1866 New York state election

History

The delegates to the Conservative Union state convention arrived on September 10 at Albany, New York. This convention was the result of the still ongoing party re-alignment after the American Civil War. The convention was an attempt by allies of President Andrew Johnson to unite Conservative Republicans and Democrats in a new party. Thurlow Weed was a delegate. John Adams Dix was talked of to be nominated for governor. The convention met on September 11 and 12 at Tweddle Hall. Sanford E. Church was temporary chairman and president. Mayor of New York John T. Hoffman (a Democrat of Tammany Hall) was nominated for governor by acclamation. Robert H. Pruyn (a Republican) was nominated for lieutenant governor on the first ballot (vote: Pruyn 169, Harlow L. Comstock 85). William W. Wright (who had been Canal Commissioner from 1862 to 1863) for Canal Commissioner, and Francis B. Gallagher for prison inspector, were also nominated by acclamation.

Result

The whole Republican ticket was elected in a tight race, with a majority of about 14,000 votes out of more than 700,000.

The incumbent Governor Fenton was re-elected.

82 Republicans and 46 Democrats were elected for the session of 1865 to the New York State Assembly.

Notes

Sources

• Result in The Tribune Almanac compiled by Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune
• Result in NEW-YORK.; Official Declaration of the Vote at the November Election in NYT on December 6, 1866

References

1. The Constitutional Convention was held, but the changes were rejected by the voters.
2. (1973). "The Radical Republicans and Reform during Reconstruction". Cornell University Press.
3. [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1866/09/11/83458695.pdf ''THE ALBANY CONVENTION''] in NYT on September 11, 1866
4. [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1866/09/13/83458865.pdf ''NEW YORK STATE CONVENTION''] in NYT on September 13, 1866