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
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! |- ! |- ! |- ! | Benjamin F. Hopkins | | Republican | 1866 | | Incumbent died January 1, 1870.New member elected February 15, 1870.Republican hold. | nowrap |
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Alabama
Arizona Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Arkansas
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! | Logan Roots | | Republican | 1868 | | Incumbent defeated.New member elected.Democratic gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Anthony A.C. Rogers | | Democratic | 1868 | | Incumbent defeated.New member elected.Republican gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Thomas Boles | | Republican | 1868 | | Incumbent defeated.New member elected.Liberal Republican gain. | nowrap |
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California
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! | Samuel Beach Axtell | | Democratic | 1867 | | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Aaron Sargent | | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |- ! | James A. Johnson | | Democratic | 1867 | | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican gain. | nowrap |
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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
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! | Charles M. Hamilton | | Republican | 1868 | | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold. | nowrap |
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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
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! | John Taffe | | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|}
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
New Mexico Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.