The 1876–77 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 5, 1876, and March 13, 1877. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 45th United States Congress convened on October 15, 1877. The size of the House increased to 293 seats with the addition of the new state of Colorado.
These elections coincided with the (heavily contested) election of President Rutherford B. Hayes and the United States Centennial. Hayes' Republican Party was able to recover from the Democratic Party many of the seats it had lost two years before as the economy improved slightly. However, the Democrats retained a majority and were able to use the people's lack of interest in Republican Reconstruction-led projects to help keep crucial seats. Republican congressional leadership had a difficult time distancing itself from the corruption of the Ulysses S. Grant administration or the legislature's impact on the economy downturn.
Election summaries
{| style="width:70%; text-align:center"
|+ ↓
|- style="color:white"
| style="background:; width:53.58%" | 157
| style="background:; width:46.42%" | 136
|-
| <span style="color:" >Democratic</span>
| <span style="color:" >Republican</span>
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|- valign=bottom
! rowspan=2 | State
! rowspan=2 | Type
! rowspan=2 | Total<br/>seats
! colspan=2 | Democratic
! colspan=2 | Republican
|-
! | Seats
! | Change
! | Seats
! | Change
|-
! Alabama
| District
| 8
| | 8
| data-sort-value=2 | 2
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
|-
! Arkansas
| District
| 4
| | 4
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! California
| District
| 4
| | 2
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 2
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! Colorado
| At-large
| 1
| | 1
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
|-
! Connecticut
| District
| 4
| | 3
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Delaware
| At-large
| 1
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Florida
| District
| 2
| | 2
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
|-
! Georgia
| District
| 9
| | 9
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Illinois
| District
| 19
| | 8
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
| | 11
| data-sort-value=4 | 4
|-
! Indiana
| District
| 13
| | 4
| data-sort-value=-4 | 4
| | 9
| data-sort-value=4 | 4
|-
! Iowa
| District
| 9
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 9
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! Kansas
| District
| 3
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 3
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! Kentucky
| District
| 10
| | 10
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
|-
! Louisiana
| District
| 6
| | 5
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 1
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
|-
! Maine
| District
| 5
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 5
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Maryland
| District
| 6
| | 6
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Massachusetts
| District
| 11
| | 2
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 9
| data-sort-value=4 | 4
|-
! Michigan
| District
| 9
| | 1
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
| | 8
| data-sort-value=2 | 2
|-
! Minnesota
| District
| 3
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 3
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Mississippi
| District
| 6
| | 6
| data-sort-value=2 | 2
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
|-
! Missouri
| District
| 13
| | 9
| data-sort-value=-4 | 4
| | 4
| data-sort-value=4 | 4
|-
! Nebraska
| At-large
| 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Nevada
| At-large
| 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! New Hampshire
| District
| 3
| | 1
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 2
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! New Jersey
| District
| 7
| | 4
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 3
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! New York
| District
| 33
| | 16
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 17
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! North Carolina
| District
| 8
| | 7
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Ohio
| District
| 20
| | 8
| data-sort-value=-5 | 5
| | 12
| data-sort-value=5 | 5
|-
! Oregon
| At-large
| 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 1
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! Pennsylvania
| District
| 27
| | 10
| data-sort-value=-7 | 7
| | 17
| data-sort-value=7 | 7
|-
! Rhode Island
| District
| 2
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 2
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! South Carolina
| District
| 5
| | 2
| data-sort-value=2 | 2
| | 3
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
|-
! Tennessee
| District
| 10
| | 8
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 2
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! Texas
| District
| 6
| | 6
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Vermont
| District
| 3
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 3
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Virginia
| District
| 9
| | 8
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! West Virginia
| District
| 3
| | 3
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Wisconsin
| District
| 8
| | 3
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 5
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! align=center colspan=2 | Total
! | 293
! | 157<br/>
! data-sort-value=-27 | 27
! | 136<br/>
! data-sort-value=31 | 31
|}
The previous election included 4 Independents, in Illinois and Massachusetts.
