The 1856 Connecticut gubernatorial election was held on April 7, 1856.^[1][2][3] Incumbent governor and American Party nominee William T. Minor defeated former congressman and Democratic nominee Samuel Ingham and former Comptroller of Connecticut and Republican nominee Gideon Welles with 38.99% of the vote.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

1856 Connecticut gubernatorial election

← 1855 April 7, 1856 1857 →

Nominee William T. Minor Samuel Ingham Gideon Welles Party Know Nothing Democratic Republican Electoral vote 135 116 Popular vote 26,008 32,704 6,740 Percentage 38.99% 49.02% 10.10%

County results Municipality results Municipal results Ingham:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Minor:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Welles:      40–50%

Governor before election William T. Minor Know Nothing Elected Governor William T. Minor Know Nothing

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In accordance with the national transition from the Second Party System to the Third Party System, this was the first such election in which the Republicans fielded a candidate, the last in which the Know-Nothings would run (and win), and the last in which the Whig Party participated.

Although Ingham won a strong plurality of the vote, he fell just short of a majority. As a result, the Connecticut General Assembly elected the governor, per the state constitution. Minor won the vote over Ingham, 135 to 116, in the General Assembly, and became the governor. This was the second election in which Ingham would receive a plurality of more than 10% and still lose, the first being 1854.