1861 Vermont gubernatorial election

The 1861 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 3.^[1] In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Erastus Fairbanks, who had also served as governor from 1852 to 1853, was not a candidate for a third one-year term.^[2][3] The Republican nominee was Frederick Holbrook, a former member of the Vermont Senate.^[2] With the Democratic Party split nationally over the response to the American Civil War, Andrew Tracy, a former member of the United States House of Representatives, was nominated by the People's Union Convention, which drew support from War Democrats and conservative Republicans.^[4] Benjamin H. Smalley ran as a Peace Democrat, representing Democrats who favored a compromise with the states that had formed the Confederacy.^[5]

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1861 Vermont gubernatorial election

← 1860 September 3, 1861 (1861-09-03) 1862 â†’

Nominee Frederick Holbrook Andrew Tracy Benjamin H. Smalley Party Republican War Democrat Peace Democrat Popular vote 33,152 5,722 3,190 Percentage 77.5% 13.4% 7.5%

County results Holbrook:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

Governor before election Erastus Fairbanks Republican Elected Governor Frederick Holbrook Republican

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Vermont continued to oppose slavery and support the Union, which was reflected in its support of Republican candidates.^[2] Holbrook easily defeated both Democrats and won a one-year term that began on October 15.^[2][6] Illness confined Holbrook at home for most of October,^[7] and he delayed traveling to Montpelier to take his oath of office until October 22.^[8]