The 1872–73 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 4, 1872, and April 7, 1873. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 43rd United States Congress convened on December 1, 1873. They coincided with the re-election of United States President Ulysses S. Grant. The congressional reapportionment based on the 1870 United States census increased the number of House seats to 292.

Quick Facts All 292 seats in the United States House of Representatives 147 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1872–73 United States House of Representatives elections

← 1870 & 1871 November 5, 1872[lower-alpha 1] 1874 & 1875 →
All 292 seats in the United States House of Representatives 147 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader James G. Blaine Fernando Wood Party Republican Democratic Leader's seat Maine 3rd New York 10th Last election 138 seats 94 seats Seats won 199 84 Seat change 61 9 Popular vote 3,561,090 2,813,934 Percentage 51.40% 40.62% Swing 3.26% 2.77%   Third party Fourth party   Party Liberal Republican Conservative Last election 2 seats 10 seats Seats won 4 4 Seat change 2 6 Popular vote 274,693 126,329 Percentage 3.97% 1.82% Swing 3.07% 1.05%   Fifth party   Party Independent Last election 1 seat[lower-alpha 2] Seats won 1[lower-alpha 3] Seat change Popular vote 151,757 Percentage 2.19% Swing 0.45%
Map of U.S. House elections results from 1872 elections for 43rd Congress
Speaker before election James G. Blaine Republican Elected Speaker James G. Blaine Republican

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Grant's Republican Party increased its majority greatly, partly at the expense of the opposition Democratic Party and partly by adding 49 new seats to the House. The pro-industry outlook of the Republicans appealed to many Northern voters, especially as the post-war economy exploded, and this allowed the party to flourish as the Industrial Revolution grew more widespread. The Republicans also benefited from a continuing association with Civil War victory as well as disarray amongst Democratic leadership.

Following the 1870 census, the House was reapportioned, initially adding 40 seats,^[1] followed by a subsequent amendment to the apportionment act adding another seat to 9 states,^[2] resulting in a total increase of 49 seats. No states lost seats, 10 states had no change, 13 states gained 1 seat each, 9 states gained 2 seats, 3 states gained 3 seats, 1 State gained 4 seats, and 1 State gained 5 seats. Prior to the supplemental act, two states (New Hampshire and Vermont) had each lost 1 seat. This was the first reapportionment after the repeal of the three-fifths compromise by the 14th Amendment.

This would prove the last time until 1966 that a Republican won a House seat in Arkansas.^[3]

More information State, Type ...

State	Type	Total seats		Democratic		Republican
		Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change
Alabama	District + 2 at-large	8	2	2	1	6[lower-alpha 4]	3
Arkansas	District + at-large	4	1	0	1	4[lower-alpha 4]	2
California	District	4	1	1	1	3
Connecticut[lower-alpha 5]	District	4		1		3
Delaware	At-large	1		0	1	1	1
Florida	At-large	2	1	0		2	1
Georgia	District	9	2	7	3	2	1
Illinois	District	19	5	5	1	14	6
Indiana[lower-alpha 6]	District + 3 at-large	13	2	3	2	10	4
Iowa	District	9	3	0		9	3
Kansas	At-large	3	2	0		3	2
Kentucky	District	10	1	10	1	0
Louisiana	District + 1 at-large	6	1	0		6[lower-alpha 4]	1
Maine[lower-alpha 6]	District	5		0		5
Maryland	District	6	1	4	1	2	2
Massachusetts	District	11	1	0		11	1
Michigan	District	9	3	0	1	9	4
Minnesota	District	3	1	0		3	1
Mississippi	District	6	1	1	1	5
Missouri	District	13	4	9	5	4	1
Nebraska[lower-alpha 6]	At-large	1		0		1
Nevada	At-large	1		1		0
New Hampshire[lower-alpha 5]	District	3		1	2	2	2
New Jersey	District	7	2	1	1	6	3
New York	District + 1 at-large	33	2	9	7	24	9
North Carolina[lower-alpha 6]	District	8	1	5		3	1
Ohio[lower-alpha 6]	District	20	1	6	1	14[lower-alpha 4]
Oregon[lower-alpha 6]	At-large	1		0	1	1	1
Pennsylvania[lower-alpha 6]	District + 3 at-large	27	3	5	6	22	9
Rhode Island	District	2		0		2
South Carolina	District + 1 at-large	5	1	0		5	1
Tennessee	District + 1 at-large	10	2	3	3	7	5
Texas	District + 2 at-large	6	2	6	3	0	1
Vermont[lower-alpha 6]	District	3		0		3
Virginia	District	9	1	5		4	1
West Virginia[lower-alpha 6]	District	3		2[lower-alpha 3]		1
Wisconsin	District	8	2	2		6	2
Total		292	49	89[lower-alpha 3] 30.5%	13	203[lower-alpha 7] 69.5%	62 30.5%

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In 1845, Congress passed a law providing for a uniform nationwide date for choosing Presidential electors.^[4] 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 1872–73, there were still 9 states with earlier election dates, and 2 states with later election dates:

• Early elections (1872):
  • June 4 Oregon
  • August 1 North Carolina
  • August 27 West Virginia
  • September 3 Vermont
  • September 9 Maine
  • October 8 Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania
• Late elections (1873):
  • March 11, 1873 New Hampshire
  • April 7, 1873 Connecticut

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2019)

• Connecticut 1: 1872
• Georgia 8: 1873
• Louisiana 4: 1872
• Louisiana 4: 1873
• Massachusetts 3: 1873
• Oregon at-large: 1873
• Pennsylvania 13: 1872

A new seat was added, following the 1870 U.S. census, bringing the delegation up from three to four Representatives.

Florida gained a second seat after the 1870 census, but delayed districting until 1874, electing both Representatives at-large for this election.

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (December 2017)

In the newly formed at-large district, George A. Sheridan (Liberal Republican) beat P. B. S. Pinchback (Republican), the first black Governor of Louisiana.^[6] Pinchback challenged the election and it was settled in February 1875, in Sheridan's favor, only one month before the end of the Congress.

After redistricting and eleven retirements, only four of the nineteen incumbents were re-elected.

Wisconsin elected eight members of congress on Election Day, November 5, 1872. Two seats were newly added in reapportionment after the 1870 census.^[28][29]

• 1872 United States elections
  • 1872 United States presidential election
  • 1872–73 United States Senate elections
• 42nd United States Congress
• 43rd United States Congress