1876–77 United States House of Representatives elections

The 1876–77 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 5, 1876, and March 13, 1877. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 45th United States Congress convened on October 15, 1877. The size of the House increased to 293 seats with the addition of the new state of Colorado.

These elections coincided with the (heavily contested) election of President Rutherford B. Hayes and the United States Centennial. Hayes' Republican Party was able to recover from the Democratic Party many of the seats it had lost two years before as the economy improved slightly. However, the Democrats retained a majority and were able to use the disinterest of the people in Republican Reconstruction-led projects to help keep crucial seats. Republican congressional leadership had a difficult time distancing itself from the corruption of the Grant administration or the legislature's impact on the economy downturn.

Election summaries
The previous election included 4 Independents, in Illinois and Massachusetts.

Election dates
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 this date as well. In 1876–77, there were still 8 states with earlier election dates, and 1 state with a later election date.

Elections before Election Day (United States):
 * June 5: Oregon
 * September 5: Vermont
 * September 11: Maine
 * October 4:Georgia
 * October 10: Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, West Virginia

Standard Election Day:
 * November 7, 1876

Election after Election Day:
 * March 13, 1877: New Hampshire

Alabama
Alabama redistricted and eliminated its at-large seats, going from 6 districts and 2 at-large seats to 8 districts. The state also elected a full delegation of Democrats, voting out the two Republicans.

! AL's 1st congressional district
 * Charles Hays Redistricted from the AL's 4th congressional district
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ James T. Jones (Democratic) 49.25%

Frederick G. Bromberg (Ind. Democratic) 40.82%

William W. Turner (Republican) 9.92%

! AL's 2nd congressional district
 * colspan=3 | New district
 * | New seat. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Hilary A. Herbert (Democratic) 54.90%

Gerald B. Hall (Republican) 45.10%

! AL's 3rd congressional district
 * Jeremiah Norman Williams Redistricted from the AL's 2nd congressional district
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Jeremiah Norman Williams (Democratic) 78.34%

William H. Betts (Republican) 21.66%

! AL's 4th congressional district
 * Jeremiah Haralson Redistricted from the AL's 1st congressional district
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Charles M. Shelley (Democratic) 37.77%

Jeremiah Haralson (Republican) 33.93%

James T. Rapier (Colored Republican) 28.30%

! AL's 5th congressional district
 * colspan=3 | New district
 * | New seat. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Robert F. Ligon (Democratic) 65.77%

D. B. Booth (Republican) 34.23%

! rowspan=2 | AL's 6th congressional district
 * Goldsmith W. Hewitt
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * rowspan=2 nowrap | ✅ Goldsmith W. Hewitt (Democratic) 100%

Uncontested


 * Burwell Boykin Lewis Redistricted from the AL's at-large congressional district
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent lost renomination. Democratic loss.
 * | Incumbent lost renomination. Democratic loss.

! rowspan=3 | AL's 7th congressional district
 * William Henry Forney Redistricted from the AL's at-large congressional district
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * rowspan=3 nowrap | ✅ William Henry Forney (Democratic) 100%

Uncontested


 * Taul Bradford Redistricted from the AL's 3rd congressional district
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent retired. Democratic loss.
 * | Incumbent retired. Democratic loss.


 * John H. Caldwell Redistricted from the AL's 5th congressional district
 * | Democratic
 * 1872
 * | Incumbent retired. Democratic loss.
 * | Incumbent retired. Democratic loss.

! AL's 8th congressional district
 * colspan=3 | New district
 * | New seat. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ William W. Garth (Democratic) 62.0%

John B. McClellan (Ind. Democratic) 38.0%


 * }

Arkansas
! AR's 1st congressional district
 * Lucien C. Gause
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Lucien C. Gause (Democratic) 97.5%

Uncontested

! AR's 2nd congressional district
 * William F. Slemons
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ William F. Slemons (Democratic) 53.7%

Oliver P. Snyder (Republican) 47.6%

! AR's 3rd congressional district
 * William W. Wilshire
 * | Democratic
 * 1872 1874 (lost contest) 1874
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Independent Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Jordan E. Cravens (Ind. Democratic) 35.9%

John McClure (Republican) 34.7%

H. B. Stuart (Democratic) 25.7%

! AR's 4th congressional district
 * Thomas M. Gunter
 * | Democratic
 * 1872
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Thomas M. Gunter (Democratic) 74.7%

J.H. Huckleberry (Republican) 25.3%


 * }

California
! CA's 1st congressional district
 * William Adam Piper
 * | Democratic
 * 1875
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Horace Davis (Republican) 53.3%

