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.

Nominations

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]

• James A. Mallory, Milwaukee County Municipal Judge^[6]
• Nicholas D. Fratt, former State Senator
• Charles D. Parker
• Romanzo E. Davis, State Senator
• H. N. Smith, State Prison Commissioner
• John A. Rice, former State Senator
• Levi Baker Vilas, former State Assemblyman
• H. H. Gray, former State Senator^[7]
• William Freeman Vilas, law professor (declined nomination^[5])
• James Rood Doolittle, former U.S. Senator
• Alexander Mitchell, former U.S. Congressman from Wisconsin's 4th congressional district (declined nomination^[8])
• Nelson Dewey, former Governor of Wisconsin
• James G. Jenkins (declined 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
Ballot	1	2	3	4	5
J. A. Mallory	25	32	43	108	146
N. D. Fratt	68	65	55	18	0
C. D. Parker	58	41	41	18	0
R. E. Davis	49	82	99	95	91
H. N. Smith	20	2	0	95	0
J. A. Rice	9	5	6	3	0
L. B. Vilas	9	10	7	4	0
H. H. Gray	9	4	0	0	0
W. F. Vilas	6	5	4	1	0
J. R. Doolittle	2	0	0	0	0
A. Mitchell	1	1	3	0	0
N. Dewey	1	0	0	0	0

Results

Results by county

Mallory was the first Democrat to ever carry Winnebago County. This was the first of 40 consecutive gubernatorial elections in which Oconto County backed the winning candidate, a streak that would last until 1958.

