The 1861 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 3.[1] In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Erastus Fairbanks, who had also served as governor from 1852 to 1853, was not a candidate for a third one-year term.[2][3] The Republican nominee was Frederick Holbrook, a former member of the Vermont Senate.[2] With the Democratic Party split nationally over the response to the American Civil War, Andrew Tracy, a former member of the United States House of Representatives, was nominated by the Union Party, which drew support from War Democrats and conservative Republicans.[4] Benjamin H. Smalley ran as a Peace Democrat, representing Democrats who favored a compromise with the states that had formed the Confederacy.[5]
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 County results Holbrook: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Vermont continued to oppose slavery and support the Union, which was reflected in its support of Republican candidates.[2] Holbrook easily defeated both Democrats and won a one-year term that began on October 15.[2][6] Illness confined Holbrook at home for most of October,[7] and he delayed traveling to Montpelier to take his oath of office until October 22.[8]
General election
editResults
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Frederick Holbrook | 33,152 | 77.5% | ||
| National Union | Andrew Tracy | 5,722 | 13.4% | ||
| Peace Democrat | Benjamin H. Smalley | 3,190 | 7.5% | ||
| Scattering | 732 | 1.6% | |||
| Total votes | '42,796' | '100' | |||
References
edit- ^ "State Election". The Vermonter. Vergennes, VT. August 30, 1861. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e Armstrong, Howard E. (1955). Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. p. 274 – via Google Books.
- ^ Hand, Samuel B. (2003). "Mountain Rule Revisited" (PDF). Vermont History. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Historical Society. pp. 140, 143.
- ^ "The Union People's Convention". The Daily Journal. Montpelier, VT. August 22, 1861. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Dell, Christopher (1975). Lincoln and the War Democrats: The Grand Erosion of Conservative Tradition. Teaneck, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. p. 109. ISBN 978-0-8386-1466-2 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Legislative Proceedings: The House, October 15". The Weekly Times. Burlington, VT. October 19, 1861. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Walton; E. P., eds. (October 18, 1861). "Who Will Be Governor?". Watchman & State Journal. Montpelier, VT. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Howard, S. Jr., ed. (October 25, 1861). "Gov. Holbrook Took the Oath of Office on Tuesday". Lamoille Newsdealer. Hyde Park, VT. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.