1854 Vermont gubernatorial election

1854 Vermont gubernatorial election
	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

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

[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.

[Manual-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.

[Journal-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.

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