Election Name: | 1846 New Hampshire gubernatorial election |
Country: | New Hampshire |
Type: | Presidential |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Election: | 1845 New Hampshire gubernatorial election |
Previous Year: | 1845 |
Next Election: | 1847 New Hampshire gubernatorial election |
Next Year: | 1847 |
Election Date: | 10 March 1846 |
Nominee1: | Anthony Colby |
Party1: | Whig Party (United States) |
Popular Vote1: | 17,737 |
Percentage1: | 31.99% |
Nominee2: | Jared W. Williams |
Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Popular Vote2: | 26,740 |
Percentage2: | 48.23% |
Nominee3: | Nathaniel S. Berry |
Party3: | Free Soil Party |
Popular Vote3: | 10,403 |
Percentage3: | 18.76% |
Map Size: | 245px |
Governor | |
Before Election: | John Hardy Steele |
Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
After Election: | Anthony Colby |
After Party: | Whig Party (United States) |
The 1846 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on 10 March 1846 in order to elect the Governor of New Hampshire. Whig nominee Anthony Colby defeated Democratic nominee and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's At-large district (Seat 3) Jared W. Williams and Free Soil Party nominee and former member of the New Hampshire Senate Nathaniel S. Berry. Since no candidate received a majority in the popular vote, Colby was elected by the New Hampshire General Court per the state constitution, despite placing second in the popular vote.[1]
On election day, 10 March 1846, Democratic nominee Jared W. Williams won the popular vote by a margin of 9,003 votes against his foremost opponent Whig nominee Anthony Colby. But because no candidate received a majority of the popular vote, a separate election was held by the New Hampshire General Court, which chose Whig nominee Anthony Colby as the winner, despite Colby having only received 31.99% of the vote and having placed second. Colby thereby gained Whig control over the office of Governor, he was sworn in as the 20th Governor of New Hampshire on 4 June 1846.[2]