The 1860 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 6. Incumbent Republican governor

Nathaniel Banks Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss) Banks (January 30, 1816 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician from Massachusetts and a Union general during the Civil War. A millworker, Banks became prominent in local debating societies and entered ...

did not run for re-election to a fourth term. He was succeeded by Republican

John Albion Andrew John Albion Andrew (May 31, 1818 – October 30, 1867) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. He was elected in 1860 as the 25th Governor of Massachusetts, serving between 1861 and 1866, and led the state's contributions to ...

, a radical abolitionist.

Republican convention

Candidates

, state representative from

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

* Henry L. Dawes, U.S. representative from

Pittsfield Pittsfield is the most populous city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsf ...

John Z. Goodrich John Zacheus Goodrich (September 27, 1804 – April 19, 1885) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the 24th lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. He was born in Sheffield, Massachuse ...

, former U.S. representative from Stockbridge * Ensign H. Kellogg, former state senator from

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 William Claflin (March 6, 1818 – January 5, 1905) was an American politician, industrialist, and philanthropist from Massachusetts. He served as the 27th governor of Massachusetts from 1869 to 1872 and as a member of the United States Congre ...

leaked the news to U.S. senator

Charles Sumner Charles Sumner (January 6, 1811March 11, 1874) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1851 until his death in 1874. Before and during the American Civil War, he was a leading American ...

, an abolitionist and supporter of

. Sumner sprang the Andrew campaign into gear before Banks announced his retirement, allowing them to get the jump on Dawes. Two additional candidates joined the race: Ensign H. Kellogg and

. Both hailed from

Berkshire County Berkshire County (pronounced ) is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded in 17 ...

, like Dawes, and their campaigns may have eaten into his regional support there. By the time the convention opened, Andrew was the strong favorite.

Results

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

General election

Candidates

, state representative from Boston (Republican) * Erasmus Beach, Democratic nominee for governor from 1855 through 1858 (Douglas Democratic) *

Benjamin Franklin Butler Benjamin Franklin Butler (November 5, 1818 – January 11, 1893) was an American major general of the Union Army, politician, lawyer, and businessman from Massachusetts. Born in New Hampshire and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, Butler was a ...

, 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

References

{{Massachusetts elections

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

1860 Events January * January 2 – The astronomer Urbain Le Verrier announces the discovery of a hypothetical planet Vulcan (hypothetical planet), Vulcan at a meeting of the French Academy of Sciences in Paris, France. * January 10 &ndas ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

November 1860