1865 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
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November 7, 1865 | |||||||||||||||||
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 County results Fairchild : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Hobart : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Wisconsin |
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The 1865 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1865. Union candidate Lucius Fairchild won the election with nearly 55% of the vote, defeating Democratic candidate Harrison Carroll Hobart.[1]
The incumbent Governor, James T. Lewis, refused nomination for re-election.
The American Civil War had concluded just a few months before this election was held; both major party candidates in this election were retired brigadier generals who had served with distinction in the war.
Nominations
Union party
Lucius Fairchild was the incumbent Wisconsin Secretary of State at the time of the 1865 election, having been elected in the 1863 election on the Union Party ticket. Fairchild was one of the first Wisconsin men to volunteer for service in the Union Army, rising from captain to colonel with the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in the famous Iron Brigade in the eastern theater of the war. He led the regiment in fierce fighting during the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg. At Gettysburg, Fairchild was wounded and captured. He was quickly released from captivity, but his left arm had been crushed and had to be amputated. He returned to Madison to recuperate, and was then nominated for Wisconsin Secretary of State. President Lincoln awarded him an honorary promotion to brigadier general.
Democratic party
Harrison Carroll Hobart had served as a Union Army officer through the entire war, rising from captain to brigadier general, operating as colonel of the 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and brigadier in XIV Corps in the western theater of the war. He was captured and escaped captivity during the war. Prior to the war, Hobart had served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, and had served as Speaker of the Assembly in the 1849 session. He had also served as in the Wisconsin State Senate during the 1st Wisconsin Legislature. This was Hobart's second attempt at election for Governor of Wisconsin, having been defeated by Alexander Randall in the 1859 election.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Union | Lucius Fairchild | 58,332 | 54.68% | −4.91% | |
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 48,330 | 45.31% | +5.11% | |
| Scattering | 12 | 0.01% | |||
| Majority | 10,002 | 9.38% | |||
| Total votes | 106,674 | 100.00% | |||
| National Union hold | Swing | -10.02% | |||
Results by county
| County[2][3] | Lucius Fairchild National Union | Harrison C. Hobart Democratic | Margin | Total votes cast | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 594 | 82.50% | 126 | 17.50% | 468 | 65.00% | 720 |
| Ashland | 29 | 55.77% | 23 | 44.23% | 6 | 11.54% | 52 |
| Brown | 447 | 34.57% | 846 | 65.43% | -399 | -30.86% | 1,293 |
| Buffalo | 523 | 71.25% | 211 | 28.75% | 312 | 42.51% | 734 |
| Burnett | 27 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 27 | 100.00% | 27 |
| Calumet | 485 | 45.63% | 578 | 54.37% | -93 | -8.75% | 1,063 |
| Chippewa | 200 | 47.28% | 223 | 52.72% | -23 | -5.44% | 423 |
| Clark | 109 | 73.65% | 39 | 26.35% | 70 | 47.30% | 148 |
| Columbia | 2,021 | 65.03% | 1,087 | 34.97% | 934 | 30.05% | 3,108 |
| Crawford | 517 | 47.09% | 581 | 52.91% | -64 | -5.83% | 1,098 |
| Dane | 3,535 | 57.05% | 2,660 | 42.93% | 875 | 14.12% | 6,196[a] |
| Dodge | 2,702 | 43.01% | 3,580 | 56.99% | -878 | -13.98% | 6,282 |
| Door | 309 | 81.96% | 68 | 18.04% | 241 | 63.93% | 377 |
| Douglas | 45 | 45.45% | 54 | 54.55% | -9 | -9.09% | 99 |
| Dunn | 417 | 61.87% | 257 | 38.13% | 160 | 23.74% | 674 |
