1875 New York state election

The 1875 New York state election was held on November 2, 1875, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, a Canal Commissioner and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate.

History

The Republican state convention met on September 8 at Saratoga, New York. Frederick W. Seward was nominated for Secretary of State by acclamation. Francis E. Spinner was nominated for Comptroller on the first ballot (vote: Spinner: 259, A. S. Diven 49, Edwin D. Morgan 36, W. W. Palmer 23, E. B. Judson 18, Calvin T. Hulburd 4, Francis C. Barlow 3). Edwin A. Merritt was nominated for Treasurer by acclamation. George F. Danforth was nominated for Attorney General on the first ballot (vote: Danforth 258, L. B. Prince 149). Oliver H. P. Cornell was nominated for State Engineer on the first ballot (vote: Cornell 301, Joseph N. Green 71, Charles H. Fisher 12, George Geddes 1). William T. Tinsley for Canal Commissioner, and Benoni I. Ives for Prison Inspector, were nominated by acclamation.[1]

The Democratic state convention met on September 16 and 17 at Syracuse, New York. John Bigelow, a Republican, was proposed by DeWitt Clinton Littlejohn for Secretary of State, and was nominated by acclamation. Ex-Comptroller Lucius Robinson (in office 1862-1865) was re-nominated by acclamation. Charles S. Fairchild was nominated for Attorney General during the first ballot. Charles N. Ross was nominated for Treasurer on the first ballot. John D. Van Buren, Jr. was nominated for State Engineer by acclamation. Christopher A. Walrath for Canal Commissioner, and Rodney R. Crowley for Prison Inspector, were then nominated amid great noise and confusion.[2]

Results

The whole Democratic ticket was elected.

20 Republicans and 12 Democrats were elected to a two-year term (1876–77) in the New York State Senate.

72 Republicans and 56 Democrats were elected for the session of 1876 to the New York State Assembly.

1875 state election results

Office	Democratic ticket		Republican ticket		Prohibition ticket
Secretary of State	John Bigelow	390,211	Frederick W. Seward	375,401	George B. Dusinberre	11,103
Comptroller	Lucius Robinson	389,709	Francis E. Spinner	376,150	Alphonso A. Hopkins[3]	10,614
Attorney General	Charles S. Fairchild	390,443	George F. Danforth	367,141	Eli T. Marsh	10,927
Treasurer	Charles N. Ross	391,637	Edwin A. Merritt	373,575	Stephen B. Ayres	11,013
State Engineer	John D. Van Buren, Jr.	391,665	Oliver H. P. Cornell[4]	373,970	George A. Dudley[5]	11,154
Canal Commissioner	Christopher A. Walrath	392,184	William T. Tinsley[6]	373,791	Ira Bell[7]	10,879
Inspector of State Prisons	Rodney R. Crowley	392,495	Benoni I. Ives[8]	373,043	John B. Gibbs	10,491

Notes

1. DEBATE ON THE RESOLUTIONS.; THE SARATOGA CONVENTION in NYT on September 9, 1875
2. THE SYRACUSE CONVENTION in NYT on September 18, 1875
3. Prof. Alphonso A. Hopkins, of Monroe County, ran also for Secretary of State in 1879, and Governor in 1882
4. Oliver H. Cornell (b. ca. 1842), brother of Alonzo B. Cornell, graduated from Cornell University, ran also in 1887
5. George A. Dudley, of Ellenville, ran also in 1883 and 1885
6. William T. Tinsley, of Wayne County, editor of the Lyons Republican
7. Ira Bell, of St. Lawrence County, ran also in 1874 for Prison Inspector
8. Benoni I. Ives, of Cayuga County, Methodist minister, Chaplain of Auburn State Prison, lecturer on Temperance

Sources

• Result: THE STATE CANVASS in NYT on December 4, 1875
• Result: The Tribune Almanac for 1876 compiled by David M. White of the New York Tribune (has lower numbers for some of the Prohibition candidates)
• The candidates: Sketches of the nominees of the Republican State Convention in NYT on September 9, 1875

See also

• New York state elections