William A. Piper (Democratic) 46.7%

! CA's 2nd congressional district
 * Horace F. Page
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Horace F. Page (Republican) 56.7%

G. J. Carpenter (Democratic) 43.3%

! CA's 3rd congressional district
 * John K. Luttrell
 * | Democratic
 * 1872
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ John K. Luttrell (Democratic) 51.1%

Joseph McKenna (Republican) 48.9%

! CA's 4th congressional district
 * Peter D. Wigginton
 * | Democratic
 * 1875
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Romualdo Pacheco (Republican) 50%

Peter D. Wigginton (Democratic) 50%


 * }

Colorado
There were two elections to the new state of Colorado.

44th Congress
! CO At-large
 * colspan=3 | New district
 * | New seat. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ James B. Belford (Republican)


 * }

45th Congress
! CO At-large
 * James B. Belford
 * | Republican
 * 1876
 * Incumbent re-elected. Election was later successfully challenged by the challenger.
 * nowrap | ✅ James B. Belford (Republican) 51.9%

Thomas M. Patterson (Democratic)


 * }

Connecticut
Connecticut had been electing is members late in the cycle, even after the terms had begun. But starting in 1876, the state joined the others in electing its members on the November 7, 1876 Election Day. The delegation remained 3 Democrats and 1 Republican.

! CT's 1st congressional district
 * George M. Landers
 * | Democratic
 * 1875
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ George M. Landers (Democratic) 50.2%

Joseph R. Hawley (Republican) 49.8%

! CT's 2nd congressional district
 * James Phelps
 * | Democratic
 * 1875
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ James Phelps (Democratic) 53.8%

Stephen W. Kellogg (Republican) 46.3%

! CT's 3rd congressional district
 * John T. Wait
 * | Republican
 * 1876 (special)
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ John T. Wait (Republican) 54.2%

Waller (Democratic) 45.8%

! CT's 4th congressional district
 * William Henry Barnum
 * | Democratic
 * 1867
 * | Incumbent resigned May 18, 1876, when elected U.S. senator. New member elected. Democratic hold. Winner also elected to finish the current next term.
 * nowrap |

✅ Levi Warner (Democratic) 52.7%

Robbert Hubbard (Republican) 47.4%


 * }

Delaware
! DE At-large
 * James Williams
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ James Williams (Democratic) 55.4%

Bird (Republican) 44.6%


 * }

Florida
! FL's 1st congressional district
 * William J. Purman
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Robert H. M. Davidson (Democratic) 51.2%

William J. Purman (Republican) 48.8%

! FL's 2nd congressional district
 * Jesse J. Finley
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Horatio Bisbee Jr. (Republican) 50.04%

Jesse J. Finley (Democratic) 49.96%


 * }

Maine
! ME's 1st congressional district
 * John H. Burleigh
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * | Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Thomas B. Reed (Republican) 51.45%

John M. Goodwin (Democratic) 47.99%

John H. Burleigh (Republican) 0.56%

! ME's 2nd congressional district
 * William P. Frye
 * | Republican
 * 1870
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ William P. Frye (Republican) 55.72%

S. Clifford Belcher (Democratic) 42.04%

Solon Chase (Greenback) 2.24%

! ME's 3rd congressional district
 * colspan="3"|Vacant
 * | Rep. James G. Blaine (R) resigned July 10, 1876. New member elected. Republican hold. Concurrent special election held to serve out the unexpired term, the winner of which did not stand for the regular election.
 * nowrap | ✅ Stephen Lindsey (Republican) 55.18%

Edward K. O'Brien (Democratic) 44.83%

! ME's 4th congressional district
 * Harris M. Plaisted
 * | Republican
 * 1875 (special)
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Llewellyn Powers (Republican) 53.83%

John P. Donworth (Democratic) 42.12%

Lyndon Oak (Independent Republican) 4.05%

! ME's 5th congressional district
 * Eugene Hale
 * | Republican
 * 1868
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Eugene Hale (Republican) 55.34%

William H. McLellan (Democratic) 44.66%


 * }

Massachusetts
! Massachusetts's 1st congressional district
 * William W. Crapo
 * | Republican
 * 1875 (special)
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ William W. Crapo (Republican) 69.61%

Joseph M. Day (Democratic) 30.39%

! Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district
 * Benjamin W. Harris
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Benjamin W. Harris (Republican) 61.45%

Edward Avery (Democratic) 38.55%

! Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district
 * Henry L. Pierce
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * |Incumbent retired. New member elected after initial result overturned. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Benjamin Dean (Democratic) 50.04%

