1851 Rhode Island gubernatorial election

Last updated

1851 Rhode Island gubernatorial election
Flag of the United States (1851-1858).svg
  1850 2 April 1851 1852  
  Philip Allen (politician).jpg No image.svg Edward Harris Woonsocket businessman.jpg
Nominee Philip Allen Josiah Chapin Edward Harris
Party Democratic Whig Free Soil
Popular vote6,9356,106184
Percentage52.37%46.11%1.39%

1851 Rhode Island gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Allen:      50–60%
Chapin:      50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Henry B. Anthony
Whig

Elected Governor

Philip Allen
Democratic

The 1851 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on 2 April 1851 in order to elect the governor of Rhode Island. Democratic nominee and former member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives Philip Allen defeated Whig nominee Josiah Chapin and Free Soil nominee Edward Harris. [1]

Contents

General election

Incumbent Whig governor Henry B. Anthony declined to seek re-election to a third term, so his party instead nominated Josiah Chapin in order to keep the office of governor under Whig control. Meanwhile Free Soil candidate Edward Harris was nominated for a third consecutive time after his election losses during the 1849 and 1850 Rhode Island gubernatorial election. On election day, 2 April 1851, democratic nominee Philip Allen won the election by a margin of 829 votes against his foremost opponent Josiah Chapin. Allen was sworn in as the 22nd governor of Rhode Island on 6 May 1851. [2]

Results

Rhode Island gubernatorial election, 1851
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Philip Allen 6,935 52.37
Whig Josiah Chapin 6,10646.11
Free Soil Edward Harris 1841.39
Scattering 170.13
Total votes13,242 100.00
Democratic gain from Whig

References

  1. National biographical publishing Company (1881). The Biographical Cyclopedia of Representative Men of Rhode Island, Page 1, Issue 281. National biographical publishing Company. p. 218.
  2. "RI Governor". ourcampaigns.com. June 6, 2005. Retrieved May 10, 2023.