South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1868 Article Index for
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South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1868





CAMPAIGN

The Republican Party was formed in South Carolina in 1867 to contest the elections of 1868. Their members were chiefly composed of Former Slaves , Carpetbaggers and Scalawags and much of their support was derived from the Union League . They nominated Robert Kingston Scott , an Ohioan and assistant commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau , as their nominee for Governor. The platform of the State Republican Party for the election was to enact Radical Republican Reconstruction of the state.

Reorganizing for the election were the Democrats who had not been active in state politics since the Civil War . They nominated William D. Porter for Governor, although he declined the nomination and instead pressed for the voters to simply vote against the constitution. Nonetheless, he remained a Democratic candidate on the ballot. The Democratic platform for the election called for maintaining a policy of White Supremacy and disapproval of the Constitution of 1868.


GENERAL ELECTION

The general election was held for three days from April 14 to April 16 , 1868 and Robert Kingston Scott was elected as the first Republican Governor Of South Carolina . The huge vote by the blacks of the state enabled Scott to cruise to a comfortable win over the Democratic nominee, William Porter.

  party Republican Party (United States)
  candidate Robert Kingston Scott
  votes 69,693
  percentage 751
  change +751


  party Democratic Party (United States)
  candidate William D Porter
  votes 23,057
  percentage 249
  change +249


  votes 46,636
  percentage 502
  change +464


  votes 92,750
  percentage 700


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