# 1870 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

Elections in South Carolina :
Federal government
U.S. President
1788-89
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
Rep
Dem
2004
Dem
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
Rep
2016
Dem
2020
Dem
2024
Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate
1897
sp 1898
1902
1903
1907
1908
1909
1913
1914
1918
sp 1918
1920
1924
1926
1930
1932
1936
1938
sp 1941
1942
1944
1948
1950
1954
1956
1960
1962
1966
sp 1966
1968
1972
1974
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
sp 2014
2016
2020
2022
2026
2028
U.S. House of Representatives
1788
1790
1793
1794
1796
1798
1800
1803
1804
1806
1808
1810
1812
1814
1816
1818
1820
1823
1824
1826
1828
1830
1833
1834
1836
1838
1840
1843
1844
1846
1848
1850
1853
1854
1856
1858
1860
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
7th 1901
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
4th 1915
1916
1918
6th 1919
7th 1919
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
4th 1953
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1st 1971
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2nd 2001
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
1st 2013
2014
2016
5th 2017
2018
2020
2022
2024
List of specials :
State offices
General elections
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1865
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1930
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
State Senate elections
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
State House elections
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2006
Amendment 1
2008
2010
2012
2014 :
Charleston
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Columbia
Mayoral elections
2005
2009
2010
2013
2017
2021 :
Rock Hill
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Greenville
Mayoral elections
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
vte :
The 1870 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 1, 1870, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The fifth and sixth seats were decided by an at-large election, but the House of Representatives refused to seat the two winners. The two incumbents who ran were re-elected and the two open seats were retained by the Republicans. The composition of the state delegation thus remained solely Republican.

## 1st congressional district special election

The seat for the 1st congressional district became vacant following the resignation of Republican Benjamin F. Whittemore in February 1870. A special election was called to be held simultaneously with the regular election and Republican Joseph Rainey defeated Democrat C.W. Dudley to serve the remainder of the term for the 41st Congress.

### General election results

South Carolina's 1st congressional district special election results, 1870 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Joseph Rainey | 20,385 | 86.5 | |
| | Democratic | C.W. Dudley | 3,192 | 13.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,193 | 73.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,577 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## 1st congressional district

Republican Joseph Rainey defeated Democrat C.W. Dudley in the regular election for the 1st congressional district to win the term for the 42nd Congress.

### General election results

South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1870 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Joseph Rainey | 20,221 | 63.5 | −23.0 |
| | Democratic | C.W. Dudley | 11,628 | 36.5 | +23.0 |
| | No party | Write-Ins | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,593 | 27.0 | −46.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,858 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## 2nd congressional district

Incumbent Republican Congressman Christopher C. Bowen of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1868, was defeated by black Republican Robert C. De Large in the general election.

### General election results

South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1870 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Robert C. De Large | 16,686 | 49.6 | |
| | Republican | Christopher C. Bowen (incumbent) | 15,700 | 46.7 | |
| | Union Reform | Robert Seymour Symmes Tharin | 862 | 2.6 | |
| | No party | Write-Ins | 364 | 1.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 986 | 2.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,612 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## 3rd congressional district

Incumbent Republican Congressman Solomon L. Hoge of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1869, declined to run for re-election. Robert B. Elliott was nominated by the Republicans and defeated Union Reform challenger John E. Bacon in the general election.

### General election results

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1870 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Robert B. Elliott | 20,564 | 59.5 | |
| | Union Reform | John E. Bacon | 13,997 | 40.5 | |
| | No party | Write-Ins | 4 | 0.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,567 | 19.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,565 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## 4th congressional district

Incumbent Republican Congressman Alexander S. Wallace of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1870, defeated Democratic challenger Isaac G. McKissick.

### General election results

South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1870 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Alexander S. Wallace (incumbent) | 16,747 | 55.3 | |
| | Democratic | Isaac G. McKissick | 13,442 | 44.4 | |
| | No party | Write-Ins | 106 | 0.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,305 | 10.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,295 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## At-large district

The state believed that it was entitled to two additional seats in the House of Representatives and elected these members from an At-large congressional district. The voters voted for two candidates and the top two vote getters would be sent to Washington, but there were only two candidates running in the at-large election. White Republican J. P. M. Epping and black Republican Lucius Wimbush won the election, but the House of Representatives refused to seat them.

### General election results

South Carolina's at-large congressional district election results, 1870 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Johann Peter Martin Epping | 71,321 | 50.0 | |
| | Republican | Lucius Wimbush | 71,262 | 50.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 142,583 | | |
| | Republican win | Republican win | Republican win | Republican win | Republican win |