1862 United States elections
| ← 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 → Midterm elections | |
| Incumbent president | Abraham Lincoln (Republican) |
|---|---|
| Next Congress | 38th |
| Senate elections | |
| Overall control | Republican-Union hold |
| Seats contested | 22 of 48 seats[1] |
| Net seat change | Republican-Union +1[2] |
| House elections | |
| Overall control | Republican-Union hold |
| Seats contested | All 151 of 183 voting seats |
| Net seat change | Democratic +29[2] |
 | |
| Results Democratic gain Union gain Republican gain Democratic hold Union hold Republican hold Emancipation gain Conservative Union gain Independent gain | |
Elections occurred in the middle of Republican President Abraham Lincoln's first term, during the Third Party System and the Civil War. Members of the 38th United States Congress were chosen in this election. West Virginia and Nevada joined the union during the 38th Congress, but several states were in rebellion, reducing the size of both chambers of Congress. The Republican-Union coalition kept control of Congress, although it was reduced to a plurality in the House.
In the House, Democrats won several seats, ending the Republican majority. Republican-Unionists won a plurality of seats, while several seats were occupied by Unionists.[3] Republican–Unionist Schuyler Colfax won election as Speaker of the House.
In the Senate, Republican–Unionists picked up a small number of seats, retaining a commanding majority.[4]
See also
[edit]- 1862–63 United States House of Representatives elections
- 1862–63 United States Senate elections
- Unconditional Union Party
- Unionist politician (American Civil War)
References
[edit]- ^ Not counting special elections.
- ^ a b Congressional seat gain figures only reflect the results of the regularly-scheduled elections, and do not take special elections into account.
- ^ "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
- ^ "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". United States Senate. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
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