The 1851 Michigan gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1851. It was the first gubernatorial election conducted under Michigan’s 1850 Constitution, which altered the term length for the governor from two to four years and moved the election date to odd‑numbered years.
Incumbent: Democrat John S. Barry, who had first been elected governor in 1849, sought re‑election.
Major parties and candidates:
- Democratic Party: John S. Barry (incumbent)
- Whig Party: the Whig nominee (name not definitively recorded in widely available encyclopedic sources)
Result: John S. Barry was re‑elected, securing a second consecutive term as Michigan’s governor. The election affirmed the Democratic Party’s dominance in Michigan politics during the early 1850s.
Historical context:
- The 1850 Constitution of Michigan introduced significant changes to the state’s executive branch, including the shift to four‑year gubernatorial terms and the scheduling of elections in odd‑numbered years to avoid overlapping with federal elections.
- The 1851 election thus marked the first implementation of these constitutional reforms.
Aftermath: Barry served the full four‑year term until 1853, after which he was succeeded by Andrew Johnson (Democrat) (not to be confused with the later U.S. President).
Note: Detailed vote totals and the full name of the Whig candidate are not consistently documented in readily accessible encyclopedic references; therefore, only the confirmed aspects of the election are presented.
