1866 United States elections Incumbent president Andrew Johnson (Democratic )[1] Next Congress 40th Overall control Republican hold Seats contested 25 of 66 seats[2] Net seat change Republican +2[3] Overall control Republican hold Seats contested All 224 voting seats Net seat change Republican +23[3] 1866 House of Representatives election results
Democratic seat
Republican seat
Independent seat
The 1866 United States elections occurred in the middle of National Union /Democratic President Andrew Johnson 's term, during the Third Party System and Reconstruction . Johnson had become president on April 15, 1865, upon the death of his predecessor, Abraham Lincoln . Members of the 40th United States Congress were chosen in this election. As this was the first election after the Civil War , many ex-Confederates were barred from voting, and several Southern states did not take part in the election. Delegations from Arkansas , Florida , Alabama , North Carolina , Louisiana , and South Carolina were re-admitted during the 40th Congress.
President Andrew Johnson held a National Union Convention in hopes of rallying supporters against the Radical Republicans . However, the Republican Party maintained a dominant majority in both houses of Congress, and ultimately impeached Johnson in 1868.
In the House , both parties picked up several seats, but Republicans retained a majority.[4]
In the Senate , Republicans won massive gains and increased their already-dominant majority, while Democrats suffered slight losses.[5]
See also
References
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Elections
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U.S. Senate U.S. House Gubernatorial U.S. elections
Key events
Prelude 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 Aftermath
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