1856 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

1856 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

← 1855 November 4, 1856 (1856-11-04) 1857 →
 
Nominee Henry J. Gardner Erasmus Beach George W. Gordon
Party Know Nothing Democratic Know Nothing
Alliance Republican
Popular vote 92,467 40,082 10,385
Percentage 58.92% 25.54% 6.62%

County results
Gardner:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election

Henry J. Gardner
Know Nothing

Elected Governor

Henry J. Gardner
Know Nothing

The 1856 Massachusetts gubernatorial election on November 4. Incumbent Know-Nothing governor Henry J. Gardner was re-elected to a third term. He benefited greatly from a deal with the state's new Republican Party, which agreed not to field a candidate in exchange for Gardner's support of presidential nominee John C. Frémont. With no serious challenger in the field against him, Gardner easily defeated Democrat Erasmus Beach and George W. Gordon, an American Party member running in support of the national ticket.

This was the last election in which the Whig Party participated.