1861 Rhode Island gubernatorial election
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A gubernatorial election was held in Rhode Island on April 3, 1861. The incumbent Constitutional Union governor William Sprague IV defeated the Republican mayor of Providence James Y. Smith.[1]
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April 3, 1861
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 County results Sprague: 50â60% Smith: 50â60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Sprague won the 1860 election leading a coalition of Conservative Republicans, former Whigs, and Democrats that formed to oppose the Radical Republican gubernatorial candidate, Seth Padelford.[2] Following the election, his supporters coalesced in the Constitutional Union Party.[3] In concurrent elections for the United States House of Representatives, the Constitutional Union candidates defeated the Republican candidates in both Rhode Island congressional districts.[4]
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constitutional Union | William Sprague IV (incumbent) | 12,005 | 53.76 | |
| Republican | James Y. Smith | 10,326 | 46.25 | |
| Total votes | 22,331 | 100.00 | ||
| Constitutional Union hold | ||||