1836 Republic of Texas presidential election
September 5, 1836
 
Nominee Sam Houston Henry Smith Stephen F. Austin
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Popular vote 4,374 743 587
Percentage 76.7% 13.0% 10.3%
Results by county[lower-alpha 1][1][2]
President before election

David G. Burnet (interim)
Nonpartisan

 Elected President

Samuel Houston
Nonpartisan

The 1836 Republic of Texas presidential election was the first such election in the newly established Republic of Texas. Popular war hero Samuel Houston was elected in a decisive victory over Henry Smith and Stephen F. Austin. Houston was inaugurated on October 22, 1836, replacing interim president David G. Burnet.

Candidates

  • Stephen F. Austin, Texan Commissioner to the United States
  • Samuel Houston, Commander-in-Chief of the Texian Army
  • Henry Smith, Governor of the Provisional Government

Campaign

Prior to Houston's entrance into the race, Stephen F. Austin considered himself to be the front-runner in the election to become the first president of Texas. His opponent in the race was Henry Smith, who had been governor of the Provisional Government and a delegate to the convention that declared the independence of the Republic of Texas. Others, however, had doubts about his qualifications. Austin was not widely known to most Texans, and his connections to land speculator Samuel May Williams had soiled his public reputation. When, eleven days before the election, Houston declared his candidacy, Austin's hopes of winning the presidency were sunk.[3]

Results

Houston won the election in a landslide, carrying 77% of the vote to Smith's 13% and Austin's 10%. Mirabeau Lamar was elected vice president by a majority of 2,699 votes.

References

  1. ↑ These results were found from records kept in the Texas State Archive building in Austin, Texas.
  2. ↑ According to the results from the Texas State Archives, an unknown man with the surname "Green" won Red River county by 1 vote, it is speculated that this is someone by the name of Silas J. Green based on the handwriting, but this can not be conclusively proven.
  3. ↑ During the first year of Texas Independence, vast swaths of land weren't claimed by any of her counties, leaving them without jurisdiction, these parts of Texas are represented by dark grey.
  4. ↑ During the first year of Texas Independence, vast swaths of land were claimed by multiple counties, making them disputed between two entities, these are represented by a light orange.
  1. ↑ Texas State Archives. Texas Secretary of State Records Relating to Passports Issued by the Department of State, Republic of Texas: An Inventory of Secretary of State Records Relating to Passports Issued by the Department of State, Republic of Texas at the Texas State Archives,1836-1845, 1855, 1858, undated. TSLAC Control No: TX001614
  2. ↑ Tiller, Jim & Nancy (January 1, 2020). "The Chief Justice Counties, late summer of 1837". TexasGLO.gov. Texas General Land Office. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  3. ↑ TSHA | Republic of Texas
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