1869 Texas gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1869 Texas gubernatorial election
Country:Texas
Election Date:November 30, 1869
Type:presidential
Previous Election:1866 Texas gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1866
Next Election:1873 Texas gubernatorial election
Next Year:1873
Turnout:58.52% 11.75 pp[1]
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Alliance1:Radical
Popular Vote1:39,867
Percentage1:50.2%
Candidate2:Andrew J. Hamilton
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Alliance2:Democratic
Unionist
Popular Vote2:39,092
Percentage2:49.5%
Governor
Before Election:Elisha M. Pease
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
Posttitle:Governor-elect
After Election:Edmund J. Davis
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 1869 Texas gubernatorial election was held to elect the Governor of Texas. Incumbent Governor Elisha M. Pease, who had been appointed by military governor Philip Sheridan, did not run for re-election. Edmund J. Davis defeated former Governor Andrew J. Hamilton narrowly.

The election was one of the most turbulent and controversial in Texas history. Favoritism by the military for Davis over Hamilton caused Governor Pease to resign on September 30. General J.J. Reynolds ordered the drawing up of a new voter registration list, eliminating many of those who had qualified in 1867. Troops stationed at the polls probably prevented many Democrats from voting, only about half of the registered white voters actually cast a ballot, and many polling places were either not opened, or ordered closed. Irregularities were reported but never investigated, and official returns reported that Davis won by slightly less than 800 votes.[2]

This was the last election for Governor of Texas won by the Republican Party until 1978; both candidates were nominally members of the Party, with Hamilton being a Unionist and former Democrat and Davis being a Radical Republican.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Texas Almanac of 1871. Portal to Texas History. 30 Jan 2024.
  2. Web site: Texas Archival Resources Online. 19 Dec 2023.