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The 1868–69 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 1, 1868, and 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.
 | Parts of this article (those related to Image) need to be updated. The reason given is: Tennessee in the picture is incorrect. Republicans won all districts during this election. (August 2024) |
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All 243[c] seats in the United States House of Representatives 122 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Map of U.S. House elections results from 1868 elections for 41st Congress | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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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.
| 67 | 5 | 171 |
| Democratic | [d] | Republican |
| State | Type | Total seats |
Democratic | Conservative | Republican | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | Change | Seats | Change | Seats | Change | |||
| Alabama[e] | District | 6 | 2 |  2 |
0 |  |
4 |  2 |
| Arkansas | District | 3 | 1 | 1 |
0 | |
2 | 1 |
| California | District | 3 | 2 | |
0 | |
1 | |
| Connecticut[e] | District | 4 | 1 | 2 |
0 | |
3 | 2 |
| Delaware | At-large | 1 | 1 | |
0 | |
0 | |
| Florida[f] | At-large | 1 | 0 | |
0 | |
1 | |
| Georgia[g] | District | 7[h] | 4 | 2 |
0 | |
3 | 1 |
| Illinois | District + 1 at-large |
14 | 4 | 1 |
0 | |
10 | 1 |
| Indiana[f] | District | 11 | 4 | 1 |
0 | |
7 | 1 |
| Iowa[f] | District | 6 | 0 | |
0 | |
6 | |
| Kansas | At-large | 1 | 0 | |
0 | |
1 | |
| Kentucky | District | 9[h] | 9 | 2 |
0 | |
0 | 1 |
| Louisiana | District | 5 | 0 | 1 |
0 | |
5 | 1 |
| Maine[f] | District | 5 | 0 | |
0 | |
5 | |
| Maryland | District | 5 | 5 | 2 |
0 | 1 |
0 | 1 |
| Massachusetts | District | 10 | 0 | |
0 | |
10 | |
| Michigan | District | 6 | 0 | |
0 | |
6 | |
| Minnesota | District | 2 | 1 | 1 |
0 | |
1 | 1 |
| Mississippi[g] | District | 5 | 0 | |
0 | |
5 | 5 |
| Missouri | District | 9 | 2 | 1 |
0 | |
7 | 1 |
| Nebraska[f] | At-large | 1 | 0 | |
0 | |
1 | |
| Nevada | At-large | 1 | 0 | |
0 | |
1 | |
| New Hampshire[e] | District | 3 | 0 | |
0 | |
3 | |
| New Jersey | District | 5 | 3 | 1 |
0 | |
2 | 1 |
| New York | District | 31 | 12 | 2 |
0 | |
19 | 2 |
| North Carolina | District | 7 | 1 | 1 |
0 | 1 |
6 | |
| Ohio[f] | District | 19 | 6 | 3 |
0 | |
13 | 3 |
| Oregon[f] | At-large | 1 | 1 | 1 |
0 | |
0 | 1 |
| Pennsylvania[f] | District | 24 | 6 | |
0 | |
18 | |
| Rhode Island | District | 2 | 0 | |
0 | |
2 | |
| South Carolina | District | 4 | 0 | |
0 | |
4 | |
| Tennessee | District | 8 | 0 | |
0 | |
8 | |
| Texas[g] | District | 4 | 1 | 1 |
0 | |
3 | 3 |
| Vermont[f] | District | 3 | 0 | |
0 | |
3 | |
| Virginia[g] | District | 8 | 0 | |
5 | 5 |
3 | 3 |
| West Virginia[f] | District | 3 | 0 | |
0 | |
3 | |
| Wisconsin | District | 6 | 1 | |
0 | |
5 | |
| Total[c] | 243 | 67 27.6% |
22 |
5 2.1% |
3 |
171 70.4% |
6 | |
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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.
- Early dates (1868):
- June 1: Oregon
- September 1: Vermont
- September 14: Maine
- October 13: Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania
- October 22: West Virginia
- ▌Late dates (regular elections):
- December 29, 1868: Florida
- March 9, 1869: New Hampshire
- April 5, 1869: Connecticut
- August 2, 1869: Alabama
- Readmitted states:
- July 6, 1869: Virginia
- December 1, 1869: Mississippi (also held elections to the 42nd Congress on the same day)
- December 3, 1868: Texas
- December 20–22, 1870: Georgia
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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.
