The 1846 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 1, 1846,[1] and resulted in the election of Whig Party candidate Horace Eaton to a one-year term as governor.[2]
In the popular vote for lieutenant governor, Whig Leonard Sargeant defeated Democrat Truman B. Ransom and Free Soil candidate Jacob Scott.[3] The vote totals were: Sargeant, 23,335 (47.4%); Ransom, 17,985 (36.6%); Scott, 7,801 (15.9%); scattering, 65 (0.1%).[3]
The contest for state treasurer resulted in the election of Whig Elisha P. Jewett, who defeated Democrat Daniel Baldwin and Free Soil nominee Zenas Wood.[3] Vote totals in the treasurer's race were: Jewett, 23,324 (48.2%); Baldwin, 17,847 (36.9%); Wood, 6,978 (14.4%); scattering, 192 (0.5%).[3]
Because none of the popular vote winners achieved the 50 percent required by the Constitution of Vermont, the Vermont General Assembly was required to choose the winners.[3] In most cases, the assembly selects the candidate who received a plurality of the vote.[3] In the October 8, 1846 legislative elections, Eaton, Sargeant, and Jewett all won their contests.[3] The reported vote totals were:[3]
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