1854 Vermont gubernatorial election

1854 Vermont gubernatorial election

←  1853 September 5, 1854 (1854-09-05) 1855  →

Nominee Stephen Royce Merritt Clark Party Whig Democratic Alliance Republican Popular vote 27,926 15,084 Percentage 62.6% 33.8%

County results Royce:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Governor before election John S. Robinson Democratic Elected Governor Stephen Royce Whig

The 1854 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont took place on September 5. ^[1] The Whig nominee was Stephen Royce, former Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. ^[2] The Democratic nominee was Merritt Clark, ^[3] and Lawrence Brainerd ran as the nominee of the Free Soil Party ^[4] even as he was one of the organizers of the new anti-slavery Republican Party ^[5] and appeared as a Whig candidate for the Vermont Senate on the ballot in Franklin County. ^[6] Whig William C. Kittredge was nominated for governor against his wishes by advocates of the Temperance movement ^[7] and Democrat Horatio Needham also attracted the support of some Free Soil advocates. ^[4]

With the Whig Party splintering nationally over the slavery issue, the Republican Party was formed as the main abolitionist party, and Royce was endorsed by the new organization. ^[8] In the September voting, Free Soil advocates, Republicans, and anti-slavery Whigs largely backed Royce, who was easily elected with 62.6 percent to 33.9 for Clark and 1.4 for Brainerd. ^[9] Kittredge, Needham, William R. Shafter, and other write-in candidates all received less than one percent each. ^[9] Royce took the oath of office and began a one-year term on October 12. ^[10]

General election

Results

1854 Vermont gubernatorial election ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Whig	Stephen Royce	27,926	62.6%
	Democratic	Merritt Clark	15,084	33.8%
	Free Soil	Lawrence Brainerd	619	1.4%
	Free Soil	Horatio Needham	302	0.7%
	Whig	William C. Kittredge	293	0.7%
		William R. Shafter	255	0.5%
	Write-in	Other	135	0.3%
Total votes			'44,614'	'100'

References

1. Walton, Eliakim Persons, ed. (September 1, 1854). "Election September 5". Vermont Watchman & State Journal. Montpelier, VT. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Whig State Ticket: For Governor, Stephen Royce of Berkshire". The Brattleboro Eagle. Brattleboro, VT. September 1, 1854. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Nominations of the Democratic State Convention". The Burlington Weekly Sentinel. Burlington, VT. June 22, 1854. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Armstrong, Howard E. (1955). Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. p. 273 – via Google Books.
5. Walton, E. P. Jr., ed. (August 11, 1854). "State Ticket --- All Right!". Vermont Watchman & State Journal. Montpelier, VT. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Franklin County Convention". St. Albans Messenger . St. Albans, VT. July 20, 1854. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "A Rebuke". Vermont Journal. Windsor, VT. September 8, 1854. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Thompson, Daniel P., ed. (August 17, 1854). "Republican State Ticket: For Governor, Stephen Royce". The Freeman. Montpelier, VT. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Vermont House of Representatives (1855). Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Vermont. Montpelier, VT: E. P. Walton, Jr. p. 484 – via Google Books.
10. "Editorial Correspondence No. 1". The Burlington Free Press . Burlington, VT. October 14, 1854. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.