40th Congress
Readmission of state are treated here as regular (late) elections, not special elections.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Ohio 8 | Cornelius S. Hamilton | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent died December 22, 1867. New member elected January 27, 1868. Republican hold. Winner was later re-elected to the next term; see below. |
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| Pennsylvania 9 | Thaddeus Stevens | Republican | 1848 | Incumbent died August 11, 1868. New member elected October 13, 1868. Republican hold. Winner was also elected to the next term; see below. |
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| Pennsylvania 20 | Darwin A. Finney | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent died August 25, 1868. New member elected October 13, 1868. Republican hold. Winner was not a candidate for the next term; see below. |
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| Missouri 5 | Joseph W. McClurg | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent resigned in July 1868. New member elected November 3, 1868. Republican hold. Winner was not a candidate for the next term; see below. |
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| Arkansas 2 | James M. Hinds | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent died October 22, 1868. New member elected on an unknown date. Republican hold. Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. |
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41st Congress
Readmission of state are treated here as regular (late) elections, not special elections.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Massachusetts 7 | George S. Boutwell | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent resigned March 12, 1869, after being appointed Secretary of the Treasury. New member elected November 2, 1869. Republican hold. |
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| Illinois 3 | Elihu B. Washburne | Republican | 1852 | Incumbent resigned March 6, 1869, to become U.S. Secretary of State. New member elected December 6, 1869. Republican hold. |
|
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1868 elections to finish the term
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1869 elections to the next term
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[7] | |
| Arkansas 1 | None | State readmitted. Republican gain. |
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| Arkansas 2 | None | State readmitted. Democratic gain. |
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| Arkansas 3 | None | State readmitted. Republican gain. |
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All 3 seats | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Democratic hold Republican hold | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
California's delegation remained at two Democrats and one Republican.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| California 1 | Samuel Beach Axtell | Democratic | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| California 2 | William Higby | Republican | 1863 | Incumbent lost renomination. Republican hold. |
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| California 3 | James A. Johnson | Democratic | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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See non-voting delegates, below.
See non-voting delegates, below.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[8] | |
| Connecticut 1 | Richard D. Hubbard | Democratic | 1867 | Incumbent retired. Republican gain. |
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| Connecticut 2 | Julius Hotchkiss | Democratic | 1867 | Incumbent retired. Republican gain. |
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| Connecticut 3 | Henry H. Starkweather | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Connecticut 4 | William Barnum | Democratic | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
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Florida's single seat in the U.S. House of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
Election to the current term
The first election, for the duration of the 40th congress, was held May 5, 1868.[10]
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Florida at-large | None | State readmitted. New member elected May 5, 1868 to finish the term and seated July 1, 1868. Republican gain.[11] Winner was later re-elected to the next term. |
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Hamilton was seated on July 1, 1868,[11] during the 2nd session of the 40th Congress.
Election to the next term
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.[12]
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Florida at-large | Charles M. Hamilton | Republican | 1868[i] | Re-elected |
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See non-voting delegates, below.
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| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Massachusetts 1 | Thomas D. Eliot | Republican | 1858 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
|
| Massachusetts 2 | Oakes Ames | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Massachusetts 3 | Ginery Twichell | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Massachusetts 4 | Samuel Hooper | Republican | 1861 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Massachusetts 5 | Benjamin Butler | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Massachusetts 6 | Nathaniel P. Banks | Republican | 1865 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Massachusetts 7 | George S. Boutwell | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Massachusetts 8 | George F. Hoar | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| Massachusetts 9 | William B. Washburn | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Massachusetts 10 | Henry L. Dawes | Republican | 1856 | Incumbent re-elected.[13] |
|
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
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1868 rejected elections
Mississippi elected its members July 1, 1868, but that election was later rejected by the House.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Mississippi 1 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected, but election rejected by the House. |
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| Mississippi 2 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected, but election rejected by the House. |
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| Mississippi 3 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected, but election rejected by the House. |
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| Mississippi 4 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected, but election rejected by the House. |
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| Mississippi 5 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected, but election rejected by the House. |
| ||
1869 accepted elections
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.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Mississippi 1 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected to finish the term and to the next term. Republican gain. |
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| Mississippi 2 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected to finish the term and to the next term. Republican gain. |
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| Mississippi 3 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected to finish the term and to the next term. Republican gain. |
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| Mississippi 4 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected to finish the term and to the next term. Republican gain. |
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| Mississippi 5 | None, seat not admitted | New member elected to finish the term and to the next term. Republican gain. |
| ||
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
See non-voting delegates, below.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Nebraska at-large | John Taffe | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
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| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
See non-voting delegates, below.
