1861 Vermont gubernatorial election

Election

← 1860

September 3, 1861 (1861-09-03)

1862 →


Nominee	Frederick Holbrook	Andrew Tracy	Benjamin H. Smalley
Party	Republican	Democratic	Peace Democrat
Popular vote	33,152	5,722	3,190
Percentage	77.5%	13.4%	7.5%

Governor before election

Erastus Fairbanks
Republican

Elected Governor

Frederick Holbrook
Republican

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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 issue of slavery during the American Civil War, Andrew Tracy, a former member of the United States House of Representatives, appeared on the ballot as a pro-Union Democrat.^[4] Benjamin H. Smalley was on the ballot as a "Peace Democrat," Democrats who favored a compromise with the states that had formed the Confederacy.^[5]

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

Results

1861 Vermont gubernatorial election^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frederick Holbrook	33,152	77.5%
	Democratic	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

^ "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.