County	William E. Smith Republican		James A. Mallory Democratic		Edward P. Allis Greenback		Collin M. Campbell Socialist^[9]		J. C. Hall Prohibition^[10]		Scattering Write-in		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%		%		%		%
	Adams		580		62.43%		233		25.08%		116		12.49%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		347		37.35%		929
	Ashland		86		34.54%		163		65.46%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-77		-30.92%		249
	Barron		459		64.20%		203		28.39%		53		7.41%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		256		35.80%		715
	Bayfield		40		52.63%		34		44.74%		2		2.63%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		6		7.89%		76
	Brown		1,387		33.38%		1,740		41.88%		1,015		24.43%		0		0.00%		13		0.31%		0		0.00%		-353		-8.50%		4,155
	Buffalo		1,075		54.82%		810		41.31%		76		3.88%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		265		13.51%		1,961
	Burnett		336		93.33%		24		6.67%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		312		86.67%		360
	Calumet		450		22.59%		1,130		56.73%		389		19.53%		20		1.00%		0		0.00%		3		0.15%		-680		-34.14%		1,992
	Chippewa		675		34.49%		693		35.41%		589		30.10%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-18		-0.92%		1,957
	Clark		449		31.66%		153		10.79%		816		57.55%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-367		-25.89%		1,418
	Columbia		2,048		54.19%		1,597		42.26%		118		3.12%		2		0.05%		14		0.37%		0		0.00%		451		11.93%		3,779
	Crawford		806		41.12%		1,008		51.43%		146		7.45%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-202		-10.31%		1,960
	Dane		3,613		44.24%		3,903		47.80%		614		7.52%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		36		0.44%		-290		-3.55%		8,166
	Dodge		2,333		33.14%		4,267		60.62%		381		5.41%		1		0.01%		57		0.81%		0		0.00%		-1,934		-27.48%		7,039
	Door		477		48.38%		126		12.78%		383		38.84%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		94		9.54%		986
	Douglas		21		42.86%		28		57.14%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-7		-14.29%		49
	Dunn		1,174		55.64%		407		19.29%		412		19.53%		109		5.17%		8		0.38%		0		0.00%		762		36.11%		2,110
	Eau Claire		1,208		46.28%		805		30.84%		597		22.87%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		403		15.44%		2,610
	Fond du Lac		3,086		39.14%		3,414		43.30%		1,249		15.84%		15		0.19%		119		1.51%		1		0.01%		-328		-4.16%		7,884
	Grant		2,620		46.82%		1,938		34.63%		1,037		18.53%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		1		0.02%		682		12.19%		5,596
	Green		1,823		56.02%		849		26.09%		580		17.82%		1		0.03%		0		0.00%		1		0.03%		974		29.93%		3,254
	Green Lake		879		43.15%		896		43.99%		215		10.55%		0		0.00%		47		2.31%		0		0.00%		-17		-0.83%		2,037
	Iowa		1,461		39.91%		1,175		32.10%		1,021		27.89%		0		0.00%		4		0.11%		0		0.00%		286		7.81%		3,661
	Jackson		802		46.74%		391		22.79%		521		30.36%		0		0.00%		2		0.12%		0		0.00%		281		16.38%		1,716
	Jefferson		1,917		41.03%		2,418		51.76%		296		6.34%		22		0.47%		0		0.00%		19		0.41%		-501		-10.72%		4,672
	Juneau		1,045		43.63%		883		36.87%		463		19.33%		0		0.00%		3		0.13%		1		0.04%		162		6.76%		2,395
	Kenosha		938		49.47%		907		47.84%		51		2.69%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		31		1.64%		1,896
	Kewaunee		247		28.00%		558		63.27%		20		2.27%		57		6.46%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-311		-35.26%		882
	La Crosse		1,968		52.35%		1,115		29.66%		524		13.94%		149		3.96%		0		0.00%		3		0.08%		853		22.69%		3,759
	Lafayette		1,409		47.31%		1,300		43.65%		269		9.03%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		109		3.66%		2,978
	Lincoln		27		12.80%		15		7.11%		169		80.09%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-142		-67.29%		211
	Manitowoc		1,365		38.16%		1,951		54.54%		98		2.74%		155		4.33%		8		0.22%		0		0.00%		-586		-16.38%		3,577
	Marathon		301		16.69%		755		41.87%		746		41.38%		1		0.06%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-9		-0.50%		1,803
	Marquette		447		35.56%		730		58.07%		76		6.05%		0		0.00%		4		0.32%		0		0.00%		-283		-22.51%		1,257
	Milwaukee		5,843		39.28%		6,388		42.94%		1,228		8.25%		1,407		9.46%		10		0.07%		0		0.00%		-545		-3.66%		14,876
	Monroe		1,102		34.26%		1,096		34.07%		1,019		31.68%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		6		0.19%		3,217
	Oconto		1,059		53.43%		764		38.55%		157		7.92%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		2		0.10%		295		14.88%		1,982
	Outagamie		776		20.56%		2,005		53.11%		992		26.28%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		2		0.05%		-1,013		-26.83%		3,775
	Ozaukee		437		21.08%		1,579		76.17%		17		0.82%		38		1.83%		0		0.00%		2		0.10%		-1,142		-55.09%		2,073
	Pepin		521		63.85%		171		20.96%		123		15.07%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		1		0.12%		350		42.89%		816
	Pierce		1,523		61.46%		545		21.99%		408		16.46%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		2		0.08%		978		39.47%		2,478
	Polk		916		68.36%		363		27.09%		60		4.48%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		1		0.07%		553		41.27%		1,340
	Portage		1,080		39.47%		917		33.52%		728		26.61%		3		0.11%		8		0.29%		0		0.00%		163		5.96%		2,736
	Racine		2,304		53.30%		1,906		44.09%		112		2.59%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		1		0.02%		398		9.21%		4,323
	Richland		1,201		45.58%		729		27.67%		705		26.76%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		472		17.91%		2,635
	Rock		3,375		58.39%		1,620		28.03%		781		13.51%		0		0.00%		4		0.07%		0		0.00%		1,755		30.36%		5,780
	Sauk		1,826		53.85%		922		27.19%		574		16.93%		68		2.01%		0		0.00%		1		0.03%		904		26.66%		3,391
	Shawano		269		27.28%		605		61.36%		92		9.33%		0		0.00%		20		2.03%		0		0.00%		-336		-34.08%		986
	Sheboygan		1,598		38.66%		1,737		42.02%		750		18.14%		48		1.16%		0		0.00%		1		0.02%		-139		-3.36%		4,134
	St. Croix		1,559		49.63%		1,489		47.41%		93		2.96%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		70		2.23%		3,141
	Taylor		195		38.84%		254		50.60%		53		10.56%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-59		-11.75%		502
	Trempealeau		2,483		72.52%		731		21.35%		176		5.14%		0		0.00%		34		0.99%		0		0.00%		1,752		51.17%		3,424
	Vernon		1,678		57.04%		416		14.14%		846		28.76%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		2		0.07%		832		28.38%		2,942
	Walworth		2,914		65.48%		1,374		30.88%		160		3.60%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		2		0.04%		1,540		34.61%		4,450
	Washington		994		29.50%		2,187		64.92%		187		5.55%		1		0.03%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		-1,193		-35.41%		3,369
	Waukesha		2,484		48.21%		2,388		46.35%		276		5.36%		2		0.04%		0		0.00%		2		0.04%		96		1.86%		5,152
	Waupaca		1,473		45.41%		990		30.52%		772		23.80%		0		0.00%		8		0.25%		1		0.03%		483		14.89%		3,244
	Waushara		1,282		66.74%		257		13.38%		377		19.63%		0		0.00%		5		0.26%		0		0.00%		905		47.11%		1,921
	Winnebago		2,068		32.82%		2,238		35.52%		1,887		29.95%		77		1.22%		31		0.49%		0		0.00%		-170		-2.70%		6,301
	Wood		247		23.64%		196		18.76%		601		57.51%		0		0.00%		0		0.00%		1		0.10%		-354		-33.87%		1,045
Total	78,759	44.22%	70,486	39.57%	26,216	14.72%	2,176	1.22%	399	0.22%	86	0.05%	8,273	4.64%	178,122

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Buffalo
• Iowa
• Kenosha
• Oconto
• Racine
• St. Croix

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Green Lake
• Winnebago

Counties that flipped from Republican to Greenback

• Clark

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Greenback

• Lincoln
• Wood

Bibliography

• Book: Nesbit, Robert C.. The History of Wisconsin: Urbanization and Industrialization, 1873-1893. Thompson. William Fletcher. State Historical Society of Wisconsin. 1985. 3. 0-87020-122-0. Madison, Wis..

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.
9. News: November 8, 1877 . The County Election . August 22, 2024 . The Manitowoc Tribune . Manitowoc, Wisconsin . 3.
10. News: August 9, 1877 . Prohibition Ticket . August 22, 2024 . The Kenosha Telegraph . Kenosha, Wisconsin . 4.