The 1880 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 2, 1880, with five states holding theirs early between June and October. They coincided with the 1880 presidential election which was won by James A. Garfield, who was a member of the House at the time. Elections were held for 293 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 38 states, to serve in the 47th United States Congress. This was the first time that every state held their regular House elections on or before Election Day. Special elections were also held throughout the year. Issues such as Civil War loyalties, tariffs, graft and corruption dominated the year's elections, though none became substantive a national issue. The economy was growing stronger after emerging from a long Depression. It was in this political environment that Garfield's Republican Party gained 19 seats and regained control of the House from the Democratic Party. The Greenback Party, an emerging party of workers and farmers, also lost seats in these elections, after gaining more than a dozen two years earlier. Election summaries Early election dates In 1845, Congress passed a law providing for a uniform nationwide date for choosing Presidential electors. 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 1880, no states held their elections after Election Day for the first time (California was the last state to hold late elections, in 1878). But 5 states, with 35 seats among them, held their elections before the rest of the states: June 1 Texas June 7 Oregon September 7 Vermont September 13 Maine October 12 Ohio Special elections 46th Congress |- ! | Alfred M. Lay | | Democratic | 1878 | | Incumbent died December 8, 1879.New member elected January 10, 1880.Democratic hold.Successor seated January 26, 1880.Successor later lost re-election to the next term, see below. | nowrap | |- ! | Ray V. Pierce | | Republican | 1878 | | Incumbent resigned September 18, 1880.New member elected November 2, 1880.Democratic gain.Successor seated December 6, 1880.Successor also elected to the next term, see below. | nowrap | |- ! | Burwell B. Lewis | | Democratic | 18741876 1878 | | Incumbent resigned October 1, 1880 to become President of the University of