1859 Rhode Island gubernatorial election

Rhode Island gubernatorial election

April 6, 1859


Nominee	Thomas G. Turner	Elisha R. Potter
Party	Republican	Democratic
Popular vote	8,938	3,536
Percentage	71.52%	28.29%

Governor before election

Elisha Dyer
Republican

Elected Governor

Thomas G. Turner
Republican

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Question 1

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The 1859 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on April 6, 1859.^[1]

Incumbent Republican Governor Elisha Dyer declined to stand for re-election.^[2]^[3]

Republican nominee Thomas G. Turner beat Democratic nominee Elisha R. Potter with 71.52% of the vote.

General election

Candidates

Elisha R. Potter, Democratic, former U.S. Representative, former State commissioner of public schools, Democratic candidate for Governor in 1858
Thomas G. Turner, Republican, incumbent Lieutenant Governor

Results

1859 Rhode Island gubernatorial election^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[a]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas G. Turner	8,938	71.52%
	Democratic	Elisha R. Potter	3,536	28.29%
	Scattering		24	0.19%
Majority			5,402	43.23%
Turnout			12,498
	Republican hold		Swing

Notes

^ Some sources give slightly different results.^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13] The result given is taken from the Rhode Island Assembly Journal.

References

^ "There are to be three more State elections this spring". The Highland weekly news. Hillsboro, Ohio. March 31, 1859. p. 2. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
^ "Governors Elisha & Elisha Jr. Dyer". Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
^ Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island. Vol. I. Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co. 1908. p. 3.
^ "RI Governor, 1859". Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
^ Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Westport, CT: Meckler Books. pp. 272–273. ISBN 0-930466-17-9.
^ Manual with Rules and Orders for the Use of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island, 1879-80. Providence: E. L. Freeman & Co., Printers to the State. 1879. p. 160.
^ Field, Edward, ed. (1902). State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century: A History. Vol. I. Boston and Syracuse: Mason Publishing Company. p. 370.
^ The Evening Journal Almanac 1860. Albany: Weed, Parsons & Co., Printers and Stereotypers. 1860. p. 72.
^ Acts and Resolves of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, passed at the May Session, 1859. Providence: Knowles, Anthony & Co., State Printers. 1859. p. 56.
^ Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. p. 76. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
^ Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 238. ISBN 978-0-7864-1439-0.
^ Kallenbach, Joseph E.; Kallenbach, Jessamine S., eds. (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Vol. I. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, Inc. p. 514. ISBN 0-379-00665-0.
^ The Tribune Almanac and Political Register for 1860. New York: H. Greeley & Company. p. 47.