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1853 Vermont gubernatorial election

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1853 Vermont gubernatorial election

← 1852 September 6, 1853 (1853-09-06) 1854 →
 
Nominee John S. Robinson Erastus Fairbanks Lawrence Brainerd
Party Democratic Whig Free Soil
Electoral vote 120 104 7
Popular vote 18,142 20,849 8,291
Percentage 38.5% 43.9% 17.6%

County results
Robinson:      40–50%      50–60%
Fairbanks:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Brainerd:      40–50%

Governor before election

Erastus Fairbanks
Whig

Elected Governor

John S. Robinson
Democratic

The 1853 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 6.[1] The same three candidates who ran for governor of Vermont in 1852 ran again in 1853: Whig and incumbent Erastus Fairbanks, Democratic candidate John S. Robinson, and Lawrence Brainerd, the nominee of the Free Soil Party.[2] The results showed that Fairbanks had received 43.9 percent of the vote, with Robinson receiving 38.5 percent, and Brainerd 17.6 percent.[2]

Because no candidate received a majority, the Vermont Constitution required the contest to be settled by the Vermont General Assembly.[2] In the October 27 voting, 119 to 121 votes were necessary for a choice, depending on how many members of the Vermont Senate and Vermont House of Representatives took part in each ballot.[2] On the 20th ballot, with 120 votes required for a choice, enough Brainerd supporters voted for Robinson to give Robinson the win with 120 votes.[2] Fairbanks received 104, and Brainerd received 7.[2] Robinson took the oath of office and began a one-year term on October 28.[3]

Robinson was the only Democrat elected governor of Vermont until the election of Philip H. Hoff in 1962.[4]

General election

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Results

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1853 Vermont gubernatorial election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John Robinson 18,142 38.5%
Whig Erastus Fairbanks (incumbent) 20,849 43.9%
Free Soil Lawrence Brainerd 8,291 17.6%
Write-in Other 9 0.0
Total votes '47,291' '100'

References

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  1. ^ Walton, Eliakim Persons, ed. (September 1, 1853). "Election, Tuesday, Sept. 6". Watchman & State Journal. Montpelier, VT. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Walton, Eliakim Persons, ed. (October 28, 1853). "Legislature of Vermont". Walton's Daily Journal. Montpelier, VT. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Vermont House of Representatives (1854). Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Vermont. Burlington, VT. p. 65 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ O'Connor, Kevin (April 27, 2018). "Democratic groundbreaker former Gov. Phil Hoff dies". VT Digger. Montpelier, VT.
  5. ^ "General Election Results - Governor - 1853". Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved January 17, 2021.