The 1861 New York state election was held on November 5, 1861, to elect the Secretary of State

Secretary of State of New York

The Secretary of State of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York.The current Secretary of State of New York is Cesar A...

, the State Comptroller

New York State Comptroller

The New York State Comptroller is a state cabinet officer of the U.S. state of New York. The duties of the comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state's retirement system.-History:...

, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer

New York State Treasurer

The New York State Treasurer was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1776 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the new Department of Audit and Control headed by the...

, the State Engineer

New York State Engineer and Surveyor

The New York State Engineer and Surveyor was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1848 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Public Works which was...

, a Judge of the New York 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...

, two Canal Commissioners

Erie Canal Commission

The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...

 and an Inspector of State Prisons

New York State Prison Inspector

The Inspector of State Prisons was a statewide elective office created by the New York State Constitution of 1846. At the New York state election, 1847, three Inspectors were elected and then, upon taking office, so classified that henceforth every year one Inspector would be elected to a...

, 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 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

The "Independent People's" state convention met on September 10 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...

 with the intention to nominate a ticket which would be endorsed by the Republican state convention which was due to meet at the same city on the following day. The convention was dominated by the old Hunkers/Hard

Barnburners and Hunkers

The Barnburners were the more radical faction of the New York state Democratic Party in the mid 19th century. The term barnburner was derived from the idea of someone who would burn down his own barn to get rid of a rat infestation, in this case those who would destroy all banks and corporations,...

 faction of the Democratic Party (which had supported John C. Breckinridge

John C. Breckinridge

John Cabell Breckinridge was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States , to date the youngest vice president in U.S...

 for the Presidency the year before, and had been reduced to a small minority at the 1860 New York state election) and the Greeley

Horace Greeley

Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...

 Republicans.

The Republican state convention met on September 11 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...

 and endorsed the Independent People's ticket with the exception of Frederick A. Tallmadge. The Republicans preferred the incumbent Canal Commissioner Benjamin F. Bruce to be re-nominated.

Results

The whole jointly nominated part of the "Union" ticket was elected, only the Democratic candidate for short-term Canal Commissioner William W. Wright was elected due to the split of the "Union" ticket.

The incumbents Floyd-Jones, Richmond, Comstock and Bruce were defeated.

22 Republicans and 10 Democrats were elected to a two-year term (1862-63) in 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...

.

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...

 of 1862 was almost evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, most of whom had been elected on the "Union" ticket. There was a small majority of Republicans.