thumb|400px|Results shaded according to winning candidate's share of the vote
{| width=100%
|- valign="top"
| [[File:45 us house membership.png|thumb|left|400px|
{| width="100%"
! colspan=2 align="center" | House seats by party holding plurality in state
|-
|
|
|-
|
|
|-
|
|
|} ]]
| [[File:45 us house changes.png|thumb|right|400px|
{| width="100%"
! colspan=2 align="center" | Net gain in party representation
|-
|
|
|-
|
|
|-
|
|
|-
|colspan=2 align=center |
|
|} ]]
|}
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 1876–77, there were still 8 states with earlier election dates, and 1 state with a later election date.
Elections before Election Day (United States):
- June 5: Oregon
- September 5: Vermont
- September 11: Maine
- October 4:Georgia
- October 10: Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, West Virginia
Standard Election Day:
- November 7, 1876
Election after Election Day:
- March 13, 1877: New Hampshire
Special elections
{| class=wikitable
|-
! rowspan=2 | District
! colspan=3 | Incumbent
! colspan=2 | This race
|-
! Member
! Party
! First elected
! Results
! Candidates
|-
!
| Henry H. Starkweather
| | Republican
| 1867
| | Incumbent died January 28, 1876.<br/>New member <!--elected-->elected April 12, 1876.<br/>Republican hold.<br/>Winner later re-elected to the next term; see below.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William Barnum
| | Democratic
| 1867
| | Incumbent resigned May 18, 1876, when elected U.S. senator.<br/>New member <!--elected-->elected November 7, 1876.<br/>Democratic hold.<br/>Winner also elected to the next term; see below.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| colspan=3 | New district
| | New seat.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Jeremiah Norman Williams<br/>
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Jeremiah Haralson<br/>
| | Republican
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| colspan=3 | New district
| | New seat.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
! rowspan=2 |
| Goldsmith W. Hewitt
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| rowspan=2 nowrap |
|-
| Burwell Boykin Lewis<br/>
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic loss.
|-
! rowspan=3 |
| William Henry Forney<br/>
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| rowspan=3 nowrap |
|-
| Taul Bradford<br/>
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic loss.
|-
| John H. Caldwell<br/>
| | Democratic
| 1872
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic loss.
|-
!
| colspan=3 | New district
| | New seat.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|}
Arkansas
<!---->
|-
!
| Lucien C. Gause
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William F. Slemons
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William W. Wilshire
| | Democratic
| 1872<br/>1874 <br/>1874
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Independent Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Thomas M. Gunter
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
California
|-
!
| William Adam Piper
| | Democratic
| 1875
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Horace F. Page
| | Republican
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John K. Luttrell
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Peter D. Wigginton
| | Democratic
| 1875
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|}
Colorado
There were two elections to the new state of Colorado.
44th Congress
|-
!
| colspan=3 | New district
| | New seat.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|}
45th Congress
|-
! rowspan=2 |
| rowspan=2 | James B. Belford
| rowspan=2 | Republican
| rowspan=2 | 1876
| Incumbent re-elected
| nowrap |
|-
| | Election successfully contested.<br>New membr seated December 13, 1877.<br>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|}
Connecticut
<!---->
Connecticut had been electing is members late in the cycle, even after the terms had begun. But starting in 1876, the state joined the others in electing its members on the November 7, 1876 Election Day. The delegation remained 3 Democrats and 1 Republican.
|-
!
| George M. Landers
| | Democratic
| 1875
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James Phelps
| | Democratic
| 1875
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John T. Wait
| | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William Barnum
| | Democratic
| 1867
| | Incumbent resigned May 18, 1876, when elected U.S. senator.<br/>Democratic hold.<br/>Winner also elected to finish the current term; see above.
| nowrap |
|}
Delaware
<!---->
|-
!
| James Williams
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Florida
|-
!
| William J. Purman
| | Republican
| 1872
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Jesse J. Finley
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|}
Georgia
|-
!
