The 1882 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 7, 1882, with five states holding theirs early between June and October. They occurred during President Chester A. Arthur's term. Elections were held for 325 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 38 states, to serve in the 48th United States Congress. They were the first elections after reapportionment following the 1880 United States census, increasing the size of the House. Special elections were also held throughout the year.
Arthur's Republican Party was badly defeated, losing its majority to the opposition Democratic Party after a campaign that focused on the resistance of Republican leaders to reforming the spoils system under which government jobs were handed to supporters of winning candidates. After the election, Arthur agreed with the Democrats to pass the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, establishing a professional civil service. However, his actions were too late, as the image of the Republican Party as corrupt was already engrained in the minds of voters.
This would nonetheless be the last occasion a Republican was elected to the House from Florida until 1954, for the disenfrachisement of almost all blacks in the 1890s would leave that state completely devoid of Republican support until the “Hoovercrat” bolt against Al Smith. This election also saw the decline of the propaper money Greenback Party, and the pick up of several Virginian seats by the Readjuster Party which promoted fiscal responsibility and shunned elitism, though the Virginia-based Readjuster Party all but disappeared following this election and fused with the state Republican Party.
Election summaries Following the 1880 census, 32 new seats were apportioned. Three States lost 1 seat each, 13 States had no change in apportionment, 14 States gained 1 seat each, 6 States gained 2 seats, 1 State gained 4 seats, and 1 State gained 5 seats. Several States that gained one or more seats did not redistrict immediately, electing the new members at-large, while one state (Maine) which lost a member also delayed redistricting, electing all of its members at-large for this Congress only.
+ ↓ 196 12 117 Democratic Republican
State Type Totalseats Democratic Republican Others Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Alabama District 8 7 1 1 0 Arkansas District+ at-large 5 1 5 1 0 0 California District+ 2 at-large 6 2 6 4 0 2 0 Colorado At-large 1 0 1 0 Connecticut District 4 3 2 1 2 0 Delaware At-large 1 1 0 0 Florida District 2 1 1 0 Georgia District+ at-large 10 1 10 1 0 0 Illinois District 20 1 9 3 11 2 0 Indiana District 13 10 5 3 5 0 Iowa District 11 2 3 2 7 1 1 1 Kansas District+ 4 at-large 7 4 0 7 4 0 Kentucky District 11 1 9 2 1 0 Louisiana District 6 5 1 0 Maine At-large 4 1 0 4 1 0 2 Maryland District 6 4 1 2 1 0 Massachusetts District 12 1 3 2 9 1 0 Michigan District 11 2 6 6 5 4 0 Minnesota District 5 2 0 5 2 0 Mississippi District 7 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 Missouri District 14 1 14 6 0 1 0 4 Nebraska District 3 2 0 3 2 0 Nevada At-large 1 1 0 0 New Hampshire District 2 1 0 2 1 0 New Jersey District 7 3 4 0 New York District+ at-large 34 1 21 1 13 1 0 1 North Carolina District+ at-large 9 1 7 2 1 0 Ohio District 21 1 15 10 6 9 0 Oregon At-large 1 0 1 0 Pennsylvania District+ at-large 28 1 12 5 15 3 1 1 Rhode Island District 2 0 2 0 South Carolina District 7 2 6 1 1 1 0 Tennessee District 10 8 1 2 1 0 Texas District 11 5 10 5 0 1 Vermont District 2 1 0 2 1 0 Virginia District+ at-large 10 1 6 1 0 2 West Virginia District 4 1 3 1 1 0 Wisconsin District 9 1 6 4 3 3 0 Total 325 32 199 59 118 26 8 2 There were 8 members elected from third parties, 4 from the Virginia-based Readjuster Party, 2 from the declining Greenback Party, and 2 Independents. The previous election of 1880 had had 10 Greenbacks and 1 Independent.
Early election dates Five states, with 39 seats among them, held elections before the others:
June 5, 1882: Oregon September 5, 1882: Vermont September 8, 1882: Maine October 10, 1882: Iowa and Ohio
Special elections There were four special elections in 1882 during the 47th United States Congress.
Elections are listed by date and district.
