The 1868âÂÂ69 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 1, 1868, to August 2, 1869. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before or after the first session of the 41st United States Congress convened on March 4, 1869. They coincided with the 1868 United States presidential election, which was won by Ulysses S. Grant. Elections were held for all 243 seats, representing 37 states. All of the former Confederate states were represented in Congress for the first time since they seceded from the Union.
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 powerbrokers 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.
Mississippi, 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.
Mississippi held rejected elections on July 1, 1868. New (accepted) 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 (20 of 37) 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.
There were special elections in 1868 and 1869 to the 40th United States Congress and 41st United States Congress.
Special elections are sorted by date then district.
Readmission of state are treated here as regular (late) elections, not special elections.
Readmission of state are treated here as regular (late) elections, not special elections.
California's delegation remained at two Democrats and one Republican.
See non-voting delegates, below.
See non-voting delegates, below.
|- ! | Richard D. Hubbard | | 1867 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Julius Hotchkiss | | 1867 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Henry H. Starkweather | | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | William Barnum | | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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.
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.
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.
See non-voting delegates, below.
|- ! | Thomas D. Eliot | | Republican | 1858 | |Incumbent retired.<br>Republican hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Oakes Ames | | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Ginery Twichell | | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Samuel Hooper | | Republican | 1861 <small>(special)</small> | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Benjamin Butler | | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Nathaniel P. Banks | | Republican | 1865 <small>(special)</small> | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | George S. Boutwell | | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |- ! | George F. Hoar | | Republican | 1862 | | Incumbent retired.<br>Republican hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | William B. Washburn | | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Henry L. Dawes | | Republican | 1856 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Mississippi elected its members July 1, 1868, but that election was later rejected by the House.
Mississippi then held new elections December 1, 1869 both: to finish the term in the 40th Congress and to the next term (starting in 1871) in the 41st Congress. Both elections had the same vote totals and were accepted by the House. The new members were seated in 1870.
Missouri elected its members on November 3, 1868.
|- ! | William A. Pile | | Radical Union | 1866 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Carman Newcomb | | Radical Union | 1866 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Radical Union hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | James R. McCormick | | Democratic | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Joseph J. Gravely | | Radical Union | 1866 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Radical Union hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | John H. Stover | | Radical Union | 1868 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Radical Union hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Robert T. Van Horn | | Radical Union | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Benjamin F. Loan | | Radical Union | 1862 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Radical Union hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | John F. Benjamin | | Radical Union | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | George W. Anderson | | Radical Union | 1864 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Radical Union hold. | nowrap |
See non-voting delegates, below.
|- ! | John Taffe | | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
See non-voting delegates, below.
|- ! | Roderick R. Butler | | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Horace Maynard | | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | William B. Stokes | | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | James Mullins | | Republican | 1867 | |Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | John Trimble | | Republican | 1867 | |Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Samuel M. Arnell | | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Isaac R. Hawkins | | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | David A. Nunn | | Republican | 1867 | |Incumbent lost re-election as an Independent Republican.<br/>Republican hold. | nowrap |
See non-voting delegates, below.
|- ! | Frederick E. Woodbridge | | Republican | 1863 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Luke P. Poland | | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected | nowrap |
|- ! | Worthington C. Smith | | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | colspan=3 | None | | State readmitted.<br/>Republican gain. | nowrap | |- ! | colspan=3 | None | | State readmitted.<br/>Republican gain. | nowrap | |- ! | colspan=3 | None | | State readmitted.<br/>Republican gain. | nowrap | |- ! | colspan=3 | None | | State readmitted.<br/>Conservative gain. | nowrap | |- ! | colspan=3 | None | | State readmitted.<br/>Conservative gain. | nowrap | |- ! | colspan=3 | None | | State readmitted.<br/>Conservative gain. | nowrap | |- ! | colspan=3 | None | | State readmitted.<br/>Conservative gain. | nowrap | |- ! | colspan=3 | None | | State readmitted.<br/>Conservative gain. | nowrap |
See non-voting delegates, below.
|- ! | Chester D. Hubbard | | Republican | 1864 | | Incumbent lost renomination.<br>Republican hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Bethuel Kitchen | | Republican | 1866 | | Incumbent retired.<br>Republican hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Daniel Polsley | | Republican | 1866 | | Incumbent retired.<br>Republican hold. | nowrap |
Wisconsin elected six members of congress on Election Day, November 3, 1868.
The election date is speculative.
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.