User:Khahn16/sandbox/1876 Colorado elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Colorado on October 3, 1876. One that day, all of Colorado's executive officers were up for election as well as Colorado's seat in the United States House of Representatives. The Republicans swept all of the statewide offices. These were the first elections after Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876.

Colorado's final push for statehood
In the 1860s, the Colorado Territory, which had been created in 1861, was already relatively close to statehood. A Republican-dominated congress had passed an enabling act in 1864, that was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. The first proposed state constitution was voted down by the voters of the territory on October 11, 1864. A second proposal for a state constitution was then ratified by the voters on August 12, 1865. President Andrew Johnson, who had come into office after Lincoln's assassination, opposed statehood for the Colorado Territory fearing a strengthened Republican majority. During his term, President Johnson successfully blocked all further attempts by Congress to force statehood for the territory. After Johnson left office in 1869, Congress failed to pass a statehood bill on three separate occasions in between 1869 and 1873.

The appointment saga around Governor McCook had shown the population of the territory the need for self-government and contributed to a strong effort towards statehood. An act of Congress was again necessary for statehood. After the 1874 United States elections, control of the 44th Congress was divided, with Republicans still firmly in control of the Senate but Democrats with a newly gained majority in the House. National Democrats had long been opposed to statehood for the Colorado Territory fearing that statehood would add a solid Republican state to the Union. Newly elected Delegate Thomas M. Patterson, who was a strong proponent of statehood, worked on convincing Democrats in Congress that Colorado would elect Democratic members to Congress. Patterson pointed to his own election as proof. On the Republican side, former Delegate Jerome B. Chaffee, also a statehood proponent, made sure that Republican member of Congress would remain convinced that Colorado would vote Republican and that they supported the party's line. Republicans pushed statehood through the 43rd Congress in the last days of its term, as the Democrats would take over control of the House of Representatives after the 44th Congress was sworn-in on March 4, 1875.

The United States Congress passed an enabling act on March 3, 1875, specifying the requirements for the Territory of Colorado to become a state. On August 1, 1876, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting the state of Colorado to the Union as the 38th state and earning it the moniker "Centennial State". The borders of the new state coincided with the borders that had been established for the Colorado Territory.

Colorado's State Constitution
The enabling act laid out the process for the attempt at the first state constitution for Colorado. The territorial governor was authorized to call an election for 39 delegates within 90 days of September 1, 1875 which had to convene for the convention within 60 days of such elections. The crafted would have to be ratified by a referendum in July 1876. The enabling act had included a section stating that only those eligible to vote in territorial elections could vote in the referendum and in the prior elections for delegates to the constitutional convention. This meant that, due to territorial statue of 1868, only white males over the age of 21 were allowed to vote. The act also included constraints for the future state constitution. It specified that the constitution could make no "civil or political distinction on the account of race or color" and that it had to "tolerate all religious sentiments".

Governor John Routt ordered elections for representatives in a Constitutional Convention, which were held on October 25, 1875. Republicans won 24 seats, while the Democrats won just 15 seats. The convention convened in Denver on December 20, 1875. The most hotly contested issues were the regulation of railroads, mines and other companies, women's suffrage, funding for denominational schools and whether God should be mentioned in the preamble.

The state constitution gave black men over the age of 21 the right to vote in state, while women's suffrage was also proposed but defeated in a 28-4 vote. Delegates were afraid that territory's male electorate was against women's suffrage and that including it would doom the constitutions and thus statehood in the referendum. The fear of corruption due to the strong influence of private mining and railroad companies in the state defined many choices of the convention. The term length of Governors was set at just two years to give voters an early opportunity to reject unpopular administration. Article V, Section 25, prohibited the passing of any laws benefiting just one company and Sections 27 and 28 provided ethics standards for legislators. The constitution is also very long due to detailed instructions and restrictions of the legislative abilities of the Colorado General Assembly. The intent here was to curb the ability of business leaders to enact laws through their influence over legislators.

The constitution passed the convention on March 14, 1876 in a unanimous vote of 30-0, with nine delegates absent. Due to provisions in the enabling act, the ratification referendum could not be held until July 1876.

