1864–65 United States House of Representatives elections explained

Election Name:	1864–65 United States House of Representatives elections
Country:	United States
Flag Year:	1863
Type:	legislative
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1862–63 United States House of Representatives elections
Next Election:	1866–67 United States House of Representatives elections
Majority Seats:	97
Election Date:	June 5, 1864 – November 7, 1865
Image1:	Schuyler Colfax portrait.jpg
Last Election1:	110 seats
Seats1:	150
Seat Change1:	40
Popular Vote1:	2,078,677
Percentage1:	53.47%
Swing1:	0.78%
Last Election2:	72 seats
Seats2:	33
Seat Change2:	39
Popular Vote2:	1,631,393
Percentage2:	41.97%
Swing2:	3.14%
Last Election4:	New party
Seats4:	5
Seat Change4:	5
Popular Vote4:	84,998
Percentage4:	2.19%
Swing4:	New party
Party Name:	no
Color5:	FF3333
Last Election5:	New party
Seats5:	4
Seat Change5:	4
Popular Vote5:	54,008
Percentage5:	1.39%
Swing5:	New party
Last Election7:	2 seats
Seats7:	1
Seat Change7:	1
Popular Vote7:	41,360
Percentage7:	1.06%
Swing7:	0.50%
After Party:	Republican

The 1864–65 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 5, 1864, and November 7, 1865, in the midst of the American Civil War and President Abraham Lincoln's reelection. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives. Members were elected before the first session of the 39th United States Congress convened on December 4, 1865, including the at-large seat from the new state of Nevada, and the 8 from Tennessee, the first secessionist state to be readmitted. The other 10 secessionist states had not yet been readmitted, and therefore were not seated.

The opposition Democrats were deeply divided between the Copperheads, a group that demanded an immediate negotiated settlement with the Confederate States of America, and the War Democrats, who supported the war. With the Democrats lacking any coherent message, they lost half their seats to Lincoln's Republican Party, who increased their majority to a commanding level.

The National Union Party (formerly known as the Unionists) lost seven seats, retaining control of 18 seats (some classify the Representatives as including 13 Unconditional Unionists and five Unionists), all from the border states of Maryland, Tennessee, and Kentucky, as well as West Virginia.

Election summaries

One new seat was added for the new State of Nevada and 8 vacancies were filled by the readmission of Tennessee, the first secessionist state to be readmitted. Three former Confederate States held elections in 1865 that were rejected by Congress.

