1856 Missouri gubernatorial election

The Missouri gubernatorial election of 1856 was Missouri's 11th gubernatorial election. In the election, which was held on August 2, 1852, the Democratic nominee, Trusten Polk, defeated Know-Nothing candidate Robert C. Ewing (running under the American Party label), and former Senator Thomas H. Benton. Benton ran as an Independent Democrat under the label "Benton Democrat."

1856 Missouri gubernatorial election

August 4, 1856

Nominee Trusten Polk Robert Ewing Thomas H. Benton Party Democratic Know Nothing Independent Democratic Popular vote 46,993 40,589 27,618 Percentage 40.79% 35.23% 23.97%

Governor before election Sterling Price Democratic Elected Governor Trusten Polk Democratic

Elections in Missouri
Federal government U.S. President 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 Dem Rep 2004 Dem Rep 2008 Dem Rep 2012 Dem Rep 2016 Dem Rep 2020 Dem Rep Missouri bellwether U.S. Senate 1821 1825 1827 1830 1833 1836 1839 1842 1843 sp 1845 1849 1851 1857 1857 sp 1861 1863 1863 sp 1868 1871 sp 1874 1879 1879 sp 1881 1885 1887 1891 1893 1897 1899 1903 1905 1909 1911 1911 1914 1916 1918 sp 1920 1922 1926 1926 sp 1928 1932 1934 1938 1940 1944 1946 1950 1952 1956 1958 1960 sp 1962 1964 1968 1970 1974 1976 1980 1982 1986 1988 1992 1994 1998 2000 2002 sp 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 2018 U.S. House 1820 1822 1824 1826 1828 1831 1832 and 1833 1835 1836 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1848 1850 1852 1854 1856 1858 1860 1860 sp 1st 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1920 1922 1926 1928 1934 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1948 sp 10th 1950 1951 sp 11th 1952 1956 1960 1968 1972 1976 1980 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2013 sp 8th 2014 2016 2018 2020
State government Gubernatorial elections 1820 1824 1825 (special) 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1857 (special) 1860 1864 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Attorney General elections 2012 2016 2020 State Auditor elections 2010 2014 2018 State Treasurer elections 2012 2016 2020 Secretary of State elections 2012 2016 2020 Missouri Senate elections 2010 2018 Missouri House elections 2010
Ballot measures 2004 Amendment 2 2006 Amendment 2
Columbia Mayoral elections 2019
Kansas City Mayoral elections 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019
Springfield Mayoral elections 2015
St. Louis Mayoral elections 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021

In February 1857, Trusten Polk would be elected to the United States Senate; he therefore resigned the governorship, was replaced by Lt. Gov. Hancock Lee Jackson, and forced a special election to be called for August 1857 to fill the remainder of the term.[1]