1876 Rhode Island gubernatorial election

1876 Rhode Island gubernatorial election

April 5, 1876

Nominee Henry Lippitt Albert C. Howard William B. Beach Party Republican Prohibition Democratic Electoral vote 74 29 Popular vote 8,689 6,733 3,599 Percentage 45.64% 35.37% 18.91%

Governor before election Henry Lippitt Republican Elected Governor Henry Lippitt Republican

The 1876 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on April 5, 1876. Incumbent Republican Governor Henry Lippitt defeated Prohibition Party nominee Albert C. Howard and Democratic nominee William B. Beach.

Since no candidate received a majority in the popular vote, Lippitt was elected by the Rhode Island General Assembly per the state constitution.

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

• Henry Lippitt, Republican^[1]
• William B. Beach, Democratic

Other candidates

• Albert C. Howard, Prohibition.^[2][3][4][5] Howard was also supported by Republicans opposed to Lippitt.^[6][7][a]

Results

1876 Rhode Island gubernatorial election^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Henry Lippitt (incumbent)	8,689	45.64%
	Prohibition	Albert C. Howard	6,733	35.37%
	Democratic	William B. Beach	3,599	18.91%
	Scattering		16	0.08%
Majority			1,956	10.27%
Turnout			19,037
	Republican hold		Swing

Legislative election

As no candidate received a majority of the vote, the Rhode Island General Assembly was required to decide the election, choosing among the top two vote-getters, Lippitt and Howard. The legislative election was held on May 30, 1876.

Legislative election^[14]^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry Lippitt	74	71.84%
	Prohibition	Albert C. Howard	29	28.16%
Turnout			103

Notes

1. 20th Century sources variously describe Howard as a "National Republican", "Republican and Prohibitionist", "National Republican and Prohibitionist".

References

1. "Rhode Island Republicans". The New York herald. New York, N.Y. March 24, 1876. p. 10. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
2. "Miscellaneous". Chicago daily tribune. Chicago, Ill. February 23, 1876. p. 5. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
3. "The Rhode Island Prohibitionists". The Cairo bulletin. Cairo, Ill. February 24, 1876. p. 2. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
4. "The News". Wood County reporter. Grand Rapids, Wis. March 2, 1876. p. 2. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
5. "Tomorrow an election will be held in Rhode Island". Evening star. Washington, D.C. April 4, 1876. p. 2. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
6. "Election News". Memphis daily appeal. Memphis, Tenn. April 6, 1876. p. 1. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
7. "Election Results". The New York herald. New York, N.Y. April 6, 1876. p. 7. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
8. "RI Governor, 1876". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
9. Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. p. 77. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.
10. Dubin, Michael J. (2010). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7864-4722-0.
11. Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Westport, CT: Meckler Books. pp. 272–273. ISBN 0-930466-17-9.
12. Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 516.
13. Manual with Rules and Orders for the Use of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island, 1879-80. Providence: E. L. Freeman & Co., Printers to the State. 1879. p. 163.
14. Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 525.
15. "Rhode Island". The New York herald. New York, N.Y. May 31, 1876. p. 7. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

Bibliography

• Kallenbach, Joseph E.; Kallenbach, Jessamine S., eds. (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Vol. I. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-379-00665-0.