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1878 United States House of Representatives elections

← 1876 & 1877 June 3, 1878 – September 3, 1879 1880 →
All 293 seats in the United States House of Representatives 147 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Samuel J. Randall James A. Garfield Party Democratic Republican Leader's seat Pennsylvania 3rd Ohio 19th Last election 155 seats 136 seats Seats won 141 132 Seat change 14 4 Popular vote 3,108,496 2,782,404 Percentage 44.20% 39.56% Swing 7.07% 6.91%   Third party Fourth party   Party Greenback Independent Last election 0 seats 2 seats Seats won 13 7 Seat change 13 5 Popular vote 864,325 193,666 Percentage 12.29% 2.75% Swing 11.38% 1.58%
Results      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      Independent gain      Independent hold      Greenback gain
Speaker before election Samuel Randall Democratic Elected Speaker Samuel Randall Democratic

The 1878–79 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 3, 1878, and September 3, 1879. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before or after the first session of the 46th United States Congress convened on March 18, 1879. Elections were held for all 293 seats, representing 38 states. This was the last election cycle that at least one state held its regular congressional election in an oddnumbered year.

These elections occurred in the middle of President Rutherford B. Hayes's term. With a sour economy as the nation's pressing issue, both major parties lost seats to the new Greenback Party, which was established to promote the long-term use of paper money as a solution to stop enormous economic fluctuations. The Democratic Party remained the largest party, but lost its majority. However, it allied with several independent politicians and was able to remain in power. This was the fourth and last recorded House election where both major parties lost seats at the same time.

Election summaries

State	Type	Total seats	Democratic		Ind. Democratic		Greenback		Republican
			Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change
Alabama	District	8	7	1	0		1	1	0
Arkansas	District	4	4	1	0	1	0		0
California	District	4	1	1	0		0		3	1
Colorado	At-large	1	0	1	0		0		1	1
Connecticut	District	4	1	2	0		0		3	2
Delaware	At-large	1	1		0		0		0
Florida	District	2	1	1	0		0		1	1
Georgia	District	9	6	2	3	2	0		0
Illinois	District	19	6	2	0		1	1	12	1
Indiana	District	13	6	2	0		1	1	6	3
Iowa	District	9	0		0		2	2	7	2
Kansas	District	3	0		0		0		3
Kentucky	District	10	9	1	1	1	0		0
Louisiana	District	6	6	1	0		0		0	1
Maine	District	5	0		0		2	2	3	2
Maryland	District	6	5	1	0		0		1	1
Massachusetts	District	11	1	1	0		0		10	1
Michigan	District	9	0	1	0		0		9	1
Minnesota	District	3	1	1	0		0		2	1
Mississippi	District	6	6		0		0		0
Missouri	District	13	11	2	1	1	1	1	0	4
Nebraska	At-large	1	0		0		0		1
Nevada	At-large	1	0		0		0		1
New Hampshire	District	3	0	1	0		0		3	1
New Jersey	District	7	3	1	0		0		4	1
New York	District	33	6	9	2	2	0		25	7
North Carolina	District	8	7		0		1	1	0	1
Ohio	District	20	11	3	0		0		9	3
Oregon	At-large	1	1	1	0		0		0	1
Pennsylvania	District	27	8	2	0		2	2	17
Rhode Island	District	2	0		0		0		2
South Carolina	District	5	5	3	0		0		0	3
Tennessee	District	10	9	1	0		0		1	1
Texas	District	6	5	1	0		1	1	0
Vermont	District	3	0		0		1	1	2	1
Virginia	District	9	8		0		0		1
West Virginia	District	3	3		0		0		0
Wisconsin	District	8	3		0		0		5
Total		293	141 48.1%	14	7 2.4%	5	13 4.4%	13	132 45.1%	5

Election dates

In most states, the elections were held November 5, 1878.