Walbridge A. Field (Republican) 49.96%

! Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
 * Josiah Gardner Abbott
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * |Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Leopold Morse (Democratic) 52.66%

Rufus S. Frost (Republican) 47.34%

! Massachusetts's 5th congressional district
 * Nathaniel P. Banks
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Nathaniel P. Banks (Republican) 51.97%

Richard Frothingham Jr. (Democratic) 48.03%

! Massachusetts's 6th congressional district
 * Charles Perkins Thompson
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * |Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ George B. Loring (Republican) 52.44%

Charles Perkins Thompson (Democratic) 47.56%

! Massachusetts's 7th congressional district
 * John K. Tarbox
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Benjamin Butler (Republican) 51.63%

John K. Tarbox (Democratic) 40.02%

Ebenezer R. Hoar (Ind. Republican) 8.34%

! Massachusetts's 8th congressional district
 * John M. S. Williams
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ William Claflin (Republican) 53.27%

William W. Warren (Democratic) 46.73%

! Massachusetts's 9th congressional district
 * George F. Hoar
 * | Republican
 * 1868
 * | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senate. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ William W. Rice (Republican) 57.54%

George F. Verry (Democratic) 42.46%

! MA's 10th congressional district
 * Charles A. Stevens
 * | Republican
 * 1875 (special)
 * |Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap |

✅ Amasa Norcross (Republican) 63.86%

Samuel O. Lamb (Democratic) 36.14%

! MA's 11th congressional district
 * Chester W. Chapin
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * |Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap |

✅ George D. Robinson (Republican) 54.01%

Chester W. Chapin (Democratic) 44.22%


 * }

Mississippi
! MS's 1st congressional district
 * Lucius Q. C. Lamar
 * | Democratic
 * 1872
 * | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator. New member elected. Democratic hold.
 * nowrap |

✅ Henry L. Muldrow (Democratic) 76.24%

J. W. Lee (Republican) 23.76%

! MS's 2nd congressional district
 * G. Wiley Wells
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Van. H. Manning (Democratic) 61.74%

Thomas Watson (Republican) 38.26%

! MS's 3rd congressional district
 * Hernando Money
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Hernando Money (Democratic) 73.96%

W. W. Chisholm (Republican) 26.04%

! MS's 4th congressional district
 * Otho R. Singleton
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Otho R. Singleton (Democratic) 80.80%

W. M. Hancock (Republican) 19.20%

! MS's 5th congressional district
 * Charles E. Hooker
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Charles E. Hooker (Democratic) 69.67%

M. Shaughnessey (Republican) 30.33%

! MS's 6th congressional district
 * John R. Lynch
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ James R. Chalmers (Democratic) 56.04%

John R. Lynch (Republican) 43.96%


 * }

Nebraska
! NE At-large
 * Lorenzo Crounse
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Frank Welch (Republican) 59.79%

Joseph Hollman (Democratic) 33.29%

Marvin Warren (Greenback) 6.93%


 * }

Nevada
! NV At-large
 * William Woodburn
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Thomas Wren (Republican) 52.3%

A.C. Ellis (Democratic) 47.7%


 * }

South Carolina
! SC's 1st congressional district
 * Joseph Rainey
 * | Republican
 * 1870 (special)
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Joseph Rainey (Republican) 52.2%

John S. Richardson (Democratic) 47.8%

! SC's 2nd congressional district
 * Edmund W. M. Mackey
 * | Independent Republican
 * 1874
 * | Seat declared vacant July 19, 1876, due to contested election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Richard H. Cain (Republican) 62.1%

Michael P. O'Connor (Democratic) 37.9%

! SC's 3rd congressional district
 * Solomon L. Hoge
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ D. Wyatt Aiken (Democratic) 58.0%

Lewis C. Carpenter (Republican) 42.0%

! SC's 4th congressional district
 * Alexander S. Wallace
 * | Republican
 * 1868
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ John H. Evins (Democratic) 57.6%

Alexander S. Wallace (Republican) 42.4%

! SC's 5th congressional district
 * Robert Smalls
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Robert Smalls (Republican) 51.9%

George D. Tillman (Democratic) 48.1%


 * }

Tennessee
! TN's 1st congressional district
 * William McFarland
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * |Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap |

✅ James H. Randolph (Republican) 52.41%

William McFarland (Democratic) 47.59%

! TN's 2nd congressional district
 * Jacob M. Thornburgh
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Jacob M. Thornburgh (Republican) 59.87%

William Cullom (Democratic) 40.13%

! TN's 3rd congressional district
 * George G. Dibrell
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ George G. Dibrell (Democratic) 61.51%

