Citizens’ Ticket 1856 – In 1856 James Smith was elected to his second term as Providence’s sixth mayor defeating his rivals Democratic Henry J. Burroughs and former mayor Edward P. Knowles. Smith was the mayoral candidate on both the American and Citizen’s tickets and went on to become governor of Rhode Island during the Civil War. Note the printing error which was due to a fold in the ballot’s paper. 7.2 cm X 11.7 cm

American Ticket 1856 – In 1856 James Smith was elected to his second term as Providence’s sixth mayor defeating his rivals Democratic Henry J. Burroughs and former mayor Edward P. Knowles. Smith was the mayoral candidate on both the American and Citizen’s tickets and went on to become governor of Rhode Island during the Civil War. 7.1 cm X 12.1 cm

American Republican Convention Nomination (Olney) – The Providence 1857 American Republican party caucus was very contentious with Thomas Doyle opposed to Stephen Olney for mayor. Olney finally won his party’s backing causing Doyle to run as an independent and as is often the case when third party’s factions enter the race no one candidate received a majority thereby resulting in no choice. William [sic] Burroughs was a Democratic hopeful going into the Democratic convention. In the fifth election attempt to select a mayor it was William Rodman the American Republican who defeated John Francis the Democratic candidate. 6.7 cm X 13.4 cm

American Republican Convention Nomination (Rodman) - The Providence 1857 American Republican party caucus was very contentious with Thomas Doyle opposed to Stephen Olney for mayor. Olney finally won his party’s backing causing Doyle to run as an independent and as is often the case when third party’s factions enter the race no one candidate received a majority thereby resulting in no choice. William [sic] Burroughs was a Democratic hopeful going into the Democratic convention. In the fifth election attempt to select a mayor it was William Rodman the American Republican who defeated John Francis the Democratic candidate. 6.9 cm X 13.4 cm

1890 Republican Ticket 1890 Johnston, R.I. – This ticket made use of many different fonts and some of the candidate’s names standout due to the use of a bold font. 14.1 cm X 8.0 cm

Whig Prox for 1835 – In this election the candidates were the same as the previous year, John Brown Francis the Democrat and Nehemiah R. Knight the Whig. As in the previous year the election was close with John Brown Francis winning by a margin of only 106 votes. 17.0 cm X 14.5 cm

Whig Prox for 1841 – Samuel Ward King was the Whig’s candidate for governor. King who had been acting governor in 1839 and duly elected in 1840 went on to defeat his Democratic opponent Thomas Carpenter. 21.6 cm X 10.1 cm

Whig Prox 1840 – The Whig party nominated Samuel Ward King, who as first Senator had performed the duties of governor throughout 1839. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Thomas Carpenter, handily. 18.9 cm X 10.5 cm

Whig Prox 1836 – The Whig candidate in 1836 for governor was Tristam Burges; having lost his bid for representative the previous year, Burges tried and lost in a run for the governor’s office. The Democrat, John Brown Francis was re-elected to his fourth consecutive term as governor. 19.9 X 11.4 cm

Union Convention Ticket – In 1834 the National Republicans under the motto of “Liberty & Union”, nominated ex-governor Nehemiah R. Knight for governor and George Cross for lieutenant governor. Cross declined the nomination and was substituted with George Irish. In the election Knight narrowly lost to John Brown Francis. 22.2 cm X 10.8 cm

Constitutional Ticket 1836 – Charles Collins the third party candidate on the Constitutional ticket received a disappointing 135 votes out of a total 7,151 votes cast. The aim of the Constitutional ticket was to establish a written constitution to replace the existing Royal Charter granted in 1663 by King Charles II. 20.8 cm X 15.9 cm

“Law and Order” Rhode-Island Prox 1845 – In the April 1845 election, which was James Fenner’s last run for political office, he was defeated by Charles Jackson who ran on a “Liberation” ticket. The liberation of Thomas Dorr from prison was a major election issue and Jackson’s support came from an alliance of liberation Whigs and Dorr Democrats. 10.5 cm X 11.8 cm

Rhode-Island Prox 1844 – In this election Governor Fenner ran unopposed. 9.7 cm X 12.8 cm

“Law and Order” Rhode-Island Prox 1843 – This is a James Fenner ballot from the 1843 election. Note the use of the slogan “Law and Order” which was the conservative backlash to the upheaval caused by the Dorr Rebellion the previous year. 22.4 cm X 14.1 cm

1843 Rhode-Island Prox – Following the events of the Dorr Rebellion, Rhode Island framed and established a written constitution. In the first election under the new constitution ex-governor Fenner running as a “Law and Order” candidate defeated Democrat Thomas Carpenter. Note the new constitution was responsible for extending the right of suffrage to a greater portion of the population; as such the gubernatorial election of 1843 polled 16,520 votes compared to only 7,080 votes in the election of the previous year held under the Royal charter. Also under the new constitution state senators were no longer elected at large and as such do not appear on ballots for state officers. 15.8 cm X 12.9 cm

Rhode Island Prox – This ticket, ca. 1841-42, was headed by Samuel Ward King for governor. King had been acting governor in 1839 and elected governor in 1840. Running virtually unopposed in 1841 and winning again in 1842 by defeating Thomas F. Carpenter. Among others accompanying King on this ticket as candidates for state senators were James Fenner (RI governor in 1807-1810, 1824, 1830, 1843 and 1844), Elisha Harris (RI governor 1847 and 1848) and Elisha R. Potter (US Representative 1843-1845). 19.8 cm X 12.4 cm

