1854 New York state election

none February 2026 June 2016 1854 11 7 1854 New York state election New York No 1853 New York state election 1853 1855 New York state election 1855 The 1854 New York state election was held on November 7, 1854, to elect the governor, the lieutenant governor, a Canal Commissioner and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly. History The National Democratic (in the press referred to as Hards) state convention met in July and nominated Greene Bronson for governor as well as candidates for the other down-ballot offices. They informed the nominees by letter on July 12 of their nominations. Their letters of acceptance were published on September 11 in the New-York Daily Times."The Hard State Ticket". New-York Daily Times. September 11, 1854. p. 1. The Democratic (in the press referred to as Softs) state convention met on September 6 at Wieting Hall in Syracuse. Lorenzo B. Shepard was Temporary Chairman until the choice of William H. Ludlow as President. The convention appointed a Democratic State Central Committee which included John Cochrane and Horatio Ballard, and then adjourned. On September 7, the convention passed a resolution approving the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which led to the eventual withdrawal of delegates Preston King, Charles G. Myers, Abijah Mann, Philip Dorsheimer and few more Barnburners, all of whom would be the next year among the founders of the Republican Party. Governor Horatio Seymour was re-nominated "by acclamation" with a few contrary votes. William H. Ludlow was nominated for Lieutenant Governor on the first ballot (vote: Ludlow 234, Philip H. Crook 28, Oakley 14, Albert Lester 7, Isaiah Rynders 2, Preston King 2). Jason Clark was nominated for Canal Commissioner by acclamation. W. R. Andrews was nominated for Inspector of State Prisons on the first ballot (vote: Andrews 92, Amos Pilsbury 56, Henry Storms [incumbent] 27)."Soft Shells in Council". New-York Daily Times. September 8, 1854. pp. 1, 8. The Free-Soil Democratic state convention met on September 25 in Auburn."Free-Soil Democratic State Convention". New-York Daily Times. September 26, 1854. p. 1. The Anti-Nebraska state convention met on September 26 in Auburn. Myron H. Clark was nominated for Governor by acclamation. Henry J. Raymond was nominated for Lieutenant Governor on the first ballot (Raymond 127, Bradford R. Wood 84). After this vote, a minority of about 20 seceded from the convention and re-assembled at the Court House and nominated their own ticket."The Anti-Nebraska Convention". New-York Daily Times. September 30, 1854. p. 2. The Temperance state convention met on September 27 in Auburn. Myron H. Clark was nominated for Governor by acclamation. Henry J. Raymond was nominated for Lieutenant Governor on the first ballot (Raymond 163, Bradford R. Wood 112)."Latest Intelligence: New-York State Temperance Convention". New-York Daily Times. September 28, 1854. p. 1. The Liberty state convention met on September 28 at the Market Hall in Syracuse."The Liberty Party State Convention". New-York Daily Times. September 29, 1854. p. 8. The Anti-Rent state convention met on October 26 at Beardsley's Hall in Albany."Anti-Rent State Convention". New-York Daily Times. October 27, 1854. p. 8. Results Due to the split of the Democratic Party, the whole Whig ticket was elected. The American Party (ridiculed and referred to as the Know Nothings in the press) showed surprising strength. Myron H. Clark won this election with the lowest percentage in any New York gubernatorial election. The incumbent Governor Seymour was defeated, the incumbent Fitzhugh was re-elected. 82 Whigs, 26 Softs, 16 Hards and 3 Temperance man were elected for the session of 1855 to the New York State Assembly. "Know Nothings are sprinkled miscellaneously among Whigs, Hards and Softs; and exactly how many there are of these gentry in the Assembly Nobody Knows."Result and comment in The Whig Almanac 1855 compiled by Horace Greeley of the New-York Tribune +1854 state election results Office Whig ticket Dem. (Softs) ticket American Party ticket Dem. (Hards) ticket Anti-Nebraska ticket Anti-Nebraska (seceders) ticket Free Democratic ticket Anti-Rent ticket Temperance ticket Liberty ticketGovernorMyron H. Clark The number of votes stated at the candidates' names is the total of all votes received on all tickets on which the candidate was nominated. It can not be ascertained how many votes each candidate received on which ticket. 156,804Horatio Seymour 156,495Daniel Ullmann 122,282Greene C. Bronson 33,850Myron H. Clark Myron H. Clark Myron H. Clark Myron H. Clark Myron H. Clark William Goodell 289Lieutenant GovernorHenry J. Raymond 157,166William H. Ludlow 128,833Gustavus Adolphus Scroggs 121,037Elijah Ford 52,074Henry J. Raymond Bradford R. Wood 8,378Bradford R. Wood Bradford R. Wood Henry J. Raymond Austin Ward 326Canal CommissionerHenry Fitzhugh 161,006Jason Clark 125,210Josiah B. WilliamsWilliams declined to be a candidate about two weeks before the election. The party managers then placed Hard-shell Democrat Clark Burnham on the Know Nothing ticket. Due to slow communications, Williams still received a large vote, but a majority of the Know Nothing electorate voted for Burnham. 58,244Clark Burnham 113,968Henry Fitzhugh Charles A. Wheaton 7,435Charles A. Wheaton Henry Fitzhugh John C. Harrington 261Inspector of State PrisonsNorwood Bowne 153,947William R. Andrews 124,735James P. Sanders 120,747Abram Vernam 41,978Norwood Bowne Philip H. Macomber 7,567Philip H. Macomber Norwood Bowne William Shapcott 242 See also New York gubernatorial elections New York state elections Notes Sources Result in "Official Canvass 1854". New-York Daily Times. December 21, 1854. pp. 6–7. (The votes of Wood, Goodell, Ward, Harrington, Wheaton, Macomber and Shapcott were stated among the "scattering votes".) Result in The Tribune Almanac 1855 1854 New York