United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 1874

frame|300px|right|South Carolina Congressional Districts, 1874 to 1876

The 1874 South Carolina United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 3, 1874 to select five Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. Two incumbents were re-elected, two open seats were retained by the Republicans, and the open seat in the 2nd congressional district was picked up by the Independent Republicans. The composition of the state delegation after the election was four Republicans and one Independent Republican.

1st Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Joseph Rainey of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1870, defeated Independent Republican Samuel Lee.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Joseph Rainey (incumbent)
votes = 14,360
percentage = 51.4
change = -48.6
-
bgcolor="#ff00ff"
Independent Republican
Samuel Lee
align="right" | 13,563
align="right" | 48.6
align="right" | +48.6
-Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 3
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 797
percentage = 2.8
change = -97.2Election box turnout
votes = 27,926
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Republican hold
-

2nd Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Alonzo J. Ransier of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1873, declined to run for re-election. Independent Republican Edmund William McGregor Mackey defeated Republican Charles W. Buttz in the general election.

General election results

-
bgcolor="#ff00ff"
Independent Republican
Edmund W.M. Mackey
align="right" | 16,746
align="right" | 54.1
align="right" | +29.5
-Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Charles W. Buttz
votes = 14,204
percentage = 45.9
change = -29.5Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 5
percentage = 0.0
change = 0.0Election box majority
votes = 2,542
percentage = 8.2
change = -42.6Election box turnout
votes = 30,955
percentage =
change =
bgcolor="#ff00ff"
colspan=5 |Independent Republican gain from Republican
-

3rd Congressional District Special Election

Incumbent Republican Congressman Robert B. Elliott of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1871, resigned in 1874 so that he could return to South Carolina and stem the massive corruption on the part of the state Republican Party. A special election was called to be held simultaneously with the regular election. Lewis C. Carpenter was nominated by the Republicans and was unopposed in the special election.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Lewis C. Carpenter
votes = 20,648
percentage = 99.6
change = +7.1Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 87
percentage = 0.4
change = -7.1Election box majority
votes = 20,561
percentage = 99.2
change = +11.6Election box turnout
votes = 20,735
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Republican hold
-

3rd Congressional District

Solomon L. Hoge was nominated by the Republicans for the regular election of the 3rd congressional district and he defeated Conservative challenger Samuel McGowan.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Solomon L. Hoge
votes = 16,431
percentage = 56.1
change = -43.5
-
bgcolor="#00FFFF"
Conservative
Samuel McGowan
align="right" | 12,873
align="right" | 43.9
align="right" | +43.9
-Election box majority
votes = 3,558
percentage = 12.2
change = -87.0Election box turnout
votes = 29,304
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Republican hold
-

4th Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Alexander S. Wallace of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1870, defeated Conservative challenger Joseph B. Kershaw.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Alexander S. Wallace (incumbent)
votes = 16,452
percentage = 53.2
change = +0.1
-
bgcolor="#00FFFF"
Conservative
Joseph B. Kershaw
align="right" | 14,455
align="right" | 46.8
align="right" | +46.8
-Election box majority
votes = 1,997
percentage = 6.4
change = +0.2Election box turnout
votes = 30,907
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Republican hold
-

5th Congressional District

Robert Smalls was nominated by the Republicans for the newly created 5th congressional district and he defeated Independent Republican J.P.M. Epping.

General election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Robert Smalls
votes = 17,752
percentage = 79.4
change = N/A
-
bgcolor="#ff00ff"
Independent Republican
J.P.M. Epping
align="right" | 4,461
align="right" | 19.9
align="right" | N/A
-Election box candidate
party = "No party"
candidate = Write-Ins
votes = 149
percentage = 0.7
change = N/AElection box majority
votes = 13,291
percentage = 59.5
change = N/AElection box turnout
votes = 22,362
percentage =
change =
colspan=5 |Republican gain
-

ee also

*United States House of Representatives elections, 1874
*South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1874
*South Carolina's congressional districts

References

*"Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." "Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina at the Regular Session, 1873-'74". Columbia, SC: Republican Printing Company, 1874, pp. 86-88.