In 1860 Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, the Northern Democratic nominee, carried Missouri and its 9 electoral votes.1 It was the only state Douglas carried in full; his other 3 electoral votes came from a split in New Jersey.2 Nationally Douglas won 12 electoral votes, behind Abraham Lincoln's 180, John C. Breckinridge's 72 and John Bell's 39.3 Republicans also ran electors in Missouri; Lincoln wrote to Nathaniel Grigsby that he could vote for him there if his neighbors would let him.4
In the state election of August 1860, Democrat Claiborne Fox Jackson, running as a moderate, narrowly won the governorship.5 After Lincoln's election, Jackson, who had presented himself during the campaign as a supporter of the Union, pushed for secession.6 Missouri voters instead elected a state convention made up only of delegates who favored remaining in the Union, and the convention rejected secession.7 Jackson rejected Lincoln's call for troops from Missouri, and the convention later removed him from office, replacing him with Hamilton R. Gamble as provisional governor.8
Sources for each sentence
Each numbered entry quotes the words that support that sentence, as they appear on the linked page.
- Back to sentence 1
Mississippi 11 7 - - 7 - - 7 Missouri 9 - 9 - - 9 - New Hampshire 5
archives.gov/electoral-college/1860 Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois
archives.gov/electoral-college/1860 - Back to sentence 2
Douglas-Missouri, and New Jersey (3) a total of 12.
friendsofthelincolncollection.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/LL_1929-11-04_01-1.pdf Voters in New Jersey appointed electors by voting for them individually. Four Republican electors and 3 Douglas Democrat electors won.
archives.gov/electoral-college/1860 - Back to sentence 3
Other Opponents John C. Breckinridge (72); John Bell (39) Electoral Vote Winner: 180 Main Opponent: 12
archives.gov/electoral-college/1860 - Back to sentence 4
There is now a Republican electorial ticket in Missouri so that you can vote for me if your neighbors will let you.
friendsofthelincolncollection.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/LL_1929-11-04_01-1.pdf I would advise you not to get into any trouble about it. Letter, Lincoln to Nathaniel Grigsby.
friendsofthelincolncollection.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/LL_1929-11-04_01-1.pdf - Back to sentence 5
In 1860 he won the Democratic nomination for governor running as a moderate.
historicmissourians.shsmo.org/?p=7181 In August of 1860, Jackson won a narrow victory over Constitutional Unionist Sample Orr and two other candidates.
oa.mo.gov/hall_of_governors/C_Jackson - Back to sentence 6
After Lincoln's election, Jackson, despite having presented himself during the campaign as a supporter of the Union, immediately pushed for secession.
historicmissourians.shsmo.org/?p=7181 - Back to sentence 7
A majority of Missouri's voters rejected secession, however, and elected to a state convention only delegates who favored remaining in the Union.
historicmissourians.shsmo.org/?p=7181 The convention delegates rejected secession and called for Missouri to act as a neutral
historicmissourians.shsmo.org/?p=7181 - Back to sentence 8
First, he rejected President Lincoln's call for troops from Missouri.
historicmissourians.shsmo.org/?p=7181 The state convention then passed measures removing Jackson from office. They replaced him with Hamilton R. Gamble, who served as Missouri's provisional governor
historicmissourians.shsmo.org/?p=7181
Sources checked on October 3, 2026
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