1851 Boston mayoral election

The 1851 Boston mayoral election saw the election of Benjamin Seaver, a former president of the Boston Common Council, as mayor of Boston. The election took three votes, as no candidate secured the needed majority in the first two attempts. In the third attempt, Seaver won the required majority by the margin of a single vote. Incumbent Whig mayor John P. Bigelow was not a nominee for reelection.

First vote (December 8, 1851)

Candidates

Jerome V. C. Smith ("Native American Party" –Know Nothing),^[1] physician
John H. Wilkins (Whig)^[1]
George F. Williams (Free Soil Party)^[1]
Adam Wallace Thaxter Jr. (Democratic Party),^[1] merchant^[2] and Democratic for mayor in the first vote of the 1844 election

Result

Boston mayoral election first vote (December 8, 1851)^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	John H. Wilkins	4,423	45.13
	Know Nothing	Jerome V. C. Smith	2,672	27.26
	Democratic	Adam W. Thaxter Jr.	2,150	21.94
	Free Soil	George F. Williams	475	4.85
	Scattering	Other	81	0.83
Total votes			9,801	100

Second vote (December 17, 1851)

Candidates

Benjamin Seaver (Whig),^[4] former president of the Boston Common Council
Jerome V. C. Smith, physician
John H. Wilkins
George F. Williams
Henry B. Rogers
Adam Wallace Thaxter Jr., merchant^[2] and candidate for mayor in 1844

Result

Boston mayoral election second vote (December 17, 1851)^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Benjamin Seaver	3,970	47.31
	Know Nothing	Jerome V. C. Smith	2,680	31.94
	Democratic	Adam W. Thaxter Jr.	1,290	15.37
	Free Soil	George F. Williams	244	2.91
		Henry B. Rogers	158	1.88
	Scattering	Other	50	0.60
Total votes			8,392	100

Third vote (December 24, 1851)

Candidates

Benjamin Seaver (Whig),^[4] former president of the Boston Common Council
Jerome V. C. Smith, physician
Henry B. Rogers
Adam Wallace Thaxter Jr., merchant^[2] and candidate for mayor in 1844

Result

Boston mayoral election third vote (December 24, 1851)^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Whig	Benjamin Seaver	3,990	50.05
	Know Nothing	Jerome V. C. Smith	2,736	34.32
	Democratic	Adam W. Thaxter Jr.	1,024	12.84
		Henry B. Rogers	188	2.36
	Scattering	Other	38	0.48
Total votes			7,976	100

Summary table of all votes

1851 Boston mayoral election results
Vote round	Whig Party		Democratic Party		Know Nothing Party		Free Soil Party		Other candidate		Scattering
Vote round	Nominee	%	Nominee	%	Nominee	%	Nominee	%	Candidate	%	%
1st	John H. Wilkins	45.13	Adam W. Thaxter Jr	21.95	Jerome V. C. Smith	27.26	George F. Williams	4.85	—		0.83
2nd	Benjamin Seaver	47.31		15.37		31.94	George F. Williams	2.91	Henry B. Rogers	1.88	0.60
3rd	Benjamin Seaver	50.05		12.84		34.32	—		Henry B. Rogers	2.36	0.48

References

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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