812
Percentage 51.3% 48.7%
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.

Niblack subsequently successfully challenged Walls's election and was seated from Florida's at-large district on January 29, 1873.[5]

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.
  • ▌Green tickY John Taffe (Republican) 60.84%
  • ▌George B. Lake (Democratic) 42.00%[6]

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[7]
Ohio 1 Peter W. Strader Democratic 1868 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.
Ohio 2 Job E. Stevenson Republican 1868 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 3 Robert C. Schenck Republican 1862 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Ohio 4 William Lawrence Republican 1864 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
  • ▌Green tickY John F. McKinney (Democratic) 50.5%
  • ▌William B. McClung (Republican) 49.5%
Ohio 5 William Mungen Democratic 1866 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Ohio 6 John Armstrong Smith Republican 1868 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 7 James J. Winans Republican 1868 Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
Ohio 8 John Beatty Republican 1868 (Special) Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 9 Edward F. Dickinson Democratic 1868 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.
Ohio 10 Erasmus D. Peck Republican 1870 (Special) Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY Erasmus D. Peck (Republican) 52.5%
  • ▌William F. Lockwood (Democratic) 47.5%
Ohio 11 John Thomas Wilson Republican 1866 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 12 Philadelph Van Trump Democratic 1866 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 13 George W. Morgan Democratic 1868 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY George W. Morgan (Democratic) 54.1%
  • ▌Charles W. Potwin (Republican) 45.9%
Ohio 14 Martin Welker Republican 1864 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
Ohio 15 Eliakim H. Moore Republican 1868 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
Ohio 16 John Bingham Republican 1864 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY John Bingham (Republican) 52.4%
  • ▌Robert A. Chambers (Democratic) 47.6%
Ohio 17 Jacob A. Ambler Republican 1868 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 18 William H. Upson Republican 1868 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY William H. Upson (Republican) 62.2%
  • ▌John M. Coffinberry (Democratic) 37.8%
Ohio 19 James A. Garfield Republican 1862 Incumbent re-elected.

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.
Tennessee 2 Horace Maynard Republican 1865 Incumbent re-elected.
Tennessee 3 William B. Stokes Republican 1865 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 4 Lewis Tillman Republican 1868 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 5 William F. Prosser Republican 1868 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 6 Samuel M. Arnell Republican 1865 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 7 Isaac R. Hawkins Republican 1865 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee 8 William J. Smith Republican 1868 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.

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.
West Virginia 2 James McGrew Republican 1868 Incumbent re-elected.
West Virginia 3 John Witcher Republican 1868 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.

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.
Wisconsin 3 Amasa Cobb Republican 1862 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
Wisconsin 4 Charles A. Eldredge Democratic 1862 Incumbent re-elected.
Wisconsin 5 Philetus Sawyer Republican 1864 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY Philetus Sawyer (Republican) 59.3%
  • ▌Joseph Stringham (Democratic) 40.7%
Wisconsin 6 Cadwallader C. Washburn Republican 1866 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.

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.
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.
  • ▌Green tickY Samuel A. Merritt (Democratic) 59.24%
  • ▌T. J. Butler (Republican) 40.74%
  • ▌J. L. Butler (Independent) 0.02%[23]
Montana Territory at-large James M. Cavanaugh Democratic 1859 (Minn.)
1861 (lost)
1868		 Incumbent lost renomination.
New delegate elected August 7, 1871.
Republican gain.
New Mexico Territory at-large José F. Chaves Republican 1868 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Utah Territory at-large William H. Hooper Democratic 1864 Incumbent re-elected.
Washington Territory at-large Selucius Garfielde Republican 1868 Incumbent re-elected June 6, 1870.
  • ▌Green tickY Selucius Garfielde (Republican) 54.56%
  • ▌James D. Mix (Democratic) 43.00%
  • ▌Marshall Blinn (Ind. Republican) 2.44%[27]
Wyoming Territory at-large Stephen F. Nuckolls Democratic 1869 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.
  • ▌Green tickY William T. Jones (Republican) 52.13%
  • ▌John Wanless (Democratic) 45.03%
  • ▌[FNU] Murrin (Ind. Democratic) 2.85%[28]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Majority of states held elections on November 8, 1870 (i.e. Election Day).
  2. ↑ Note that Dubin (p. 221) records 9–10 "Conservatives", and approximately 94 Democrats, as being elected to the 42nd Congress. This contrasts with Martis (pp. 124–125) which offers no separate accounting of "Conservatives" from Democrats and thus records a total of 104 Democratic members of the 42nd Congress.
  3. ↑ Includes 1 Independent Republican.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Elections held early.
  5. ↑ Elections held at the same time as elections for 41st Congress.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Elections held late.
  7. ↑ Includes 2 Liberal Republicans: Gustavus A. Finkelnburg elected to Missouri's 2nd district, and James G. Blair elected to Missouri's 8th district.
  8. ↑ Includes 1 Independent Republican, John V. Creely, elected to Pennsylvania's 2nd district.
  9. ↑ Previous election had 5 Conservatives.
  10. ↑ Includes 2 Liberal Republicans and 1 Independent Republican.

References

  1. ↑ Statutes at Large, 28th Congress, 2nd Session, p. 721.
  2. ↑ "Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results" (PDF). Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Guide to U.S. Elections. Vol. II (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. 2010. p. 1046. ISBN 9781604265361. LCCN 2009033938. OCLC 430736650.
  4. 1 2 Initial result, Democratic candidate successfully challenged Republican victory
  5. ↑ "Forty-Second Congress (membership roster)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Our Campaigns - NE - District 01 Race - Oct 11, 1870". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ Smith, Joseph P, ed. (1898). History of the Republican Party in Ohio. Vol. I. Chicago: the Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 277, 278.
  8. ↑ "TN - District 01". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  9. ↑ "TN - District 02". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  10. ↑ "TN - District 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  11. ↑ "TN - District 04". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  12. ↑ "TN - District 05". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  13. ↑ "TN - District 06". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  14. ↑ "TN - District 07". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  15. ↑ "TN - District 08". Our Campaigns. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  16. ↑ "WV District 01". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  17. ↑ "WV District 02". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  18. ↑ "WV District 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  19. ↑ "AZ Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  20. ↑ "CO Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  21. ↑ "DK Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  22. ↑ "DC Delegate - Initial Election". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  23. ↑ "ID Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  24. ↑ "MT Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  25. ↑ "NM Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  26. ↑ "UT Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  27. ↑ "WA Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  28. ↑ "WY Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 5, 2021.

Bibliography

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