New York gubernatorial election, 1862

Note: In 1862, both the Democratic and Republican party members and followers were divided at this time over the issues of slavery, the war itself and its probable outcome. So, the candidates were nominated by conventions that used the names Constitutional Union (largely Democrats, but including the bigger part of the Know Nothings, and factions of the Republican and other parties) and Republican Union (largely Republican, but including factions of the Democratic and other parties).

The total votes cast were more than 70,000 less than in the previous election because the soldiers in the field were not allowed to vote, which is believed to have given a slight majority to the defeatists. The elected governor Seymour was anti-Lincoln, anti-federal government, anti-war, pro-slavery and did his best to undermine the federal war effort during the next two years.

ee also