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

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

Alabama

Arizona Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Arkansas

California

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

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

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

New Mexico Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

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 8, 1870.

Wyoming Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Non-voting delegates

See also

• 1870 United States elections
  • 1870–71 United States Senate elections
• 41st United States Congress
• 42nd United States Congress

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)