↓

38	137	18
Democratic	Republican	Unionist

State	Type	data-sort-type "date" rowspan=2	Date	Total seats	Democratic	Republican	Unionist
			Seats			Change		Seats		Change		Seats		Change
Oregon	At-large	June 5, 1864	1		0	data-sort-value=0			1	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Vermont	District	September 6, 1864	3		0	data-sort-value=0			3	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Maine	District	September 11, 1864	5		0	data-sort-value=-1	1		5	data-sort-value=1	1		0	data-sort-value=0
Indiana	District	October 10, 1864	11		2	data-sort-value=-5	5		9	data-sort-value=5	5		0	data-sort-value=0
Nevada	At-large		1		0	data-sort-value=0			1	data-sort-value=1	1		0	data-sort-value=0
Ohio	District		19		2	data-sort-value=-12	12		17	data-sort-value=12	12		0	data-sort-value=0
Pennsylvania	District		24		8	data-sort-value=-4	4		16	data-sort-value=4	4		0	data-sort-value=0
West Virginia	District	October 22, 1864	3		0	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0			3	data-sort-value=0
California	District	November 8, 1864 (Election Day)	3		0	data-sort-value=0			3	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Delaware	At-large	1		1	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Illinois	District + 1 at-large	14		3	data-sort-value=-6	6		11	data-sort-value=6	6		0	data-sort-value=0
Iowa	District	6		0	data-sort-value=0			6	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Kansas	At-large	1		0	data-sort-value=0			1	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Maryland	District	5		2	data-sort-value=1	1		0	data-sort-value=0			3	data-sort-value=-1	1
Massachusetts	District	10		0	data-sort-value=0			10	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Michigan	District	6		0	data-sort-value=-1	1		6	data-sort-value=1	1		0	data-sort-value=0
Minnesota	District	2		0	data-sort-value=0			2	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Missouri	District	9		1	data-sort-value=1	1		8	data-sort-value=7	7		0	data-sort-value=-8	8
New Jersey	District	5		3	data-sort-value=-1	1		2	data-sort-value=1	1		0	data-sort-value=0
New York	District	31		10	data-sort-value=-7	7		21	data-sort-value=7	7		0	data-sort-value=0
Wisconsin	District	6		1	data-sort-value=-2	2		5	data-sort-value=2	2		0	data-sort-value=0
Late elections (after the March 4, 1865 beginning of the term)
New Hampshire	District	March 14, 1865	3		0	data-sort-value=-1	1		3	data-sort-value=1	1		0	data-sort-value=0
Connecticut	District	April 3, 1865	4		0	data-sort-value=-1	1		4	data-sort-value=1	1		0	data-sort-value=0
Tennessee	District	August 3, 1865	8		0	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0			8	data-sort-value=8	8
Rhode Island	District	April 5, 1865	2		0	data-sort-value=0			2	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Kentucky	District	August 7, 1865	9		5	data-sort-value=5	5		0	data-sort-value=0			4	data-sort-value=-5	5
Nevada	At-large	November 7, 1865	1		0	data-sort-value=0			1	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Secessionist states not yet readmitted
Alabama	District	November 6, 1865	6
Arkansas	District	October 9, 1865	3
Florida	At-large	November 29, 1865	1
Georgia	District	November 15, 1865	7
Louisiana	District	November 6, 1865	5
Mississippi	District	October 2, 1865	5
North Carolina	District	November 9, 1865	7
South Carolina	District	November 22, 1865	4
Texas	District	October 15, 1866	4
Virginia	District	October 12, 1865	8
Total			193		38		31		137		46		18	data-sort-value=-6	6

Of the rejected elections, Florida's and Mississippi's claimants' parties are unknown, while North Carolina elected 4 Union and 3 Conservative Representatives.

Special elections

See also: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives.

38th Congress

|-! | Owen Lovejoy| | 1856| | Incumbent died March 25, 1864.
New member elected May 19, 1864.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

• Ebon C. Ingersoll (Republican) 62.8%
• H. M. Wead (Democratic) 37.1%^[1]

|-! | Henry G. Stebbins| | 1862| | Incumbent resigned October 24, 1864.^[2]
New member elected November 8, 1864.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

• Dwight Townsend (Democratic) 54.9%
• Henry G. Stebbins (National Union) 45.1%^[3]

|}

39th Congress

|-! | Edwin H. Webster| | Unconditional Unionist| 1859| | Incumbent resigned July 1865.
New member elected November 7, 1865.
Unconditional Unionist hold.| nowrap |

• John L. Thomas Jr. (Unconditional Unionist) 83.2%
• William Kimmel (Democratic) 16.8%^[4]

|-! | Daniel W. Gooch| | National Union| 1858 | | Incumbent resigned September 1, 1865.
New member elected November 7, 1865.
National Union hold.| nowrap |

• Nathaniel P. Banks (National Union) 80.8%
• Thomas J. Greenwood (Democratic) 19.2%^[5]

|-! | Orlando Kellogg| | National Union| 1862| | Incumbent died August 24, 1865.
New member elected November 7, 1865.
National Union hold.| nowrap |

• Robert S. Hale (National Union) 54.5%
• Halsey R. Wing (Democratic) 45.5%^[6]

|}

Alabama

See also: List of United States representatives from Alabama.

Arizona Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Arkansas

See also: List of United States representatives from Arkansas.

California

Election Name:	California elections
Country:	California
Type:	legislative
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1863 United States House of Representatives election in California
Previous Year:	1863
Next Election:	1867 United States House of Representatives elections in California
Next Year:	1867
Seats For Election:	3 seats
Election Date:	November 8, 1864
Party1:	Republican Party (US)
Last Election1:	3
Seats1:	3
Popular Vote1:	62,039
Percentage1:	59.0%
Party2:	Democratic Party (US)
Last Election2:	0
Seats2:	0
Popular Vote2:	43,045
Percentage2:	41.0%
Map Size:	160px

See main article: 1864 United States House of Representatives elections in California.

