1874 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida

The 1874 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on November 3 for the 44th Congress.

United States House of Representatives elections in Florida, 1874

← 1872 November 3, 1874 1876 →
Both of Florida's seats to the United States House of Representatives
Majority party Minority party   Party Republican Democratic Last election 2 0 Seats won 2[1] 0[1] Seat change Popular vote 18,267 16,796 Percentage 52.1% 47.9%

Background

Florida gained a second seat after the 1870 census, but in 1872, both seats were elected at large. In 1874, Florida was divided, for the first time, into districts for the United States House of Representatives.^[2]

Election results

1874 United States House election results^[3]

District	Republican			Democratic
1st[4]	William J. Purman (I)	9,710	53.0%	John Henderson	8,618	47.0%
2nd[5]	Josiah T. Walls (I)	8,557	51.1%	Jesse J. Finley[6]	8,178	48.9%

1st District

United States House of Representatives election in Florida 1st congressional district, 1874

November 3, 1874

Nominee William J. Purman John Henderson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 9,710 8,618 Percentage 52.98% 47.02%

County Results Purman   50–59%   60–69%   No Votes Henderson   50–59%   60–69%   70–79%   80–89%   90–100%

1874 United States House election 1st District results^[3][7]

Republican			Democratic
William J. Purman	9,710	52.98%	John Henderson	8,618	47.02%

Results

County[8]	William J. Purman Republican		John Henderson Democratic		Total votes
	#	%	#	%
Calhoun	41	23.43%	134	76.57%	175
Escambia	980	46.64%	1,121	53.36%	2,101
Franklin	87	35.22%	160	64.78%	247
Gadsden	1,160	64.44%	640	35.56%	1,800
Hernando	153	29.82%	360	70.18%	513
Hillsborough	142	25.40%	417	74.60%	559
Holmes	8	3.07%	253	96.93%	261
Jackson	1,256	58.34%	897	41.66%	2,153
Jefferson	2,020	77.10%	600	22.90%	2,620
Lafayette	53	19.70%	216	80.30%	269
Leon	2,395	82.84%	496	17.16%	2,891
Levy	139	26.48%	386	73.52%	525
Liberty	76	36.54%	132	63.46%	208
Manatee	77	23.62%	249	76.38%	326
Monroe	657	49.55%	669	50.45%	1,326
Polk	5	1.46%	338	98.54%	343
Santa Rosa*	0	0%	0	0%	0
Sumter	124	25.41%	364	74.59%	488
Taylor	58	25.66%	168	74.34%	226
Wakulla	144	35.73%	259	64.27%	403
Walton	45	9.0%	455	91.0%	500
Washington	83	21.45%	304	78.55%	387
Actual Totals	9,703	52.96%	8,618	47.04%	18,321
Official Total[3]	9,710	52.98%	8,618	47.02%	18,328
*Votes was rejected by State Board Canvass[3]

2nd District

United States House of Representatives election in Florida 2nd congressional district, 1874

November 3, 1874

Nominee Josiah T. Walls Jesse J. Finley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 8,549 8,178 Percentage 51.11% 48.89%

County Results Walls   50–59%   60–69% Finley   50–59%   60–69%   70–79%   80–89%   90–100%

1874 United States House election 2nd District results

Republican			Democratic
Josiah T. Walls	8,549	51.11%	Jesse J. Finley	8,178	48.89%

Results

County[8]	Josiah T. Walls Republican		Jesse J. Finley Democratic		Total votes
	#	%	#	%
Alachua	1,567	67.49%	756	32.54%	2,323
Baker	134	36.41%	234	63.59%	368
Bradford	181	26.23%	509	73.77%	690
Brevard	5	5.68%	83	94.32%	88
Clay	102	33.77%	200	66.23%	302
Columbia	714	51.37%	676	48.63%	1,390
Dade	12	34.29%	23	65.71%	35
Duval	1,375	60.18%	910	39.82%	2,285
Hamilton	231	29.58%	550	70.42%	781
Madison	1,308	60.92%	839	39.08%	2,147
Marion	1,072	63.81%	608	36.19%	1,680
Nassau	665	55.42%	535	44.58%	1,200
Orange	51	7.79%	604	92.21%	655
Putnam	451	47.88%	491	52.12%	942
St. Johns	208	32.15%	439	67.85%	647
Suwannee	393	47.35%	437	67.85%	830
Volusia	80	21.98%	284	78.02%	364
Totals	8,549	51.11%	8,178	48.89%	16,727

Contested election

United States House of Representatives election in Florida 2nd congressional district, 1876 recount

April 19, 1876

Nominee Jesse J. Finley Josiah T. Walls Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 8,147 7,804 Percentage 51.08% 48.92%

County Results Finley   50–59%   60–69%   70–79%   80–89%   90–100% Walls   50–59%   60–69%

In the 2nd district, Democrat Jesse J. Finley challenged Walls' re-election. On April 19, 1876, Finley was declared the winner of the election in the 2nd district and was seated in Congress.^[9][10]

1874 United States House election 2nd District results recount

Republican			Democratic
Josiah T. Walls	7,804	48.92%	Jesse J. Finley	8,147	51.08%

Results

County[8]	Josiah T. Walls Republican		Jesse J. Finley Democratic		Total votes
	#	%	#	%
Alachua	822	53.14%	725	46.86%	1,547
Baker	134	36.41%	234	63.59%	368
Bradford	181	26.23%	509	73.77%	690
Brevard	5	5.68%	83	94.32%	88
Clay	102	33.77%	200	66.23%	302
Columbia	714	51.37%	676	48.63%	1,390
Dade	12	34.29%	23	65.71%	35
Duval	1,375	60.18%	910	39.82%	2,285
Hamilton	231	29.58%	550	70.42%	781
Madison	1,308	60.92%	839	39.08%	2,147
Marion	1,072	63.81%	608	36.19%	1,680
Nassau	665	55.42%	535	44.58%	1,200
Orange	51	7.79%	604	92.21%	655
Putnam	451	47.88%	491	52.12%	942
St. Johns	208	32.15%	439	67.85%	647
Suwannee	393	47.35%	437	67.85%	830
Volusia	80	21.98%	284	78.02%	364
Totals	7,804	48.92%	8,147	51.08%	15,951

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections, 1874

References

1. Initial results, in the 2nd district, the Democratic candidate successfully contested the election
2. Florida was divided into two districts for the Confederate Congress
3. Walton, Charles H.; McLin, Samuel B. (December 19, 1874). "The Congressional Vote of Florida for 1874". Tallahassee Sentinel. p. 2. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
4. 1st district election details from Ourcampaigns.com
5. 2nd district election details from Ourcampaigns.com
6. Successfully contested election
7. Sawyer & Son, N.K. (December 24, 1874). "The Congressional Vote of Florida for 1874". Tri-Weekly Union. p. 1. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
8. McLin, Samuel B. (April 15, 1876). "In the contest election case of Finley vs Walls". Tallahassee Sentinel. p. 3. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
9. Recount information
10. "GENERAL ELECTION CASES, 1758 To 1880". Hinds' Precedents. 2. March 23, 1876.