1870 United States elections

Summary

The 1870 United States elections occurred in the middle of Republican President Ulysses S. Grant's first term, during the Third Party System. Members of the 42nd United States Congress were chosen in this election. The election took place during the Reconstruction Era, and many Southerners were barred from voting. It was also the first election after the passage of the 15th Amendment, which prohibits state and federal governments from denying the right to vote on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, although disenfranchisement would persist. The Republican Party maintained a majority in both houses of Congress, although Democrats picked up several seats in both chambers.

1870 United States elections
1868          1869          1870          1871          1872
Midterm elections
Election dayNovember 8
Incumbent presidentUlysses S. Grant (Republican)
Next Congress42nd
Senate elections
Overall controlRepublican hold
Seats contested25 of 70 seats[1]
Net seat changeDemocratic +3[2]
House elections
Overall controlRepublican hold
Seats contestedAll 243 voting seats
Net seat changeDemocratic +33[2]
1870 House of Representatives election results

  Democratic seat
  Republican seat

  Independent seat

In the House, Democrats won major gains, but Republicans retained a solid majority.[3]

In the Senate, Democrats won moderate gains, but Republicans retained a commanding majority.[4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Not counting special elections.
  2. ^ a b Congressional seat gain figures only reflect the results of the regularly-scheduled elections, and do not take special elections into account.
  3. ^ "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". United States Senate. Retrieved 25 June 2014.