The Election of 1860

Democratic Convention
Republican Convention
Popular Vote
Electoral Vote
States Carried

The Issues

William Seward was the front runner when the Republicans met in Chicago in May of 1860, but Lincoln quickly pulled ahead and won the nomination on the third ballot. The Republican platform opposed slavery in the territories but upheld the right of slavery in the South. It also opposed the Dredd-Scott decision. The Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas and the Southern-Democrats who called themselves National Democrats nominated John Breckinridge. In addition, John Bell was nominated by the Constitutional Union party.

The Republicans were united behind Lincoln, while the opposition was divided by regions. Most of the campaign was implemented by the party organizations, with the candidates taking a very small active part. Stephen Douglas became the first presidential candidate in history to undertake a nationwide speaking tour. He traveled to the South where he did not expect to win many electoral votes, but he spoke for the maintenance of the Union. The contest was in effect two contests between Douglas and Lincoln in the North and West and between Brekinridge and Bell in the south. The Republicans ran a very vigorous campaign and then better organization won the day.

1860 Democratic Convention

Charleston, South Carolina: April 23 to May 3, 1860
Baltimore Maryland: June 18 to 23, 1860
Nominated: Stephen Douglas of Illinios for President
Nominated: Benjamin Fitzpatrick of Alabama for Vice President

The Democratic party that met in Charleston in 1860 was deeply divided. Stephen Douglas was the clear favorite of Northen Democrats, while Southerners demanded that the Democratic party come out with a platform in clear defense of slavery. Douglas and his supporters could not agree. Many Southern delegates then walked out. The convention then went through 54 ballots but Douglas failed to acheive the needed 2/3 of the votes. The convention adjourned and planned to reconvene in June in Baltimore. When the party reconvened the fight continued, this time over recognition of the delegations. With some of the delegations walking out once again, Douglas could not acheive the required 2/3 of the votes. Finally, the convention voted to to state that now that Douglas had received 2/3 of the votes present he was the nominee.

1860 Republican Convention

Chicago, IL: May 16 to 18, 1860
Nominated: Abraham Lincoln of Ill for President
Nominated: Hannibal Hamlin of New Jersey for Vice President

Abraham Lincoln was nominated on the third ballot. He defeated Senator Seward of New York. Seward was considered by many to be to radical. The Republican issued a platform that criticized slavery, while making it clear that they would not intervene with slavery in the South. The Republicans also promised to support the building of a transcontinental railroad.