In 1845, Congress set a uniform nationwide date for choosing presidential electors. This Act of Congress 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 this cycle, there were still 7 states with earlier election dates, and 1 with a later election date:

• Early elections
  • June 3, 1878: Oregon
  • September 3, 1878: Vermont
  • September 9, 1878: Maine
  • October 7, 1878: Indiana
  • October 8, 1878: Iowa, Ohio, West Virginia
• Standard election date
  • November 5, 1878
• Late election
  • September 3, 1879: California

California's elections were the last time a state held congressional general elections after November.

Special elections

Elections are listed by date and district.

Alabama

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Patterson successfully contested the election and was seated March 4, 1877.

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

In the 2nd district the difference between the two candidates, in the initial returns, was just 22 votes. Bisbee challenged Hull's election, and was eventually awarded the seat on January 22, 1881.

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

South Carolina was rampant with voter fraud, particularly through the use of tissue ballots, thin ballots hidden in the normal ballot, typically 10 to 20 at a time. The almost statewide exclusion of Republicans as Commissioners of Elections, and the ensuing appointment of nearly all Democratic Managers of Elections, allowed to Democratic Managers to perpetrate this scheme. When the votes were counted and more votes than voters were found, the Managers removed and destroyed the Republican ballots resulting in the complete takeover of the state.

Tennessee

Texas

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020)

Vermont

Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wisconsin elected eight members of congress on Election Day, November 5, 1878.

Non-voting delegates

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020)

See also

• 1878–79 United States Senate elections
• 45th United States Congress
• 46th United States Congress

Notes

1. ^ Dubin (p. 249) counts 140 Democrats, 6 Independent Democrats, 130 Republicans (incl. 1 Independent Republican), and 11 Greenbacks at the start of the 46th United States Congress.
2. Included 2 Independent Democrats.
3. Includes 7 Independent Democrats.
4. In 1879, California held its last regular congressional election in an odd-numbered year.
5. There were 7 Independent Democrats
6. There were 13 Greenbacks
7. ^ also endorsed by the Democrats
8. ^ Also endorsed by the Greenbacks
9. ^ Also endorsed by the Republicans
10. Thomas Jefferson Majors, who was elected to complete Frank Welch's term in the 45th Congress, was elected as "member-contingent". He believed that Nebraska was entitled to a second congressional seat, and so was elected to fill that seat if Congress had approved it.
11. ^ Also endorsed by the "Anti-Tammany" Democrats
12. For the purposes of simplicity he is listed as having been elected an Independent Democrat.

References

1. ^ Martis, pp. 132–133
2. 5 Stat. 721
3. "The Beatrice Democrat is reminded". The Tecumseh Chieftain. August 23, 1890. p. 4. Retrieved June 12, 2023. Thos. J. Majors, has for his opponent Dr. Alex Bear. These two gentlemen were pitted against each other some years ago, as candidates for congress of their respective parties, to fill out the unexpired term of Frank Welch.
4. "State of Connecticut Elections Database » Search Past Election Results". State of Connecticut Elections Database. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
5. United States Congressional Serial Set: Volume 2159. Page 543.
6. "NY Times Free Archive" (PDF). The New York Times. November 16, 1878.
7. "NY Times Free Archive" (PDF). The New York Times. February 5, 1879.
8. William Ralston Balch (1881). The Life of James Abram Garfield.
9. "TN - District 01". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
10. "TN - District 02". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
11. "TN - District 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
12. "TN - District 04". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
13. "TN - District 05". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
14. "TN - District 06". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
15. "TN - District 07". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
16. "TN - District 08". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
17. "TN - District 09". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
18. "TN - District 10". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
19. "VT Elections Database » Vermont Election Results and Statistics". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
20. "Virginia Elections Database » Virginia Election Results and Statistics". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
21. "WV District 01". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
22. "WV District 02". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
23. "WV District 03". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
24. "Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results" (PDF). Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
25. Warner, Hans B., ed. (1880). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 491–494. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
26. "DK Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
27. "ID Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
28. "MT Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
29. "WY Territorial Delegate". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 11 April 2021.

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)

• 1878 United States House of Representatives elections
• 1879 United States House of Representatives elections
• James A. Garfield
• Levi P. Morton
• Presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes
• Adlai Stevenson I