1877 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

1877 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

← 1875 November 6, 1877 1879 →
 
Nominee William E. Smith James A. Mallory Edward Phelps Allis
Party Republican Democratic Greenback
Popular vote 78,759 70,486 26,216
Percentage 44.22% 39.57% 14.72%

County results
Smith :      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      >90%
Taylor :      30-40%      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Allis :      50–60%      80–90%

Governor before election

Harrison Ludington
Republican

Elected Governor

William E. Smith
Republican

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.[1] Former State Assembly Speaker William E. Smith, a longtime figure in Wisconsin politics, was selected as the Republican nominee,[2] 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.

  1. ^ Nesbit 1985, p. 576.
  2. ^ Nesbit 1985, p. 576-77.