Referendum on the Colorado State Constitution
The new constitution was finally ratified by a vote of the people on July 1, 1876. The vote margin was 15,443-4,039 (79%-21%) in favor of the constitution. Only four counties, El Paso, Huerfano, Las Animas and Pueblo, voted against the constitution. At the time, the residents of those counties were mostly of Mexican heritage and the results showed their dissatisfaction with the constitution and their mistrust towards the majority Anglo-American population.

Governor
Republican John Long Routt, who had been the last governor of the Colorado Territory since 1875, was elected as 1st Governor of Colorado in a close election against Democratic nominee Bela Hughes.

Lieutenant Governor
Republican Lafayette Head, who had been an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for governor at the 1876 Republican State Convention, was elected as 1st Lieutenant Governor of Colorado in a close election against Democratic nominee Michael Beshoar.

Attorney General
Republican Attorney A. J. Sampson was elected as 1st Attorney General of Colorado in a close election against Democratic nominee George Q. Richmond.

State Auditor
The Colorado Constitution established in Article IV Sec. 1 the office of Auditor of Colorado as a part of the "Executive Department", whose tasks were mostly not specified except that the officeholder shall "reside at the seat of government, where they shall keep the public records books and papers" and that he shall "perform such duties as are prescribed by this Constitution or by law". In addition, the Auditor was established in Article X Sec. 15 as a member of the "State Board of Equalization", which at the time also consisted of the Governor, State Treasurer, Secretary of State, and Attorney General. In Article X Sec. 15 the tasks of the State Board of Equalization were defined. "There shall be a State Board of Equalization, consisting of the Governor, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Secretary of State, and Attorney General; also, in each county of this State, a County Board of Equalization, consisting of the Board of County Commissioners of said county. The duty of the State Board of Equalization shall be to adjust and equalize the valuation of real and personal property among the several counties of the State. The duty of the County Board of Equalization shall be to adjust and equalize the valuation of real and personal property within their respective counties. Each board shall also perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law."

Regents of the University
The Constitution of Colorado established in Article IX Sec. 14 a Board of Regents of the University of Colorado, whose task was defined as having general supervision over the University and controlling funds and appropriations to the University. The election procedures were defined in Article IX Sec. 12 of the constitution. "There shall be elected by the qualified electors of the State, at the first general election under this Constitution, six Regents of the University, who shall immediately after their election be so classified, by lot, that two shall hold their office for the term of two years, two for four years, and two for six years; and every two years after the first election there shall be elected two Regents of the University, whose term of office shall be six years. The Regents thus elected, and their successors, shall constitute a body corporate, to be known by the name and style of “The Regents of the University of Colorado.”"

The Colorado Democratic Party and the Colorado Republican Party both decided to nominate just three candidates for the Regents of the University elections. This meant that all six candidates appeared on the ballot on both parties' ticket. At the Republican convention in Pueblo on August 23, 1876, L. W. Dolloff, F. J. Ebert and William H. Van Giesen were nominated. Then on August 29, 1876, the Democrats nominated Junius Barkley, George Tritch and C. Valdez during their convention in Manitou Springs. The Republicans passed a resolution stating that "the convention that educational affairs should be kept outside of the parties" was the reason for that decision.

On election day, all six candidates were elected. Notably, the Democratic nominees all gained more votes than the Republicans. The Regents of the University were involved in organising the opening of the university, which happened on September 5, 1877. The board chose Joseph A. Sewall as the first president of the University of Colorado.

United States Senator
The Colorado General Assembly met on November 15, 1876 to elect Senators to represent the State in the United States Senate. Republicans Henry M. Teller and Jerome B. Chaffee were elected by the General Assembly to represent the State in the United States Senate. Teller and Chaffee drew straws for their terms. Teller drew the short straw and was assigned the short three-month term set to expire on March 4, 1877. On December 12, 1876, Senator Teller was re-elected after less than one month in office for the term beginning on March 5, 1877 and ending on March 4, 1883.

Class III
In the regular election for the term in the United State Senate ending on March 4, 1883, Senator Teller was re-elected unopposed.