1856 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

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1856 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
Flag of Massachusetts.svg
  1855 November 4, 1856 (1856-11-04) 1857  
  GovHenryJGardner.jpg Erasmus D. Beach.png 3x4.svg
Nominee Henry J. Gardner Erasmus BeachGeorge W. Gordon
Party Know Nothing Democratic Know Nothing
Alliance Republican
Popular vote92,46740,08210,385
Percentage58.92%25.54%6.62%

Governor before election

Henry J. Gardner
Know Nothing

Elected Governor

Henry J. Gardner
Know Nothing

The 1856 Massachusetts gubernatorial election on November 4. Incumbent Know-Nothing Governor Henry J. Gardner was re-elected to a third term. He benefited greatly from a deal with the state's new Republican Party, which agreed not to field a candidate in exchange for Gardner's support of presidential nominee John C. Frémont. With no serious challenger in the field against him, Gardner easily defeated Democrat Erasmus Beach and George W. Gordon, an American Party member running in support of the national ticket.

Contents

This was the last election in which the Whig Party participated.

Whig convention

Candidates

1856 Massachusetts Whig convention [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Whig Luther Vose Bell 215 56.58%
Whig Thomas Aspinwall 10427.37%
Whig Scattering6116.05%
Total votes380 100.00%

Know-Nothing convention

The American Party convention was held at Faneuil Hall, Boston, on July 24, 1856.

Candidates

1856 Massachusetts Know-Nothing convention [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Know Nothing Henry J. Gardner (incumbent) unanimous

General election

Candidates

Results

1856 Massachusetts gubernatorial election [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Know Nothing Henry J. Gardner (incumbent) 92,467 58.92% N/A
Democratic Erasmus D. Beach40,08225.54%Increase2.svg0.10
Independent George W. Gordon10,3856.62%N/A
Whig Luther Vose Bell 7,0754.51%Decrease2.svg5.23
Independent Republican Josiah Quincy Jr. 5,6253.59%N/A
ScatteringAll others1,2910.82%Increase2.svg0.63
Total votes136,488 100.00%
Know Nothing hold Swing

See also

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References

  1. "Massachusetts Politics.: THE WHIG STATE CONVENTION--FILLMORE INDORSED--CANDIDATES FOR STATE OFFICERS". The New York Times. September 4, 1856. p. 4. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  2. "Governor Gardner's Letter of Acceptance--His Indorsement of John C. Fremont". New York Times. New York, NY. July 30, 1856. p. 1. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  3. Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson: McFarland & Company. p. 119. ISBN   9780786414390.