See also: List of United States representatives from California.

Note: This was the first election in which California elected representatives from congressional districts.

|-!
| Cornelius Cole
.| | Republican| 1863| | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost renomination.
New member elected.| nowrap |

|-!
| William Higby
.| | Republican| 1863| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-!
| Thomas B. Shannon
.| | Republican| 1863| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|}

Colorado Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

Connecticut

See also: List of United States representatives from Connecticut.

Dakota Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

Delaware

See also: List of United States representatives from Delaware.

Florida

See also: List of United States representatives from Florida.

Georgia

See also: List of United States representatives from Georgia.

Idaho Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

Illinois

See also: List of United States representatives from Illinois.

Indiana

See also: List of United States representatives from Indiana.

Iowa

See also: List of United States representatives from Iowa.

Kansas

See also: List of United States representatives from Kansas.

Kentucky

See also: List of United States representatives from Kentucky.

Louisiana

See also: List of United States representatives from Louisiana.

Maine

See also: List of United States representatives from Maine.

Maryland

See also: List of United States representatives from Maryland.

Massachusetts

See also: List of United States representatives from Massachusetts and 1865 United States Senate election in Massachusetts.

|-! | Thomas D. Eliot| | National Union| 1858| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Oakes Ames| | National Union| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Alexander H. Rice| | National Union| 1858| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel Hooper| | National Union| 1861 (special)| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John B. Alley| | National Union| 1858| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Daniel W. Gooch| | National Union| 1858| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George S. Boutwell| | National Union| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | John D. Baldwin| | National Union| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William B. Washburn| | National Union| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Henry Laurens Dawes| | National Union| 1856| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Michigan

See also: List of United States representatives from Michigan.

Minnesota

See also: List of United States representatives from Minnesota.

Mississippi

See also: List of United States representatives from Mississippi.

Missouri

See also: List of United States representatives from Missouri.

Montana Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

Nebraska Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

Nevada

See also: List of United States representatives from Nevada.

38th Congress

On October 31, 1864, the new state of Nevada elected Republican Henry G. Worthington to finish the term ending March 3, 1865.

|-! | colspan=3 | New state| | New seat.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|}

39th Congress

Worthington was not renominated for the next term, however, and on November 7, 1865, Republican Delos R. Ashley was elected November 7, 1865 for the term that had already begun but would not formally meet until December 4, 1865.

|-! | Henry G. Worthington| | Republican| 1864 | | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|}

New Hampshire

See also: List of United States representatives from New Hampshire.

New Jersey

See also: List of United States representatives from New Jersey.

New Mexico Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

New York

See also: List of United States representatives from New York.

North Carolina

See also: List of United States representatives from North Carolina.

Ohio

See also: List of United States representatives from Ohio.

Ohio's delegation swung from 14–5 Democratic to 17-2 Republican as 10 Democratic incumbents lost renomination or re-election.

|-! | George H. Pendleton| | Democratic| 1856| | Incumbent retired to run for Vice President.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Alexander Long| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Robert C. Schenck| | Republican| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John F. McKinney| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Francis C. Le Blond| | Democratic| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Chilton A. White| | Democratic| 1860| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel S. Cox| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William Johnston| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Warren P. Noble| | Democratic| 1860| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James M. Ashley| | Republican| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Wells A. Hutchins| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William E. Finck| | Democratic| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John O'Neill| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | George Bliss| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James R. Morris| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph W. White| | Democratic| 1882| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Ephraim R. Eckley| | Republican| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Rufus P. Spalding| | Republican| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James A. Garfield| | Republican| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Oregon

See also: List of United States representatives from Oregon.

Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania.

Rhode Island

See also: List of United States representatives from Rhode Island.

South Carolina

See also: List of United States representatives from South Carolina.

Tennessee

See also: List of United States representatives from Tennessee.