! | Thomas Allen | | Democratic | 1880 | | Incumbent died April 8, 1882.New member elected November 7, 1882 and seated December 15, 1882.Republican gain.Winner lost election to the next term in the ; see below. | nowrap |
! | Robert M. A. Hawk | | Republican | 1878 | | Incumbent died June 29, 1882.New member elected November 7, 1882 and seated December 4, 1882.Republican hold. | nowrap |
! | George Q. Cannon | | Republican | 1872 | | Incumbent disqualified on account of polygamy.New delegate elected November 7, 1882 and seated December 4, 1882.Democratic gain.Winner also elected to the next term; see below. | nowrap |
! | Alexander H. Stephens | | Democratic | 18421859 1872 | | Incumbent resigned November 4, 1882 to become Governor of Georgia.New member elected November 8, 1882 and seated December 4, 1882.Democratic hold.Winner also elected to the next term. | nowrap |
Alabama
! | Thomas H. Herndon | | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Hilary A. Herbert | | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | William C. Oates | | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! rowspan=2 | | rowspan=2 colspan=3 | Vacant | | Charles M. Shelley (D) resigned July 20, 1882 after election contest.Democratic hold. | nowrap | |- | | Election successfully contested.New member seated January 9, 1885.Republican gain. | nowrap |
! | Thomas Williams | | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Goldsmith W. Hewitt | | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | William H. Forney | | 1874 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | colspan=3 | Vacant | | Rep. William M. Lowe (G) died October 12, 1882.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
Arkansas
! | Poindexter Dunn | | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | James K. Jones | | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Jordan E. Cravens | | 1876 | | Incumbent lost renomination.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | Thomas M. Gunter | | 1872 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | colspan=3 | None (new seat) | | New seat.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
California
! | William Rosecrans | | Democratic | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Horace F. Page | | Republican | 1872 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | Campbell P. Berry | | Democratic | 1879 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | Romualdo Pacheco | | Republican | 1876 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! rowspan=2 | | colspan=3 | None (new seat) | | New seat.Democratic gain. | rowspan=2 nowrap |
| colspan=3 | None (new seat) | | New seat.Democratic gain.
Colorado
! | James B. Belford | | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Connecticut
! | John R. Buck | | 1880 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | James Phelps | | 1875 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | John T. Wait | | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Frederick Miles | | 1878 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
Delaware
! | Edward L. Martin | | 1878 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
Florida
! | Robert H. M. Davidson | | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Horatio Bisbee Jr. | | Republican | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Georgia
! | George R. Black | | Democratic | 1880 | | Incumbent lost renominationDemocratic hold. | nowrap |
! | Henry G. Turner | | Democratic | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Philip Cook | | Democratic | 1872 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | Hugh Buchanan | | Democratic | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Nathaniel J. Hammond | | Democratic | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | James H. Blount | | Democratic | 1872 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Judson C. Clements | | Democratic | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | colspan=3 | Vacant | | Incumbent resigned November 4, 1882 after becoming Governor.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | Emory Speer | | Independent Democratic | 1878 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | colspan=3 | None (new seat) | | New seat.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
Illinois
! | William Aldrich | | Republican | 1876 | | Incumbent retired.Republican hold. | nowrap |
! | colspan=3 | None (new seat) | | New seat.Ind. Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | George R. Davis | | Republican | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Charles B. Farwell | | Republican | 1880 | | Incumbent retired.Republican hold. | nowrap |
! | John C. Sherwin | | Republican | 1878 | | Incumbent lost renomination.Republican hold. | nowrap |
! | Robert R. Hitt | | Republican | 1882 Special | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Thomas J. Henderson | | Republican | 1874 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | William Cullen | | Republican | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Lewis E. Payson | | Republican | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | John H. Lewis | | Republican | 1880 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | Benjamin F. Marsh | | Republican | 1876 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | James W. Singleton | | Democratic | 1878 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! rowspan=2 nowrap | | William M. Springer | | Democratic | 1874 | Incumbent re-elected. | rowspan=2 nowrap | |- | Dietrich C. Smith | | Republican | 1878 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Republican loss.
! | colspan=3 | None (new seat) | | New Seat.Republican gain. | nowrap |
! | Joseph G. Cannon | | Republican | 1872 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | colspan=3 | None (new seat) | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | Samuel W. Moulton | | Democratic | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | William Ralls Morrison | | Democratic | 1872 |Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! rowspan=2 nowrap | | Richard W. Townshend | | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected. | rowspan=2 nowrap | |- | William A. J. Sparks | | Democratic | 1874 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic loss.
! | John R. Thomas | | Republican | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Indiana
! | William Heilman | | Republican | 1878 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | Thomas R. Cobb | | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Strother M. Stockslager | | Democratic | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | William S. Holman | | Democratic | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Courtland C. Matson | | Democratic | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Thomas M. Browne | | Republican | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! rowspan=2 | | rowspan=2 | Stanton J. Peelle | rowspan=2 | Republican | rowspan=2 | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |- | | Election successfully contested.New member seated May 22, 1884.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | Robert B. F. Peirce | | Republican | 1880 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
! | Godlove S. Orth | | Republican | 1878 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | Mark L. De Motte | | Republican | 1880 | | Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | George Washington Steele | | Republican | 1880 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Walpole G. Colerick | | Democratic | 1878 | | Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
! | William H. Calkins | | Republican | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Iowa
! | Moses A. McCoid | | Republican | 1878 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
! | Sewall S. Farwell | | Republican | 1880