1877 Wisconsin gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:1877 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Country:Wisconsin
Flag Year:1866
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1875 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1875
Next Election:1879 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Next Year:1879
Election Date:November 6, 1877
Nominee1:William E. Smith
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:78,759
Percentage1:44.22%
Nominee2:James A. Mallory
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:70,486
Percentage2:39.57%
Nominee3:Edward Phelps Allis
Party3:Greenback Party
Popular Vote3:26,216
Percentage3:14.72%
Map Size:250px
Governor
Before Election:Harrison Ludington
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:William E. Smith
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 1877 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1877. Under internal party pressure, incumbent Republican Governor Harrison Ludington, who had barely won the 1875 election, was pressured to not seek a second term. Former State Assembly Speaker William E. Smith, a longtime figure in Wisconsin politics, was selected as the Republican nominee, and Milwaukee County Municipal Judge Thomas A. Mallory won a protracted battle for the nomination at the Democratic convention. Smith and Mallory were joined in the general election by Greenback nominee Edward Phelps Allis. Ultimately, though the Republican vote share shrunk relative to 1875, the Democratic vote share shrunk more, and Smith won a larger victory than Ludington did, though only with a 44% plurality.

Republican convention

The Republican convention was significantly less drawn-out than the Democratic convention, with most of the drama over the nomination occurring in the months before. Significant opposition developed in the Republican Party to the possible nomination of Governor Ludington for re-election, and former State Assembly Speaker William E. Smith, Ludington's opponent for the nomination two years earlier, emerging as a leading candidate. Smith's supporters produced a letter written from Ludington to Smith during the 1875 Republican convention, which thanked Smith for withdrawing from the race and promised to step aside for Smith in 1877:

Ultimately, under significant pressure from the state Republican establishment, Ludington announced that he would not seek a second term.[1] At the Republican convention in September, Smith took an early lead on the informal ballot of the delegates and then was nominated unanimously.[2]

Democratic convention

At the Democratic convention, several candidates entered the contest as apparent frontrunners: former State Senator Nicholas D. Fratt, Lieutenant Governor Charles D. Parker, State Senator Romanzo E. Davis,[3] and State Prison Commissioner H. N. Smith.[4] At the convention, a number of candidates were nominated, though some immediately made it clear that they would decline any nomination:[5]

The contest took five ballots to decide. On the first ballot, Fratt took an early lead, with Parker and Davis immediately behind him. After the first ballot, Smith withdrew. On the second ballot, Davis rocketed to first place, with Fratt's and Parker's support starting to decline. Mallory slowly began climbing on the second ballot. On the third ballot, Davis continued to climb, Fratt fell, and Mallory rose to third place over Parker. At this point, the Milwaukee contingent at the convention, eager to stop Parker, a Madisonian from earning the nomination, began to solidify around Mallory as a compromise candidate. On the fourth ballot, Mallory more than doubled his support, Davis continued to climb, and Fratt and Parker both plummeted; after this round of balloting had concluded, Fratt's name was withdrawn. Finally, on the fifth ballot, Mallory won the nomination over Davis handily.[5]

Results

1877 Democratic convention ballot
Ballot1 2 3 4 5
J. A. Mallory25 32 43 108146
N. D. Fratt68 6555 18 0
C. D. Parker58 41 41 18 0
R. E. Davis49 82 99 95 91
H. N. Smith20 2 0 95 0
J. A. Rice9 5 6 3 0
L. B. Vilas9 10 7 4 0
H. H. Gray9 4 0 0 0
W. F. Vilas6 5 4 1 0
J. R. Doolittle2 0 0 0 0
A. Mitchell1 1 3 0 0
N. Dewey1 0 0 0 0

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: July 6, 1877 . Gov. Ludington Declines a Re-Nomination . June 20, 2021 . Fox Lake Representative . Fox Lake, Wis. . 1.
  2. News: September 11, 1877 . Hon. Wm. E. Smith Nominated for Governor . June 20, 2021 . Wisconsin State Journal . Madison, Wis. . 1.
  3. News: June 23, 1877. The Candidates for Governor. Green Bay Advocate. Green Bay, Wis.. 2. June 20, 2021.
  4. News: June 23, 1877. The Governorship. Appleton Crescent. Appleton, Wis.. 1. June 20, 2021.
  5. News: September 27, 1877. A list of Lambs: Who were Prepared for Political Slaughter. Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wis.. 1. June 20, 2021.
  6. News: September 29, 1877. The Democratic Nominations. Wisconsin State Register. Portage, Wis.. 2. June 20, 2021.
  7. News: September 2, 1875. A Few Questions Answered. Wood Count Reporter. Grand Rapids, Wis.. 4. June 20, 2021.
  8. Web site: Mitchell, Alexander 1817-1887. . Wisconsin Historical Society. June 20, 2021.