G. M. Drake (Republican) 38.49%

! TN's 4th congressional district
 * Haywood Y. Riddle
 * | Democratic
 * 1875 (special)
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Haywood Y. Riddle (Democratic) 70.59%

R. A. Cox (Democratic) 20.93%

R. F. Patton (Republican) 8.48%

! TN's 5th congressional district
 * John M. Bright
 * | Democratic
 * 1870
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ John M. Bright (Democratic) 73.98%

Robert Galbraith (Republican) 26.02%

! TN's 6th congressional district
 * John F. House
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ John F. House (Democratic) 63.62%

William F. Prosser (Republican) 36.38%

! TN's 7th congressional district
 * Washington C. Whitthorne
 * | Democratic
 * 1870
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Washington C. Whitthorne (Democratic) 68.57%

D. B. Cliff (Republican) 21.11%

G. W. Blackburn (Independent Republican) 10.32%

! TN's 8th congressional district
 * John D. C. Atkins
 * | Democratic
 * 1872
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ John D. C. Atkins (Democratic) 61.78%

Samuel W. Hawkins (Republican) 38.22%

! TN's 9th congressional district
 * William P. Caldwell
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ William P. Caldwell (Democratic) 69.45%

H. B. Folk (Republican) 30.55%


 * }

West Virginia
! WV's 1st congressional district
 * Benjamin Wilson
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Benjamin Wilson (Democratic) 52.70%

G. F. Scott (Republican) 47.30%

! WV's 2nd congressional district
 * Charles J. Faulkner
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator. New member elected. Democratic hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Benjamin F. Martin (Democratic) 55.97%

Ward H. Lamon (Republican) 44.03%

! WV's 3rd congressional district
 * Frank Hereford
 * | Democratic
 * 1870
 * | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator. New member elected. Democratic hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ John E. Kenna (Democratic) 61.47%

Benjamin J. Redmund (Republican) 38.53%


 * }

Wisconsin
Wisconsin elected eight members of congress on Election Day, November 7, 1876.

! WI's 1st congressional district
 * Charles G. Williams
 * | Republican
 * 1872
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Charles G. Williams (Republican) 59.3%

H. G. Winslow (Democratic) 40.7%

! WI's 2nd congressional district
 * Lucien B. Caswell
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Lucien B. Caswell (Republican) 50.6%

Harlow S. Orton (Democratic) 49.4%

! WI's 3rd congressional district
 * Henry S. Magoon
 * | Republican
 * 1870
 * | Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap |

✅ George Cochrane Hazelton (Republican) 54.5%

Philo A. Orton Jr. (Democratic) 45.5%

! WI's 4th congressional district
 * William Pitt Lynde
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ William Pitt Lynde (Democratic) 59.6%

William E. Smith (Republican) 40.4%

! WI's 5th congressional district
 * Samuel D. Burchard
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Democratic hold.
 * nowrap |

✅ Edward S. Bragg (Democratic) 58.2%

George W. Carter (Republican) 41.8%

! WI's 6th congressional district
 * Alanson M. Kimball
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.
 * nowrap |

✅ Gabriel Bouck (Democratic) 53.6%

Alanson M. Kimball (Republican) 46.4%

! WI's 7th congressional district
 * Jeremiah McLain Rusk
 * | Republican
 * 1870
 * | Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap |

✅ Herman L. Humphrey (Republican) 58.6%

Martin R. Gage (Democratic) 37.4%

Reuben May (Ind. Greenback) 4.0%

! WI's 8th congressional district
 * George W. Cate
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap |

✅ Thaddeus C. Pound (Republican) 51.7%

George W. Cate (Democratic) 48.3%


 * }

Non-voting delegates
! Arizona Territory At-large

! Dakota Territory At-large
 * Jefferson P. Kidder
 * | Republican
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Jefferson P. Kidder (Republican)

! Idaho Territory At-large
 * Stephen S. Fenn
 * | Democratic
 * 1874
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Stephen S. Fenn (Democratic) 53.93%

John Clark (Republican) 46.07%

! Montana Territory At-large
 * Martin Maginnis
 * | Democratic
 * 1872
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap | ✅ Martin Maginnis (Democratic) 56.22%

E. D. Leavitt (Republican) 43.78%

! New Mexico Territory At-large

! Washington Territory At-large

! Wyoming Territory At-large
 * William R. Steele
 * | Democratic
 * 1872
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ William W. Corlett (Republican) 58.33%

William R. Steele (Democratic) 41.67%


 * }