Elections held late, on August 3, 1865.

|-! | rowspan=8 colspan=3 align="center" | None (vacant due to Civil War)| rowspan=8 align="center" |New members elected.
Unionist gain.| nowrap |

|-! | nowrap |

|-! | nowrap |

|-! | nowrap |

|-! | nowrap |

|-! |

|-! | nowrap |

|-! | nowrap |

|}

Texas

See also: List of United States representatives from Texas.

Utah Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

Vermont

See also: List of United States representatives from Vermont.

Virginia

See also: List of United States representatives from Virginia.

Washington Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

West Virginia

See also: List of United States representatives from West Virginia and 1865 United States Senate election in West Virginia.

|-! | Jacob B. Blair| | Unconditional
Unionist| 1863| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Unconditional Unionist hold.| nowrap |

|-! | William G. Brown Sr.| | Unconditional
Unionist| 1863| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Unconditional Unionist hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Kellian Whaley| | Unconditional
Unionist| 1863| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |}

Wisconsin

See also: List of United States representatives from Wisconsin. Wisconsin elected six members of congress on Election Day, November 8, 1864.^[7]

|-! | James S. Brown| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent withdrew from election.
New member elected.
National Union gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Ithamar Sloan| | Republican | 1862| | Incumbent won re-election on National Union ticket.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Amasa Cobb| | Republican | 1862| | Incumbent won re-election on National Union ticket.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles A. Eldredge| | Democratic| 1862| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Ezra Wheeler| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
National Union gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Walter D. McIndoe| | Republican | 1862 Special| | Incumbent won re-election on National Union ticket.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|}

Non-voting delegates

See also: Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives.

38th Congress

|-! | colspan=3 | New district| | New seat.
New delegate elected on an unknown date in 1864.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | colspan=3 | New district| | New seat.
New delegate elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|}

39th Congress

|-! | Charles Debrille Poston| | Republican| 1864| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected September 6, 1865.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Hiram Pitt Bennet| | Conservative Republican| 1861| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | John B. S. Todd| | Democratic| 1862| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William H. Wallace| | Unionist| 1860
1862
1863| | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost.
New delegate elected October 10, 1864.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel McLean| | Democratic| 1864| Incumbent re-elected to the term starting March 4, 1865.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel Gordon Daily| | Republican| 1860 | | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost.
New delegate elected on an unknown date.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-!

|-!

|-!

|}

See also

• 1864 United States elections
  • 1864 United States presidential election
  • 1864–65 United States Senate elections
• 38th United States Congress
• 39th United States Congress

Bibliography

• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997: The Official Results of the Elections of the 1st Through 105th Congresses . March 1, 1998 . McFarland and Company . 978-0786402830.
• Book: Martis, Kenneth C. . The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989 . January 1, 1989 . Macmillan Publishing Company . 978-0029201701.
• Book: Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections . 1994 . Congressional Quarterly Inc. . 978-0871879967 . Moore . John L. . Third.
• Book: Thompson . History of Nevada . West . Oakland, Cal., Thompson and West . 1881 . Oakland, California . . May 29, 2018.
• Web site: Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present . January 21, 2015 . Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives.

External links

• Office of the Historian (Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)
• Web site: Elections 1860 - 1869 . February 12, 2018 . JoinCalifornia / Election History for the State of California.

Notes and References

1. Web site: IL District 05 - Special Race - May 19, 1864 . Our Campaigns . March 10, 2010 . February 10, 2022 .
2. News: The Resignation of Hon. Henry G. Stebbins, M.C.. February 13, 2017. The New York Times. October 26, 1864.
3. Web site: NY District 1 - Special Election Race - Nov 08, 1864 . Our Campaigns . March 18, 2011 . February 10, 2022 .
4. Web site: MD District 2 Race - Nov 07, 1865 . Our Campaigns . March 9, 2004 . February 10, 2022 .
5. Web site: MA District 6 - Special Election Race - Nov 07, 1865 . Our Campaigns . January 26, 2011 . February 10, 2022 .
6. Web site: NY District 16 - Special Election - Nov 07, 1865 . Our Campaigns . May 11, 2011 . February 10, 2022 .
7. Web site: Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120405132933/http://www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg/research/election_data_archive/pdf/WI_US_House_Election_Results.pdf . April 5, 2012 . August 27, 2014 . Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.