1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election
Country:West Virginia
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1859 Virginia gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1859 (Virginia)
Next Election:1864 West Virginia gubernatorial election
Next Year:1864
Election Date:May 28, 1863
Image1:Arthur I. Boreman - Brady-Handy.jpg
Nominee1:Arthur I. Boreman
Party1:Unionist politician (American Civil War)
Popular Vote1:25,797
Percentage1:99.99%
Map Size:250px
Governor
After Election:Arthur I. Boreman
After Party:Unionist politician (American Civil War)

The 1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election was held on Thursday, May 28, 1863. Unionist Arthur I. Boreman faced no declared challenger and was elected virtually without opposition. This was the first gubernatorial election in the state of West Virginia; following his election, Boreman was formally inaugurated as the first governor of West Virginia on June 20, 1863.

The election took place against the backdrop of the American Civil War and the end of slavery in the United States. Following the secession of Virginia on May 23, 1861, unionists in the western counties began the movement to separate from Virginia. The United States Congress and President Abraham Lincoln approved legislation admitting West Virginia to the United States in December 1862, contingent on adoption of the Willey Amendment abolishing slavery in the new state. West Virginia accordingly entered the Union on June 20, 1863. In a contested convention held at Parkersburg, West Virginia, Boreman secured the nomination of the Union Party over his nearest rival, Peter G. Van Winkle. As opponents of the Union Party did not recognize the new state and consequently did not participate in the campaign, its nomination was tantamount to election; however, 17 secessionist counties failed to make returns due to occupation by Confederate military forces.

Background

See main article: article.

On April 17, 1861, the Virginia Secession Convention voted in favor of succession from the United States and joining the Confederate States of America.[1] On May 13, the First Wheeling Convention was held with the purpose of reorganizing the Virginian government and remaining in the United States. On May 23, 125,950 Virginians voted in favor of the Secession Ordinance against 20,373 people.

On June 11, the Second Wheeling Convention was held and Arthur I. Boreman was selected to serve as its chairman. On June 20, the convention called for returning to the United States and selected Francis Harrison Pierpont to serve as governor until an election was held. On October 24, a referendum on statehood approval received 18,408 votes in favor and 781 against. On June 20, 1863, West Virginia was admitted as a state.[2]

Union Party

Convention

From May 6 to 7, 1863, the Union Party's state convention was held to nominate candidates for multiple political offices. Each county delegation was awarded a number of votes equal to its total white population. For the party's gubernatorial nomination Samuel Crane was nominated by James G. West, Boreman was nominated by E. M. Norton, and Peter G. Van Winkle was nominated by Ben Smith.[3] [4]

On the first ballot Van Winkle received a plurality of the vote, but did not receive the nomination due to a majority being required. West withdrew Crane's nomination before the second ballot in which Boreman defeated Van Winkle.

Candidates

Results

1863 West Virginia Union gubernatorial convention[5]
CandidateFirst ballotSecond ballot
County
units		Votes%County
units		Votes%
align=left Arthur I. Boreman8.31780,886 26.6723.002181,18559.70
align=left Peter G. Van Winkle16.950135,52844.7016.998122,29140.30
align=left Samuel Crane14.53284,14427.74rowspan=2 colspan=3
align=left James W. Paxton0.2002,6360.87
TOTAL40303,194100.0040303,476100.00

General election

On May 28, 1863, Boreman won the gubernatorial election without opposition.[6]

Results

Results by county

CountyArthur I. Boreman
Union		Total
VotesPercent
Barbouralign=right 770align=right 100.00align=right 770
Berkleyalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Boonealign=right 102align=right 100.00align=right 102
Braxtonalign=right 212align=right 100.00align=right 212
Brookealign=right 678align=right 100.00align=right 678
Cabellalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Calhounalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Clayalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Doddridgealign=right 742align=right 100.00align=right 742
Fayettealign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Gilmeralign=right 289align=right 100.00align=right 289
Greenbrieralign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Hampshirealign=right 135align=right 100.00align=right 135
Hancockalign=right 418align=right 100.00align=right 418
Hardyalign=right 91align=right 100.00align=right 91
Harrisonalign=right 2,037align=right 100.00align=right 2,037
Jacksonalign=right 534align=right 100.00align=right 534
Jeffersonalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Kanawhaalign=right 655align=right 100.00align=right 655
Lewisalign=right 1,184align=right 100.00align=right 1,184
Loganalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Marionalign=right 1,428align=right 100.00align=right 1,428
Marshallalign=right 2,067align=right 100.00align=right 2,067
Masonalign=right 747align=right 100.00align=right 747
McDowellalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Merceralign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Monongaliaalign=right 1,585align=right 100.00align=right 1,585
Monroealign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Morganalign=right 261align=right 100.00align=right 261
Nicholasalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Ohioalign=right 2,905align=right 100.00align=right 2,905
Pendletonalign=right 161align=right 100.00align=right 161
Pleasantsalign=right 239align=right 100.00align=right 239
Pocahontasalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Prestonalign=right 1,639align=right 100.00align=right 1,639
Putnamalign=right 232align=right 100.00align=right 232
Raleighalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Randolphalign=right 239align=right 100.00align=right 239
Ritchiealign=right 667align=right 100.00align=right 667
Roanealign=right 177align=right 100.00align=right 177
Tayloralign=right 867align=right 100.00align=right 867
Tuckeralign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Tyleralign=right 720align=right 100.00align=right 720
Upshuralign=right 879align=right 100.00align=right 879
Waynealign=right 289align=right 100.00align=right 289
Websteralign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
Wetzelalign=right 870align=right 100.00align=right 870
Wirtalign=right 375align=right 100.00align=right 375
Woodalign=right 1,603align=right 100.00align=right 1,603
Wyomingalign=center colspan=2 Did not participatealign=right —
TOTALalign=right 25,797align=right 99.99align=right 25,780

Notes and References

  1. News: April 17, 2020 . April 17, 1861: Virginia Politicians Vote to Secede from the Union . West Virginia Public Broadcasting . live . https://archive.today/20200621171252/https://www.wvpublic.org/post/april-17-1861-virginia-politicians-vote-secede-union%23stream/0 . June 21, 2020.
  2. News: Statehood for West Virginia: An Illegal Act? . West Virginia Archives and History . live . https://archive.today/20200621175850/http://www.wvculture.org/history/journal_wvh/wvh30-1.html . June 21, 2020.
  3. News: May 9, 1863 . The Nominations . 2 . The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer . live . https://archive.today/20200621165229/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/53870701/the-wheeling-daily-intelligencer/ . June 21, 2020 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: May 26, 1863 . Letters of Acceptance . 2 . The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer . live . https://archive.today/20200621165728/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/53872195/the-wheeling-daily-intelligencer/ . June 21, 2020 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Parkersburg Convention . Daily Intelligencer . May 9, 1863.
  6. News: June 25, 1863 . West Virginia 1863 Gubernatorial election . 2 . Civilian and Telegraph . live . https://archive.today/20200621143354/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/53863911/civilian-and-telegraph/ . June 21, 2020 . Newspapers.com.

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