Elections and Terms of Office During the Civil War Period for Ohio and U.S. Offices

Daniel H. Reigle

Originally published in Ohio Civil War Genealogy Journal, Volume X, 2006, Issue 2

©Daniel H. Reigle 2006

Background: Election schedules and terms of offices at the Federal and State level have changed in various ways since the Civil War period, such as the direct election of US Senators.  In my reading of Civil War history, I have often been confused by the timing of Congressional elections, or by the different dates for State elections and Federal elections, or by the timing of Congressional sessions.  The general information and the table below are my attempt to understand how elections and terms of office worked at that time, and to specify the dates during the Civil War at which these specific events took place.  I will welcome comments or corrections from readers.

General:

Elections for Governor and the Ohio General Assembly were held on the second Tuesday of October in odd-numbered years (1859, 1861, 1863) under the provisions of the 1851 Constitution.  Two-year terms of office for the General Assembly began on the first Monday of January following election, and the Governor’s two-year term began on the second Monday in January.  County officers were elected on the same election day, but for three-year terms of office (e.g. Treasurer, Sheriff, Coroner, Probate Judge, Clerk of the Court, County Commissioners, Prosecuting Attorney, and Infirmary Director in Athens County).
Elections for Presidential Electors were held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November in 1860 and 1864.  The Electoral College’s voting in the state and counting of the votes in Congress occurred in December and January.  Inauguration was on March 4th for the four-year term of office.
Elections for U.S. Representatives from Ohio were held on the second Tuesday of October in 1858, 1860, 1862, and 1864.  The two-year term of office began on the following March 4th.  Sessions of Congress began nine months later on the first Monday in the following December, so that a newly-elected Representative did not attend a session of Congress until a year after being elected.  Ohio had 21 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 36th and 37th Congresses (elected in 1858 and 1860), but was reduced to 19 seats by reapportionment after the 1860 Census for the 38th and 39th Congresses elected in 1862 and 1864.
U.S. Senators were elected by the Ohio General Assembly. The six-year term of office began on March 4th of 1861 or 1863, depending on the specific seat.  (The term of office of one-third of the U.S. Senate expires each two years.)

References:

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