1851 Boston mayoral election

1851 Boston mayoral election

Dec. 8, 1851 (1st vote) Dec. 17, 1851 (2nd vote) Dec. 24, 1851 (3rd vote)

Candidate Benjamin Seaver John H. Wilkins Party Whig Whig First vote Did not contest 4,423 45.13% Second vote 3,970 47.31% Did not contest Third vote 3,990 50.05% Did not contest   Candidate Jerome V. C. Smith Adam W. Thaxter Jr. Party Know Nothing Democratic First vote 2,672 27.26% 1,250 21.95% Second vote 2,680 31.94% 1,290 15.37% Third vote 2,736 34.32% 1,024 12.84%

Mayor before election John P. Bigelow Whig Elected mayor Benjamin Seaver Whig

Ward 12 Democratic Party ticket from the 1851 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), physician
• John H. Wilkins (Whig)
• George F. Williams (Free Soil Party)
• Adam Wallace Thaxter Jr. (Democratic Party), merchant and Democratic for mayor in the first vote of the 1844 election

Result

Boston mayoral election first vote (December 8, 1851)

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), 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 and candidate for mayor in 1844

Result

Boston mayoral election second vote (December 17, 1851)

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), former president of the Boston Common Council
• Jerome V. C. Smith, physician
• Henry B. Rogers
• Adam Wallace Thaxter Jr., merchant and candidate for mayor in 1844

Result

Boston mayoral election third vote (December 24, 1851)

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
	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		2.91	Henry B. Rogers	1.88	0.60
3rd		50.05		12.84		34.32	—			2.36	0.48

See also

• List of mayors of Boston, Massachusetts