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[30] | |
| Ohio 1 | Benjamin Eggleston | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
|
| Ohio 2 | Samuel F. Cary | Ind-Republican | 1867 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 3 | Robert C. Schenck | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 4 | William Lawrence | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 5 | William Mungen | Democratic | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 6 | Reader W. Clarke | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 7 | Samuel Shellabarger | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 8 | John Beatty | Republican | 1868 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 9 | Ralph P. Buckland | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent retired. Democratic gain. |
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| Ohio 10 | James M. Ashley | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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| Ohio 11 | John Thomas Wilson | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 12 | Philadelph Van Trump | Democratic | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 13 | Columbus Delano | Republican | 1866[j] | Incumbent retired. Democratic gain. |
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| Ohio 14 | Martin Welker | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 15 | Tobias A. Plants | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 16 | John Bingham | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Ohio 17 | Ephraim R. Eckley | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 18 | Rufus P. Spalding | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| Ohio 19 | James A. Garfield | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
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| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Tennessee 1 | Roderick R. Butler | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Tennessee 2 | Horace Maynard | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 3 | William B. Stokes | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 4 | James Mullins | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| Tennessee 5 | John Trimble | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| Tennessee 6 | Samuel M. Arnell | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 7 | Isaac R. Hawkins | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Tennessee 8 | David A. Nunn | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent lost re-election as an Independent Republican. Republican hold. |
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| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2020) |
See non-voting delegates, below.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[39] | |
| Vermont 1 | Frederick E. Woodbridge | Republican | 1863 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
|
| Vermont 2 | Luke P. Poland | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected |
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| Vermont 3 | Worthington C. Smith | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[40] | |
| Virginia 1 | None | State readmitted. Republican gain. |
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| Virginia 2 | None | State readmitted. Republican gain. |
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| Virginia 3 | None | State readmitted. Republican gain. |
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| Virginia 4 | None | State readmitted. Conservative gain. |
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| Virginia 5 | None | State readmitted. Conservative gain. |
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| Virginia 6 | None | State readmitted. Conservative gain. |
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| Virginia 7 | None | State readmitted. Conservative gain. |
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| Virginia 8 | None | State readmitted. Conservative gain. |
| ||
See non-voting delegates, below.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| West Virginia 1 | Chester D. Hubbard | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent lost renomination. Republican hold. |
|
| West Virginia 2 | Bethuel Kitchen | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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| West Virginia 3 | Daniel Polsley | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
|
Wisconsin elected six members of congress on Election Day, November 3, 1868.
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[44] | |
| Wisconsin 1 | Halbert E. Paine | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Wisconsin 2 | Benjamin F. Hopkins | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Wisconsin 3 | Amasa Cobb | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Wisconsin 4 | Charles A. Eldredge | Democratic | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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| Wisconsin 5 | Philetus Sawyer | Republican | 1864 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Wisconsin 6 | Cadwallader C. Washburn | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Colorado Territory
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delegate | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Colorado Territory at-large | George M. Chilcott | Independent Republican |
1866 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost renomination. Republican gain. |
|
Montana Territory
The election date is speculative.[46]
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delegate | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Montana Territory at-large | James M. Cavanaugh | Democratic | 1868 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Idaho Territory
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delegate | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Idaho Territory at-large | Edward D. Holbrook | Democratic | 1864 | Incumbent retired. New delegate elected August 10, 1868. Democratic hold. |
|
Wyoming Territory
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.[48]
| District | Incumbent | This race | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delegate | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
| Wyoming Territory At-large | None, new district. | Territory organized in previous congress. New delegate elected December 6, 1869. Democratic gain. |
| ||
- The majority of States held elections on November 3, 1868 (i.e. "Election Day") for the first time.
- Conservatives won 5 seats.
- Late election to 40th Congress.
- Columbus Delano lost election in 1866 to George W. Morgan, contested the election and was seated June 1868.
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