| Julian Hartridge
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William E. Smith
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Philip Cook
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Henry R. Harris
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Milton A. Candler
| | Democratic
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James H. Blount
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William H. Felton
| | Independent<br/>Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Alexander H. Stephens
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Benjamin Harvey Hill
| | Democratic
| 1875
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Illinois
|-
!
| Bernard G. Caulfield
| | Democratic
| 1875
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Carter Harrison III
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John V. Le Moyne
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Stephen A. Hurlbut
| | Republican
| 1872
| | Incumbent lost renomination and lost re-election as an Independent Republican candidate.<br/>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Horatio C. Burchard
| | Republican
| 1869
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Thomas J. Henderson
| | Republican
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Alexander Campbell
| | Independent
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Greenbury L. Fort
| | Republican
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Richard H. Whiting
| | Republican
| 1874
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John C. Bagby
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Scott Wike
| | Democratic
| 1876
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William M. Springer
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Adlai Stevenson I
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Joseph G. Cannon
| | Republican
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John R. Eden
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William A. J. Sparks
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William R. Morrison
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William Hartzell
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William B. Anderson
| | Independent
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|}
|-
!
| G. Wiley Wells
| | Republican
| 1874
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Hernando Money
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Otho R. Singleton
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Charles E. Hooker
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John R. Lynch
| | Republican
| 1872
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|}
Missouri
|-
!
| Edward C. Kehr
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Erastus Wells
| | Democratic
| 1868
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William Henry Stone
| | Democratic
| 1872
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Robert A. Hatcher
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Richard P. Bland
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Charles H. Morgan
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John Finis Philips
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Benjamin J. Franklin
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| David Rea
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Rezin A. De Bolt
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John B. Clark Jr.
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John M. Glover
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Aylett H. Buckner
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
|}
Nevada
|-
!
| William Woodburn
| | Republican
| 1874
| | Incumbent retired.<br>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|}
New Hampshire
|-
!
| Frank Jones
| | Democratic
| 1875
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Samuel Newell Bell
| | Democratic
| 1875
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Henry W. Blair
| | Republican
| 1875
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
|-
!
| Jacob M. Thornburgh
| | Republican
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| George G. Dibrell
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Haywood Y. Riddle
| | Democratic
| 1875 <small>(special)</small>
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John M. Bright
| | Democratic
| 1870
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John F. House
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Washington C. Whitthorne
| | Democratic
| 1870
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John D. C. Atkins
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William P. Caldwell
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Texas
Vermont
|-
!
| Charles H. Joyce
| | Republican
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Dudley C. Denison
| | Independent<br/>Republican
| 1874
| | Incumbent re-elected as a Republican.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| George Hendee
| | Republican
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Virginia
|-
!
| Beverly B. Douglas
|
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John Goode
|
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Gilbert C. Walker
|
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William H. H. Stowell
|
| 1870
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| George Cabell
|
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| J. Randolph Tucker
|
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John T. Harris
|
| 1870
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Eppa Hunton
|
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William Terry
|
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
West Virginia
|-
!
| Benjamin Wilson
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Charles J. Faulkner
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator.<br>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Frank Hereford
| | Democratic
| 1870
| | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator.<br>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
Wisconsin
<!---->
Wisconsin elected eight members of congress on Election Day, November 7, 1876.
|-
!
| Charles G. Williams
| | Republican
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Lucien B. Caswell
| | Republican
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Henry S. Magoon
| | Republican
| 1870
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William Pitt Lynde
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Samuel D. Burchard
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Alanson M. Kimball
| | Republican
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Jeremiah McLain Rusk
| | Republican
| 1870
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| George W. Cate
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|}
Non-voting delegates
|-
!
|-
!
| Jefferson P. Kidder
| | Republican
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Stephen S. Fenn
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Martin Maginnis
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
|-
!
|-
!
| William R. Steele
| | Democratic
| 1872
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|}
See also
- 1876 United States elections
- 1876 United States presidential election
- 1876–77 United States Senate elections
- 44th United States Congress
- 45th United States Congress
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links
- Office of the Historian (Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)