1857 Missouri gubernatorial special election

Missouri gubernatorial special election, 1857

August 7, 1857

Nominee Robert Marcellus Stewart James S. Rollins Party Democratic Know Nothing Popular vote 47,975 47,641 Percentage 50.18% 49.82%

Governor before election Hancock Lee Jackson Democratic Elected Governor Robert Marcellus Stewart Democratic

The Missouri gubernatorial special election of 1857 was Missouri's 12th gubernatorial election. The election was called to fill the remainder of the term of Trusten Polk, who had resigned in February 1857 upon his election to the United States Senate. In the special election, held on August 7, 1857, the Democratic nominee, Robert Marcellus Stewart, defeated Know-Nothing candidate James S. Rollins (running under the American Party label) by a margin of only 334 votes. This was Rollins' second run for Governor of Missouri, having also lost in the 1848 gubernatorial election.

Results

1857 gubernatorial special election, Missouri

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Robert Marcellus Stewart	47,975	50.18	+9.39
	Know Nothing	James S. Rollins	47,641	49.82	+14.59
Majority			334	0.36	−5.20
Turnout			95,616	14.02
	Democratic hold		Swing