| Election Name: | 1856 Connecticut gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Connecticut |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1855 Connecticut gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1855 |
| Next Election: | 1857 Connecticut gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1857 |
| Election Date: | April 7, 1856 |
| Image1: | William T. Minor (3x4a).jpg |
| Nominee1: | William T. Minor |
| Party1: | Know Nothing |
| Popular Vote1: | 26,008 |
| Percentage1: | 38.99% |
| Electoral Vote1: | 135 |
| Nominee2: | Samuel Ingham |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 32,704 |
| Percentage2: | 49.02% |
| Electoral Vote2: | 116 |
| Image3: | Gideon Welles cph.3b20114 (3x4a).jpg |
| Nominee3: | Gideon Welles |
| Party3: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote3: | 6,740 |
| Percentage3: | 10.10% |
| Map Size: | 220px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | William T. Minor |
| Before Party: | Know Nothing |
| After Election: | William T. Minor |
| After Party: | Know Nothing |
The 1856 Connecticut gubernatorial election was held on April 7, 1856.[1] [2] [3] Incumbent governor and American Party nominee William T. Minor defeated former congressman and Democratic nominee Samuel Ingham and former Comptroller of Connecticut and Republican nominee Gideon Welles with 38.99% of the vote.
In accordance with the national transition from the Second Party System to the Third Party System, this was the first such election in which the Republicans fielded a candidate, the last in which the Know-Nothings would run (and win), and the last in which the Whig Party participated.
Although Ingham won a strong plurality of the vote, he fell just short of a majority. As a result, the Connecticut General Assembly elected the governor, per the state constitution. Minor won the vote over Ingham, 135 to 116, in the General Assembly, and became the governor. This was the second election in which Ingham would receive a plurality of more than 10% and still lose, the first being 1854.
Major party candidates