| Eau Claire | 422 | 57.41% | 312 | 42.45% | 110 | 14.97% | 735[a] |
| Fond du Lac | 2,871 | 50.97% | 2,759 | 48.98% | 112 | 1.99% | 5,633[b] |
| Grant | 2,577 | 69.50% | 1,131 | 30.50% | 1,446 | 39.00% | 3,708 |
| Green | 1,552 | 68.07% | 728 | 31.93% | 824 | 36.14% | 2,280 |
| Green Lake | 1,027 | 70.88% | 422 | 29.12% | 605 | 41.75% | 1,449 |
| Iowa | 1,102 | 51.09% | 1,051 | 48.73% | 51 | 2.36% | 2,157[c] |
| Jackson | 506 | 72.29% | 194 | 27.71% | 312 | 44.57% | 700 |
| Jefferson | 2,003 | 46.17% | 2,335 | 53.83% | -332 | -7.65% | 4,338 |
| Juneau | 627 | 52.96% | 556 | 46.96% | 71 | 6.00% | 1,184[a] |
| Kenosha | 1,035 | 65.22% | 552 | 34.78% | 483 | 30.43% | 1,587 |
| Kewaunee | 122 | 24.16% | 383 | 75.84% | -261 | -51.68% | 505 |
| La Crosse | 1,127 | 60.82% | 725 | 39.13% | 402 | 21.69% | 1,853[a] |
| La Pointe | 29 | 64.44% | 16 | 35.56% | 13 | 28.89% | 45 |
| Lafayette | 1,213 | 46.96% | 1,370 | 53.04% | -157 | -6.08% | 2,583 |
| Manitowoc | 1,013 | 36.11% | 1,792 | 63.89% | -779 | -27.77% | 2,805 |
| Marathon | 112 | 18.33% | 499 | 81.67% | -387 | -63.34% | 611 |
| Marquette | 446 | 43.47% | 580 | 56.53% | -134 | -13.06% | 1,026 |
| Milwaukee | 2,271 | 31.07% | 5,038 | 68.92% | -2,767 | -37.85% | 7,310[a] |
| Monroe | 1,006 | 63.39% | 581 | 36.61% | 425 | 26.78% | 1,587 |
| Oconto | 352 | 59.36% | 241 | 40.64% | 111 | 18.72% | 593 |
| Outagamie | 739 | 42.33% | 1,007 | 57.67% | -268 | -15.35% | 1,746 |
| Ozaukee | 263 | 13.80% | 1,643 | 86.20% | -1,380 | -72.40% | 1,906 |
| Pepin | 231 | 75.24% | 76 | 24.76% | 155 | 50.49% | 307 |
| Pierce | 540 | 69.41% | 238 | 30.59% | 302 | 38.82% | 778 |
| Polk | 197 | 63.75% | 112 | 36.25% | 85 | 27.51% | 309 |
| Portage | 597 | 61.80% | 369 | 38.20% | 228 | 23.60% | 966 |
| Racine | 1,499 | 56.54% | 1,152 | 43.46% | 347 | 13.09% | 2,651 |
| Richland | 967 | 60.32% | 636 | 39.68% | 331 | 20.65% | 1,603 |
| Rock | 3,190 | 73.98% | 1,122 | 26.02% | 2,068 | 47.96% | 4,312 |
| Sauk | 1,681 | 69.15% | 750 | 30.85% | 931 | 38.30% | 2,431 |
| Shawano | 138 | 54.33% | 116 | 45.67% | 22 | 8.66% | 254 |
| Sheboygan | 1,605 | 49.02% | 1,669 | 50.98% | -64 | -1.95% | 3,274 |
| St. Croix | 543 | 69.26% | 241 | 30.74% | 302 | 38.52% | 784 |
| Trempealeau | 415 | 89.83% | 47 | 10.17% | 368 | 79.65% | 462 |
| Vernon | 1,164 | 90.65% | 120 | 9.35% | 1,044 | 81.31% | 1,284 |
| Walworth | 2,890 | 77.23% | 852 | 22.77% | 2,038 | 54.46% | 3,742 |
| Washington | 599 | 23.33% | 1,969 | 76.67% | -1,370 | -53.35% | 2,568 |
| Waukesha | 1,939 | 48.92% | 2,025 | 51.08% | -86 | -2.17% | 3,964 |
| Waupaca | 1,109 | 69.27% | 492 | 30.73% | 617 | 38.54% | 1,601 |
| Waushara | 1,050 | 80.09% | 261 | 19.91% | 789 | 60.18% | 1,311 |
| Winnebago | 2,180 | 62.66% | 1,299 | 37.34% | 881 | 25.32% | 3,749 |
| Wood | 223 | 46.27% | 259 | 53.73% | -36 | -7.47% | 482 |
| Soldiers | 1,200 | 81.25% | 277 | 18.75% | 923 | 62.49% | 1,477 |
| Total | 58,332 | 54.68% | 48,330 | 45.31% | 10,002 | 9.38% | 106,674 |
Counties that flipped from National Union to Democratic
Notes
- ^ a b c d e Includes 1 Scattering vote
- ^ Includes 3 Scattering votes
- ^ Includes 4 Scattering votes
References
- ^ Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, Wisconsin Legislature (2015). Wisconsin Blue Book 2015–2016. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Administration. pp. 699–701. ISBN 978-0-9752820-7-6.
- ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society, Tabular Statement of the votes polled in the several counties of the State of Wisconsin, at an election held on the seventh day of November 1865. for State Officers, and on the proposition to amend the Constitution of said State
- ^ a b Wisconsin Secretary of State (1866). "Appendix "G"". Annual Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Wisconsin for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30th, 1866. Madison, Wisconsin: William J. Park, State Printer. pp. 146–148.
