1870 Alabama gubernatorial election

The 1870 Alabama gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1870 in order to elect the Governor of Alabama. Incumbent Republican William Hugh Smith was narrowly defeated by Democrat Robert B. Lindsay.

1870 Alabama gubernatorial election

November 8, 1870

Nominee Robert B. Lindsay William Hugh Smith Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 77,723 76,282 Percentage 50.47% 49.53%

Governor before election William Hugh Smith Republican Elected Governor Robert B. Lindsay Democratic

Elections in Alabama
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Government of Alabama State-wide 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2018 Gubernatorial 1819 1821 1823 1825 1827 1829 1831 1833 1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1906 1910 1914 1918 1922 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 Alabama House of Representatives 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Alabama Senate 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Ballot measures 2006 Amendment 774
Birmingham Mayor 2017
Montgomery Mayor 2007 2009 (special) 2011 2015 2019
Government

The run-up to the election was marred by political and racist terrorism by the Ku Klux Klan, in support of Lindsay. This violence included the lynching of four blacks and a white in Calhoun County, the murder of two blacks (one a Republican politician) in Greene County, and the October Eutaw riot.[1] In Greene County, for instance, the violence of the Eutaw riot is credited with swaying the vote in that county toward Lindsay: in the 1868 presidential election, Greene County had voted for Ulysses S. Grant by a margin of 2,000 votes; in the 1870 gubernatorial election it voted for Robert B. Lindsay by a margin of 43.[2]