1857 Missouri gubernatorial special election

The 1857 Missouri gubernatorial special election was held on August 7, 1857. The election was called to fill the remainder of the term of Trusten Polk, who had resigned in February 1857 upon his election to the United States Senate.^[1] In the special election, held on August 7, 1857, the Democratic nominee, Robert Marcellus Stewart, defeated Know-Nothing candidate James S. Rollins (running under the American Party label) by a margin of only 334 votes. This was Rollins' second run for Governor of Missouri, having also lost in the 1848 gubernatorial election.

1857 Missouri gubernatorial special election

← 1856 August 7, 1857 1860 →

Nominee Robert Marcellus Stewart James S. Rollins Party Democratic Know Nothing Popular vote 47,975 47,641 Percentage 50.18% 49.82%

County results Stewart:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Rollins:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%      No Data

Governor before election Hancock Lee Jackson Democratic Elected Governor Robert Marcellus Stewart Democratic

Results

1857 gubernatorial special election, Missouri^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Robert Marcellus Stewart	47,975	50.18	+9.39
	Know Nothing	James S. Rollins	47,641	49.82	+14.59
Majority			334	0.36	−5.20
Turnout			95,616	14.02
	Democratic hold		Swing