1837 Republican, Administration, and Farmer’s Prox (with eagle woodcut)– In 1837 the Whigs offered no candidate in opposition to a Democratic-Republican and Anti-Masonic coalition that offered John Brown Francis as its candidate. The only opposition to the election of Francis was offered by the Constitution party candidate William Peckham of South Kingston. Francis handily won election outpolling Peckham 2,762 votes to 946. This prox, while printed for the intended election of John Brown Francis, was actually used as a ballot for William Peckham. 18.1 cm X 15.3 cm

1837 Republican, Administration, and Farmer’s Prox – In 1837 the Whigs offered no candidate in opposition to a Democratic-Republican and Anti-Masonic coalition that offered John Brown Francis as its candidate. The only opposition to the election of Francis was offered by the Constitution party candidate William Peckham of South Kingston. Francis handily won election outpolling Peckham 2,762 votes to 946. The prox in SSID: 3146168 while printed for the intended election of John Brown Francis was actually used as a ballot for William Peckham. 17.2 cm X 15.0 cm

1836 Republican, Administration and Farmers’ Prox – This ticket differs from the one shown in record 3146162 only in the name of the candidate proposed for Secretary. Henry Bowen who had been Secretary of State uninterrupted since 1819 would win reelection and continue to be Rhode Island’s Secretary of State until 1849 when he was ultimately dropped from endorsement by his party. 18.7 cm X 15.0 cm

1836 Republican, Administration and Farmers’ Prox – 1836 was a three party race for the executive state offices. The Republicans placed Governor Francis and former lieutenant governor Jeffery Hazard in opposition to the Whig’s Tristam Burges and John Cross and the Constitution party’s Charles Collins and Daniel Remington. Governor Francis was re-elected and Jeffery Hazard won back his seat as lieutenant governor which he had lost in 1835. 18.7 cm X 17.6 cm

1838 Republican, Administration and Farmers’ Prox – In his run for a six(th) term as governor, John Brown Francis was defeated by Whig candidate William Sprague in a tight race with only 381 votes separating them out of a total of 7,587 votes cast. 19.8 cm X 13.5 cm

The People’s Prox – The gubernatorial contest of 1835 was close and froth with charges of fraudulent voting from several towns. A canvassing committee was appointed by Governor Francis to investigate the charges; the committee was divided along party lines with five members from each party. The committee became deadlocked and it was finally decided to ignore the charges and the ballots were counted as returned by the election officers. This ticket, while similar to the one in SSID: 3146157, has six different names in places for senator, While Governor Francis defeated Nehemiah Knight, this ticket’s candidate for governor; the candidate for Lt. Governor, George Engs, was elected. Note the two slogans on this ticket, top “No Demagogues!! No Office Hunters!!” and bottom “By order of the decedents of Whigs of seventy-six in the land of Roger Williams.” 19.6 cm X 12.6 cm

1833 Republican, Administrative and Farmers’ Prox – The Democratic Republicans, consisting of a coalition of Democrats and Republicans, nominated a state ticket headed by John Brown Francis while the National Republican ticket was headed by Gov. Lemuel Arnold. The Democratic Republicans won with the largest turnout of votes in 15 years. The large turnout in some way may have been the results of the previous year’s stalemate in which no decision for governor, lieutenant governor or senators was made even after 5 separate elections were held.

The People’s True Republican Prox 1824 – Gov. Gibbs declined re-nomination in 1824. The Republican Convention nominated ex-Governor Fenner just before the election. Wheeler Martin’s name was used in some parts of Rhode Island in opposition. It had little effect with Martin receiving only 594 votes. Note the comments on the future Presidential elections. 21.7 cm X 18.3 cm

1839 Liberal Prox – 1839 marks the year in which no governor or lieutenant governor was elected. The Whig party again nominated Gov. William Sprague and Lt. Governor Joseph Child while the Democratic candidates were Nathaniel Bullock and Benjamin Thurston. Tristam Burges’ name was also entered into the race by dissatisfied Whigs under the Liberal Prox. With Burges, a former US Representative, in the race no candidate received a majority; Sprague the leading vote getter fell short by only 179 votes. Lt. Governor Child also failed to receive a majority thus leaving the state without an executive head and resulting in Samuel Ward King, as first senator, performing executive duties as acting governor until the next election in 1840. 17.2 cm X 10.5 cm

1787 Landholders – 1787 was the height of the controversy between the paper money party and the mercantile interest in the state. William Bradford was the candidate backed by the mercantile interest which believed that the paper money system had done nothing to relieve the state’s economic and financial crisis. Bradford was defeated by Gov. Collins by a margin of more than 2 to 1. 16.9 cm X 13.0 cm

Harrison Ticket 1836 – The Whig party ran three candidates for President in 1836 (Harrison, White and Webster). This multiple candidate strategy failed the Whigs and Harrison was defeated by Van Buren both in Rhode Island and nationally. 15.8 cm X 10.2 cm

The Freemen’s Republican Ticket – In 1842 Thomas Carpenter was defeated by Governor Samuel Ward King by a margin of greater than 2 to 1. The slogan on the ticket “In favor of the People’s Rights and the Restoration of harmony in Rhode-Island” is in reference to the rising political unrest brewing in the state which would culminate in what is known as the Dorr rebellion. 19.4 cm X 10.1 cm

Free Antimasonic Prox of 1835 – In 1835 John Brown Francis headed both the National Republican and Anti-Masonic tickets. Francis won re-election defeating the Whig Party candidate Nehemiah Knight; however, Francis’ running mate for lieutenant governor Jeffrey Hazard lost to the Whig candidate George Engs.

1840 Democratic Republican and Farmers’ Prox – The Democrats initially nominated John Brown Francis for governor. After he refused the position Thomas Carpenter lead the Democratic ticket; however, he lost to Whig candidate Samuel Ward King. 19.2 cm X 15.8 cm