Presidential Election 1860 Popular Vote

Alabama
Abraham Lincoln		0	Stephen Douglas	13,618	15.1	John Breckinridge	48,669	54.0	John Bell	27,835	30.9
Arkansas
Abraham Lincoln	–	0	Stephen Douglas	5,357	9.9	John Breckinridge	28,732	53.1	John Bell	20,063	37.0
California
Abraham Lincoln	38,733	32.3	Stephen Douglas	37,999	31.7	John Breckinridge	33,969	28.3	John Bell	9,111	7.6
Connecticut
Abraham Lincoln	43,488	58.1	Stephen Douglas	15,431	20.6	John Breckinridge	14,372	19.2	John Bell	1,528	2.0
Delaware
Abraham Lincoln	3,822	23.7	Stephen Douglas	1,066	6.6	John Breckinridge	7,339	45.5	John Bell	3,888	24.1
Florida
Abraham Lincoln	–	0	Stephen Douglas	223	1.7	John Breckinridge	8,277	62.2	John Bell	4,801	36.1
Georgia
Abraham Lincoln	–	0	Stephen Douglas	11,581	10.9	John Breckinridge	52,176	48.9	John Bell	42,960	40.3
Illinois
Abraham Lincoln	172,171	50.7	Stephen Douglas	160,215	47.2	John Breckinridge	2,331	0.7	John Bell	4,914	1.4
Indiana
Abraham Lincoln	139,033	51.1	Stephen Douglas	115,509	42.4	John Breckinridge	12,295	4.5	John Bell	5,306	1.9
Iowa
Abraham Lincoln	70,302	54.6	Stephen Douglas	55,639	43.2	John Breckinridge	1,035	0.8	John Bell	1,763	1.4
Kentucky
Abraham Lincoln	1,364	0.9	Stephen Douglas	25,651	17.5	John Breckinridge	53,143	36.3	John Bell	66,058	45.2
Louisiana
Abraham Lincoln	–	0	Stephen Douglas	7,625	15.1	John Breckinridge	22,681	44.9	John Bell	20,204	40.0
Maine
Abraham Lincoln	62,811	62.2	Stephen Douglas	29,693	29.4	John Breckinridge	6,368	6.3	John Bell	2,046	2.0
Maryland
Abraham Lincoln	2,294	2.5	Stephen Douglas	5,966	6.4	John Breckinridge	42,482	45.9	John Bell	41,760	45.1
Massachusetts
Abraham Lincoln	106,684	62.8	Stephen Douglas	34,370	20.2	John Breckinridge	6,163	3.6	John Bell	22,331	13.1
Michigan
Abraham Lincoln	88,481	57.2	Stephen Douglas	65,057	42.0	John Breckinridge	805	0.5	John Bell	415	0.3
Minnesota
Abraham Lincoln	22,069	63.4	Stephen Douglas	11,920	34.2	John Breckinridge	748	2.1	John Bell	50	0.1
Mississippi
Abraham Lincoln	–	0	Stephen Douglas	3,282	4.7	John Breckinridge	40,768	59.0	John Bell	25,045	36.2
Missouri
Abraham Lincoln	17,028	10.3	Stephen Douglas	58,801	35.5	John Breckinridge	31,362	18.9	John Bell	58,372	35.3
New Hampshire
Abraham Lincoln	37,519	56.9	Stephen Douglas	25,887	39.3	John Breckinridge	2,125	3.2	John Bell	412	0.6
New Jersey
Abraham Lincoln	58,346	48.1	Stephen Douglas	62,869	51.9	John Breckinridge	–	0	John Bell	–
New York
Abraham Lincoln	362,646	53.7	Stephen Douglas	312,510	46.3	John Breckinridge	–	0	John Bell	–
North Carolina
Abraham Lincoln	–	0	Stephen Douglas	2,737	2.8	John Breckinridge	48,846	50.5	John Bell	45,129	46.7
Ohio
Abraham Lincoln	231,709	52.3	Stephen Douglas	187,421	42.3	John Breckinridge	11,406	2.6	John Bell	12,194	2.8
Oregon
Abraham Lincoln	5,329	36.1	Stephen Douglas	4,136	28.0	John Breckinridge	5,075	34.4	John Bell	218	1.5
Pennsylvania
Abraham Lincoln	268,030	56.3	Stephen Douglas	16,765	3.5	John Breckinridge	178,871	37.5	John Bell	12,776	2.7
Rhode Island
Abraham Lincoln	12,244	61.4	Stephen Douglas	7,707	38.6	John Breckinridge	–	0	John Bell	–
Tennessee
Abraham Lincoln	–	0	Stephen Douglas	11,281	7.7	John Breckinridge	65,097	44.6	John Bell	69,728	47.7
Texas
Abraham Lincoln	–	0	Stephen Douglas	18	0	John Breckinridge	47,454	75.5	John Bell	15,383	24.5
Vermont
Abraham Lincoln	33,808	75.7	Stephen Douglas	8,649	19.4	John Breckinridge	218	0.5	John Bell	1,969	4.4
Virginia
Abraham Lincoln	1,887	1.1	Stephen Douglas	16,198	9.7	John Breckinridge	74,325	44.5	John Bell	74,481	44.6
Wisconsin
Abraham Lincoln	86,110	56.6	Stephen Douglas	65,021	42.7	John Breckinridge	887	0.6	John Bell	161	0.1

Presidential Election 1860 Electoral Votes

Presidental Election of 1860 Electoral Votes Chart

Presidential Election 1860 States Carried

1860 States Carried

Ref. HistoryCentral.com