1863 Mississippi gubernatorial election

1863 Mississippi gubernatorial election

←  1861 October 5, 1863 1865  →

Nominee Charles Clark Absolom M. West Reuben Davis Party Democratic Democratic Democratic Popular vote 16,428 4,863 2,009 Percentage 70.5% 20.9% 8.6%

County results Clark:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% West:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%      No vote     Unknown

Governor before election John J. Pettus Democratic Elected Governor Benjamin G. Humphreys Democratic

The 1863Mississippi gubernatorial election was held on October 5, 1863, to elect the governor of Mississippi. Charles Clark, a Democrat, won against Democrat A. M. West and Fire-Eater Democrat Reuben Davis. ^[1]

General election

The elections of 1863 in Mississippi marked a shift towards peace during the American Civil War, as Governor Pettus, a fire-eating secessionist, became ineligible for a consecutive third term. Reuben Davis, an outspoken prowar Democrat and Pettus's political ally, was expected to succeed him but faced opposition from Charles Clark, a Delta Whig-turned-Democrat and war supporter. ^{[2] [3]} Clark, a veteran of the War with Mexico, had opposed secession in the 1850s but rose to the rank of brigadier general in the state and Confederate armies. ^[2] Another candidate, Absalom West, a Democrat of "Whiggish bent" who had been a Unionist before the war, represented the peace movement. ^{[1] [2] [3]} While Davis was an initial favorite, he lost his popularity from a failed military campaign in Kentucky in 1861 and criticizing Confederate war policy. ^[4]

Despite being on crutches due to war wounds, Clark won the gubernatorial election, signaling a victory for conservatives turning away from earlier fire-eater ideologies. The election results were seen as indicative of a growing desire for peace in the midst of the Civil War. ^[2] However, compared to earlier elections, turnout rates dropped as the 1863 campaign was considered "unlively." ^[4]

Results

Mississippi gubernatorial election, 1863 ^{[1] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Charles Clark	16,428	70.5%
	Democratic	Absolom M. West	4,863	20.9%
	Democratic	Reuben Davis	2,009	8.6%
Total votes			23,300 [a]	100.00
	Democratic hold

Notes

1. The official returns totaled 16,737, as several counties were rejected by the secretary of state; however, the legislature listed them without comment. ^[5]

References

1. Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Westport, CT: Meckler Books. pp. 168–169.
2. Busbee, Westley F. (2015). Mississippi: A History (1st ed.). John Wiley and Sons. pp. 201–202.
3. Yearns, W. Buck (2010). The Confederate Governors. University of Georgia Press. p. 127. ISBN   9780820335575.
4. Wade, John Coleman Jr., "Charles Clark: Confederate General and Mississippi Governor" (1949). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1973.
5. Dublin, Michael J. (2010). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County (1st ed.). McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers. p. 322. ISBN   9780786456468.