See main article: 1856 United States presidential election.
| Election Name: | 1856 United States presidential election in Virginia |
| Country: | Virginia |
| Flag Year: | 1788 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1852 United States presidential election in Virginia |
| Previous Year: | 1852 |
| Next Election: | 1860 United States presidential election in Virginia |
| Next Year: | 1860 |
| Election Date: | November 4, 1856 |
| Image1: | James Buchanan (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | James Buchanan |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Home State1: | Pennsylvania |
| Running Mate1: | John C. Breckinridge |
| Electoral Vote1: | 15 |
| Popular Vote1: | 90,083 |
| Percentage1: | 59.96% |
| Nominee2: | Millard Fillmore |
| Party2: | Know Nothing |
| Home State2: | New York |
| Running Mate2: | Andrew J. Donelson |
| Electoral Vote2: | 0 |
| Popular Vote2: | 60,150 |
| Percentage2: | 40.04% |
| Map Size: | 350px |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Franklin Pierce |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | James Buchanan |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1856 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 4, 1856, as part of the 1856 United States presidential election. Voters chose 15 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Virginia voted for the Democratic candidate, former United States Minister to the United Kingdom James Buchanan over the American candidate, former President Millard Fillmore. Former U.S. Senator John C. Frémont was also the Republican candidate in this election, but he was not on the ballot in Virginia. Buchanan won the state with a margin of 19.92%.
John Curtiss Underwood, George Rye, and H. Carpenter were the state's delegates to the 1856 Republican National Convention. They wanted to cast forty-five votes, three per congressional district and six at-large, but the convention only allotted them nine votes. They refused to vote in protest on both ballots. The delegation initially supported David Wilmot for the vice-presidential nomination, but later supported William L. Dayton. The Republican Party of Virginia held its first state convention was held on September 18, 1856, while Underwood was in another state due to threats of violence. William E. Stevenson, a future governor of West Virginia, was indicted for distributing an anti-slavery pamphlet.
John C. Frémont received 291 votes in the state. 280 votes came from the northwest, 5 from Shenandoah County, 5 from Scott County, and one from Alexandria, Virginia.
Democrats would not win Preston County and Upshur County again until 1964 (as part of West Virginia).[1]
| 1856 United States presidential election in Virginia[2] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | James Buchanan | 90,083 | 59.96% | 15 | |
| American | Millard Fillmore | 60,150 | 40.04% | 0 | |
| Totals | 150,233 | 100.0% | 15 | ||