1863 Rhode Island gubernatorial election
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A gubernatorial election was held in Rhode Island on April 2, 1863. The Republican former mayor of Providence James Y. Smith defeated the Democratic incumbent governor William C. Cozzens.[1]
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April 2, 1863
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 County results Smith: 50â60% 60â70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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William Sprague IV won the 1860 Rhode Island gubernatorial election leading a coalition of Conservative Republicans, former Whigs, and Democrats.[2] Following the election, Sprague's supporters coalesced in the Constitutional Union Party.[3] Sprague underwent a political transformation during his tenure as governor, which coincided with the American Civil War. He attempted to build a new political party composed of Republicans, War Democrats, and his old conservative allies. When this effort failed, Sprague threw his support behind the Republicans.[4] Following his election to the United States Senate, he used his influence to encourage conservatives to back Smith, whom Sprague had defeated in his 1861 re-election bid.[2] Cozzens ran jointly as the Democratic and Constitutional Union candidate on a platform that endorsed the war effort and condemned emancipation.[5][6]
General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James Y. Smith | 10,749 | 58.35 | |
| Democratic | William C. Cozzens (incumbent) | 7,672 | 41.65 | |
| Total votes | 18,421 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||