| Election Name: | 1861 Vermont gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Vermont |
| Flag Year: | 1837 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1860 Vermont gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1860 |
| Next Election: | 1862 Vermont gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1862 |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Nominee1: | Frederick Holbrook |
| Popular Vote1: | 33,152 |
| Percentage1: | 77.5% |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Nominee2: | Andrew Tracy |
| Popular Vote2: | 5,722 |
| Percentage2: | 13.4% |
| Party3: | Peace Democrat |
| Nominee3: | Benjamin H. Smalley |
| Popular Vote3: | 3,190 |
| Percentage3: | 7.5% |
| Map Size: | 235px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Erastus Fairbanks |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Frederick Holbrook |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
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 issue of slavery during the American Civil War, Andrew Tracy, a former member of the United States House of Representatives, appeared on the ballot as a pro-Union Democrat.[4] Benjamin H. Smalley was on the ballot as a "Peace Democrat," Democrats who favored a compromise with the states that had formed the Confederacy.[5]
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]