1868 and 1869 United States House of Representatives elections
Elections to the United States House of Representatives were held in 1868 to elect Representatives to the 41st United States Congress. The election coincided with the presidential election of 1868, which was won by Ulysses S. Grant. 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 power-brokers 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
, [|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
held [|rejected elections] on July 1, 1868. New 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 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 :
* June 1: [|Oregon]
* September 1: [|Vermont]
* September 14: [|Maine]
* October 13: [|Indiana], [|Iowa], Nebraska, Ohio, [|Pennsylvania]
Readmission of state are treated here as regular elections, not special elections.
41st Congress
Readmission of state are treated here as regular 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.
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
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 in the 41st Congress. Both elections had the same vote totals and were accepted by the House. The new members were seated in 1870.
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.
