1879 Maine gubernatorial election

1879 Maine gubernatorial election

September 8, 1879

Nominee Daniel F. Davis Joseph L. Smith Alonzo Garcelon Party Republican Greenback Democratic Electoral vote (Elected) Popular vote 68,527 47,987 21,525 Percentage 49.52% 34.68% 15.56%

County results Davis:     40-50%      50-60%      60-70% Smith:      50-60%

Governor before election Alonzo Garcelon Democratic Elected Governor Daniel F. Davis Republican

The 1879 Maine gubernatorial election was held on September 8, 1879. Republican nominee Daniel F. Davis defeated Greenback nominee Joseph L. Smith and the Democratic nominee, incumbent Governor Alonzo Garcelon.^[1]

With Maine switching to two-year gubernatorial terms in 1880, Davis would be the final Maine governor to serve a single-year term, and the final governor chosen by the Maine Legislature after no candidate received a majority of the popular vote.

• Daniel F. Davis, State Senator from Corinth (Republican)
• Alonzo Garcelon, incumbent Governor (Democratic)
• Joseph L. Smith (Greenback)

For the second consecutive election, no candidate received a necessary majority of the popular vote — though Davis had attained a significant plurality — and thus the election was sent to the state legislature to determine the next governor.^[2] Democrats and Greenbackers were the majority, but could not agree between themselves.^[2] Republican legislators eventually barred their opponents from the Maine State House, reconstituted the legislature, and elected Davis to the governorship.^[2] The dispute was then submitted to the Maine Supreme Court.^[2] Composed of seven Republicans and one Democrat, the court sustained the Republicans in the legislature, and Davis was inaugurated.^[2] This dispute led to a referendum on amending the Constitution of Maine to allow the governor to be elected by plurality voting, which was passed in 1880, making the 1879 election the final time the state legislature chose the governor.^[3]