1861 state election results

Office	Independent People's War Democrats War Democrats in American politics of the 1860s were adherents of the Democratic Party who rejected the Copperheads/Peace Democrats who controlled the party...  ticket		Republican ticket		Democratic ticket
Secretary of State Secretary of State of New York The Secretary of State of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York.The current Secretary of State of New York is Cesar A...	Horatio Ballard Horatio Ballard Horatio Ballard was an American lawyer and politician who was New York Secretary of State from January 1, 1862 to December 31, 1863.-Life:...	297,428	Horatio Ballard Horatio Ballard Horatio Ballard was an American lawyer and politician who was New York Secretary of State from January 1, 1862 to December 31, 1863.-Life:...		David R. Floyd-Jones David R. Floyd-Jones David Richard Floyd-Jones was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:A descendant of an old Long Island family, he was born at the family mansion on the Fort Neck estate in South Oyster Bay, New York as the son of Brigadier General Thomas Floyd-Jones and Cornelia Haring Jones Floyd-Jones David...	189,716
Comptroller New York State Comptroller The New York State Comptroller is a state cabinet officer of the U.S. state of New York. The duties of the comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state's retirement system.-History:...	Lucius Robinson Lucius Robinson Lucius Robinson was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 26th Governor of New York from 1877 to 1879.-Life:...	296,855	Lucius Robinson Lucius Robinson Lucius Robinson was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 26th Governor of New York from 1877 to 1879.-Life:...		George G. Scott	188,654
Attorney General New York State Attorney General The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...	Daniel S. Dickinson Daniel S. Dickinson Daniel Stevens Dickinson was a New York politician, most notable as a United States Senator from 1844 to 1851.-Biography:...	295,609	Daniel S. Dickinson Daniel S. Dickinson Daniel Stevens Dickinson was a New York politician, most notable as a United States Senator from 1844 to 1851.-Biography:...		Marshall B. Champlain Marshall B. Champlain Marshall Bolds Champlain was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was admitted to the bar in 1843, and practised at Cuba, N.Y...	188,361
Treasurer New York State Treasurer The New York State Treasurer was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1776 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the new Department of Audit and Control headed by the...	William B. Lewis William B. Lewis (NY treasurer) William B. Lewis was an American businessman and politician.-Life:He began to work as a brick hod carrier, then learned the builder's trade, and became a contractor....	296,709	William B. Lewis William B. Lewis (NY treasurer) William B. Lewis was an American businessman and politician.-Life:He began to work as a brick hod carrier, then learned the builder's trade, and became a contractor....		William Williams William Williams (New York) William Williams was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in Bolton, Connecticut, Williams received a common-school education. He served as clerk in a bank in Windham, Connecticut. He moved to Sandusky, Ohio, in 1838, and to Buffalo, New York, in 1839, where he engaged in banking...	188,774
State Engineer New York State Engineer and Surveyor The New York State Engineer and Surveyor was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1848 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Public Works which was...	William B. Taylor William B. Taylor (engineer) William Burdick Taylor was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:He was educated at Utica, New York, and studied engineering in his brother's office...	294,422	William B. Taylor William B. Taylor (engineer) William Burdick Taylor was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:He was educated at Utica, New York, and studied engineering in his brother's office...		Van Rensselaer Richmond Van Rensselaer Richmond Van Rensselaer Richmond was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:...	188,507
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...	William B. Wright William B. Wright William B. Wright was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals in 1868.-Life:He was the son of Samuel Wright....	276,901	William B. Wright William B. Wright William B. Wright was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals in 1868.-Life:He was the son of Samuel Wright....		George F. Comstock George F. Comstock George Franklin Comstock was an American lawyer and politician. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1860 to 1861.-Life:He graduated from Union College in 1834...	198,746
Canal Commissioner Erie Canal Commission The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...  (full term)	Franklin A. Alberger Franklin A. Alberger Franklin Augustus Alberger was an American businessman and politician from New York.-Life:...	295,960	Franklin A. Alberger Franklin A. Alberger Franklin Augustus Alberger was an American businessman and politician from New York.-Life:...		Jarvis Lord	181,283
Canal Commissioner Erie Canal Commission The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...   (short term)	Frederick A. Tallmadge Frederick A. Tallmadge Frederick Augustus Tallmadge was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a Member of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom New York's 5th congressional district from 1847 to 1849.-Biography:...	106,721	Benjamin F. Bruce Benjamin F. Bruce Benjamin Franklin Bruce was an American politician from New York.-Life:...	179,691	William W. Wright William W. Wright William Westwood Wright was an American politician from New York.-Life:He married Mary L...	198,385
Inspector of State Prisons New York State Prison Inspector The Inspector of State Prisons was a statewide elective office created by the New York State Constitution of 1846. At the New York state election, 1847, three Inspectors were elected and then, upon taking office, so classified that henceforth every year one Inspector would be elected to a...	Abraham B. Tappen Abraham B. Tappen Abraham B. Tappen was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...	297,126	Abraham B. Tappen Abraham B. Tappen Abraham B. Tappen was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...		William C. Rhodes William C. Rhodes (New York) William C. Rhodes was an American newspaper editor and politician from New York.-Life:In January 1845, he married Fanny P. Maxwell at Elmira, New York.He published with George W. Mason the Elmira Gazette from 1841 to 1848...	189,260

Sources

• Result in The Tribune Almanac for the years 1838 to 1868 compiled by Horace Greeley
  Horace Greeley
  Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
  
   of the New York Tribune
  New York Tribune
  The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
  
  
• The Union ticket: http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/september/lincoln-slave-order.htm in Harper's Weekly, September 28, 1861, pg. 611
• The tickets: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9D00E4D71F3FEF3BBC4D53DFB767838A679FDE in NYT on November 5, 1861 (giving "Low" instead of Lord)