1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

| country = Massachusetts

| type = presidential

| ongoing = No

| previous_election = 1859 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 1859

| next_election = 1861 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

| next_year = 1861

| election_date = {{Start date|1860|11|6}}

| image_size = x150px

| image1 = File:JohnAAndrew byJWBlack (cropped).jpg

| nominee1 = John Albion Andrew

| party1 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 104,527

| percentage1 = 61.63%

| image2 = File:Erasmus D. Beach.png

| nominee2 = Erasmus Beach

| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 35,191

| percentage2 = 20.75%

| image3 = Amos Adams Lawrence.jpg

| nominee3 = Amos Lawrence

| party3 = Constitutional Union Party (United States)

| popular_vote3 = 23,816

| percentage3 = 14.04%

| map_image = 1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election results map by county.svg

| map_size =

| map_caption = County results
Andrew: {{legend0|#FFB2B2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#D75D5D|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = Nathaniel Prentiss Banks

| before_party = Republican Party (US)

| after_election = John Albion Andrew

| after_party = Republican Party (US)

}}

The 1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 6. Incumbent Republican governor Nathaniel Banks did not run for re-election to a fourth term. He was succeeded by Republican John Albion Andrew, a radical abolitionist.

Republican convention

=Candidates=

John Albion Andrew, state representative from Boston
Henry L. Dawes, U.S. representative from Pittsfield
John Z. Goodrich, former U.S. representative from Stockbridge
Ensign H. Kellogg, former state senator from Pittsfield and Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives

=Campaign=

Incumbent governor Nathaniel Banks, a moderate on the slavery issue, supported Congressman Henry L. Dawes as his successor. To give Dawes the greatest possible advantage at the state convention, Banks delayed his retirement announcement as long as possible. However, party chairman William Claflin leaked the news to U.S. senator Charles Sumner, an abolitionist and supporter of John Albion Andrew. Sumner sprang the Andrew campaign into gear before Banks announced his retirement, allowing them to get the jump on Dawes.{{cite book|last=Pearson|first=Henry|title=The Life of John A. Andrew|pages=119–20|url=https://archive.org/details/lifejohnaandrew00peargoog|year=1904|publisher=Houghton, Mifflin|location=Cambridge, MA|oclc=1453615}}

Two additional candidates joined the race: Ensign H. Kellogg and John Z. Goodrich. Both hailed from Berkshire County, like Dawes, and their campaigns may have eaten into his regional support there. By the time the convention opened, Andrew was the strong favorite.{{cite book|last=Pearson|first=Henry|title=The Life of John A. Andrew|pages=122–23|url=https://archive.org/details/lifejohnaandrew00peargoog|year=1904|publisher=Houghton, Mifflin|location=Cambridge, MA|oclc=1453615}}

=Results=

The Republican State Convention was held in Worcester on August 29.

{{Election box begin no change|title=1860 Massachusetts Republican convention{{cite news |title=Massachusetts Republican State Convention|date=30 Aug 1860|work=The New York Times|page=1|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1860/08/30/issue.html|access-date=9 Oct 2020}}{{cite book|last=Pearson|first=Henry|title=The Life of John A. Andrew|page=123|url=https://archive.org/details/lifejohnaandrew00peargoog|year=1904|publisher=Houghton, Mifflin|location=Cambridge, MA|oclc=1453615}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate= John Albion Andrew

| party = Republican Party (US)

| votes = 733

| percentage = 68.50%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate= Henry L. Dawes

| party = Republican Party (US)

| votes = 326

| percentage = 30.47%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate= Ensign Kellogg

| party = Republican Party (US)

| votes = 7

| percentage = 0.65%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate= John Z. Goodrich

| party = Republican Party (US)

| votes = 4

| percentage = 0.37%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 1,070

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

General election

=Candidates=

John Albion Andrew, state representative from Boston (Republican)
Erasmus Beach, Democratic nominee for governor from 1855 through 1858 (Douglas Democratic)
Benjamin Franklin Butler, state senator from Lowell and Democratic nominee for governor in 1859 (Breckinridge Democratic)
Amos Adams Lawrence, textile magnate and American Party candidate for governor in 1858 (Constitutional Union)

=Results=

{{Election box begin

| title=1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election{{Cite book |last=Dubin |first=Michael J. |title=United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County |publisher=McFarland & Company |year=2003 |isbn=9780786414390 |location=Jefferson |pages=120}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = John Albion Andrew

|votes = 104,527

|percentage = 61.63%

|change = {{increase}}7.61

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Erasmus Beach

|votes = 35,191