New York state election, 1878
Encyclopedia
The 1876 New York state election was held on November 5, 1878, to elect a judge of the New York Court of Appeals
, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly
and one member of the New York State Senate
.
in June 1878. Samuel Hand had been appointed temporarily to fill the vacancy until the end of the year.
The National Labor-Greenback
convention met on July 23 and 24 at Syracuse, New York
. T. C. Daily was President. Ex-Secretary of State Gideon J. Tucker (in office 1858-1859) was nominated for the Court of Appeals after the first ballot in which he had an equal number of votes as James Wright, a lawyer from Elmira
, who withdrew.
Although the state convention of 1877 had given the State Committee the option to nominate a candidate for the Court of Appeals (this being the only statewide elected official this year) without calling a state convention, the Republican boss Conkling preferred to assemble one to have a new State Committee elected. The Republican state convention met on September 26 at Saratoga, New York
. Roscoe Conkling
was Temporary and Permanent Chairman. George F. Danforth was nominated for the Court of Appeals on the first ballot (vote: Danforth: 226, Joshua M. Van Cott 99, George W. Parsons 79).
" Tucker who diverted a large number of votes in New York City from the Democratic to the Greenback ticket.
Republican Thomas Murphy was elected to the New York State Senate
.
99 Republicans 28 Democrats and 1 Greenbacker were elected for the session of 1879 to the New York State Assembly
.
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
and one member of the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
.
History
Due to the increase of the Governor's term to three years, in 1878 there was only one officer to be elected statewide: a judge of the Court of Appeals, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William F. AllenWilliam F. Allen (New York)
William Fitch Allen was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:...
in June 1878. Samuel Hand had been appointed temporarily to fill the vacancy until the end of the year.
The National Labor-Greenback
United States Greenback Party
The Greenback Party was an American political party with an anti-monopoly ideology that was active between 1874 and 1884. Its name referred to paper money, or "greenbacks," that had been issued during the American Civil War and afterward...
convention met on July 23 and 24 at Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. T. C. Daily was President. Ex-Secretary of State Gideon J. Tucker (in office 1858-1859) was nominated for the Court of Appeals after the first ballot in which he had an equal number of votes as James Wright, a lawyer from Elmira
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
, who withdrew.
Although the state convention of 1877 had given the State Committee the option to nominate a candidate for the Court of Appeals (this being the only statewide elected official this year) without calling a state convention, the Republican boss Conkling preferred to assemble one to have a new State Committee elected. The Republican state convention met on September 26 at Saratoga, New York
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
. Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling was a politician from New York who served both as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. He was the leader of the Stalwart faction of the Republican Party and the last person to refuse a U.S. Supreme Court appointment after he had...
was Temporary and Permanent Chairman. George F. Danforth was nominated for the Court of Appeals on the first ballot (vote: Danforth: 226, Joshua M. Van Cott 99, George W. Parsons 79).
Result
The Republican judge was elected due to the "spoiler candidateSpoiler effect
The spoiler effect describes the effect a minor party candidate with little chance of winning has in a close election, when that candidate's presence in the election draws votes from a major candidate similar to them, thereby causing a candidate dissimilar to them to win the election...
" Tucker who diverted a large number of votes in New York City from the Democratic to the Greenback ticket.
Republican Thomas Murphy was elected to the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
.
99 Republicans 28 Democrats and 1 Greenbacker were elected for the session of 1879 to the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
.
| Office | Republican ticket | Democratic ticket | Greenback United States Greenback Party The Greenback Party was an American political party with an anti-monopoly ideology that was active between 1874 and 1884. Its name referred to paper money, or "greenbacks," that had been issued during the American Civil War and afterward... ticket |
Prohibition Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement... ticket |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judge of the Court of Appeals New York Court of Appeals The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms... |
George F. Danforth George F. Danforth George Franklin Danforth was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:... |
391,112 | George B. Bradley | 356,451 | Gideon J. Tucker Gideon J. Tucker Gideon John Tucker was an American lawyer, newspaper editor and politician. In 1866, as Surrogate of New York, he wrote in a decision of a will case: "No man's life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session."-Life:He was born on Laight Street, near Canal Street in Lower... |
75,133 | William H. Van Cott | 4,294 |
Sources
- The tickets: THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS in NYT on October 28, 1878
- Result: CANVASSING THE STATE VOTE in NYT on November 28, 1878