# 1881 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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The 1881 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1881.
Republican nominee Jeremiah McLain Rusk defeated Democratic nominee Nicholas D. Fratt and two other nominees with 47.57% of the vote.
This was the last Wisconsin gubernatorial election held in an odd-numbered year. In 1882, a constitutional amendment was carried moving gubernatorial elections to even-numbered years.

## General election
### Candidates

Major party candidates
* Nicholas D. Fratt, Democratic, President of the Racine County Bank, Democratic nominee for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district in 1874
* Jeremiah McLain Rusk, Republican, former member of the United States House of Representatives
Other candidates
* Theodore D. Kanouse, Prohibition
* Edward P. Allis, Greenback, Greenback nominee for Governor of Wisconsin in 1877

### Results

1881 Wisconsin gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Jeremiah M. Rusk | 81,754 | 47.57% | −5.62% |
| | Democratic | Nicholas D. Fratt | 69,797 | 40.61% | +0.92% |
| | Prohibition | Theodore D. Kanouse | 13,225 | 7.70% | +7.49% |
| | Greenback | Edward P. Allis | 7,002 | 4.07% | −2.80% |
| | | Scattering | 78 | 0.05% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,957 | 6.96% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 171,856 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | -6.54% | |

### Results by county

Douglas County would note vote for a Democrat again until 1944 nor would St. Croix County until 1932. This was the last election until 1916 in which Iowa County would not back the winning candidate.
| County | Jeremiah M. Rusk Republican | Jeremiah M. Rusk Republican | Nicholas D. Fratt Democratic | Nicholas D. Fratt Democratic | Theodore D. Kanouse Prohibition | Theodore D. Kanouse Prohibition | Edward P. Allis Greenback | Edward P. Allis Greenback | Scattering Write-in | Scattering Write-in | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 599 | 74.60% | 156 | 19.43% | 43 | 5.35% | 5 | 0.62% | 0 | 0.00% | 443 | 55.17% | 803 |
| Ashland | 228 | 58.76% | 154 | 39.69% | 2 | 0.52% | 4 | 1.03% | 0 | 0.00% | 74 | 19.07% | 388 |
| Barron | 698 | 61.82% | 298 | 26.40% | 77 | 6.82% | 49 | 4.34% | 7 | 0.62% | 400 | 35.43% | 1,129 |
| Bayfield | 128 | 99.22% | 1 | 0.78% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 127 | 98.45% | 129 |
| Brown | 1,620 | 40.83% | 2,084 | 52.52% | 183 | 4.61% | 79 | 1.99% | 2 | 0.05% | -464 | -11.69% | 3,968 |
| Buffalo | 1,233 | 62.75% | 624 | 31.76% | 97 | 4.94% | 11 | 0.56% | 0 | 0.00% | 609 | 30.99% | 1,965 |
| Burnett | 556 | 92.36% | 36 | 5.98% | 4 | 0.66% | 4 | 0.66% | 2 | 0.33% | 520 | 86.38% | 602 |
| Calumet | 641 | 32.96% | 1,051 | 54.04% | 111 | 5.71% | 141 | 7.25% | 1 | 0.05% | -410 | -21.08% | 1,945 |
| Chippewa | 514 | 28.34% | 889 | 49.01% | 215 | 11.85% | 196 | 10.80% | 0 | 0.00% | -375 | -20.67% | 1,814 |
| Clark | 869 | 53.21% | 447 | 27.37% | 288 | 17.64% | 29 | 1.78% | 0 | 0.00% | 422 | 25.84% | 1,633 |
| Columbia | 1,656 | 47.64% | 1,164 | 33.49% | 634 | 18.24% | 21 | 0.60% | 1 | 0.03% | 492 | 14.15% | 3,476 |
| Crawford | 746 | 41.56% | 636 | 35.43% | 113 | 6.30% | 299 | 16.66% | 1 | 0.03% | 110 | 6.13 | 1,795 |
| Dane | 3,210 | 41.17% | 3,491 | 44.78% | 968 | 12.42% | 118 | 1.51% | 9 | 0.12% | -281 | -3.60% | 7,796 |
| Dodge | 1,796 | 31.83% | 3,319 | 58.82% | 347 | 6.15% | 178 | 3.15% | 3 | 0.05% | -1,523 | -26.99% | 5,643 |
| Door | 866 | 68.35% | 308 | 24.31% | 9 | 0.71% | 83 | 6.55% | 1 | 0.08% | 558 | 44.04% | 1,267 |
| Douglas | 33 | 33.33% | 62 | 62.63% | 4 | 4.04% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -29 | -29.29% | 99 |
| Dunn | 1,126 | 54.77% | 669 | 32.54% | 239 | 11.62% | 22 | 1.07% | 0 | 0.00% | 457 | 22.23% | 2,056 |
| Eau Claire | 1,012 | 33.10% | 1,325 | 43.34% | 655 | 21.43% | 64 | 2.09% | 1 | 0.03% | -313 | -10.24% | 3,057 |
| Fond du Lac | 2,518 | 42.11% | 2699 | 45.14% | 200 | 3.35% | 561 | 9.38% | 1 | 0.02% | -181 | -3.03% | 5,979 |
| Grant | 2,512 | 57.56% | 1,323 | 30.32% | 405 | 9.28% | 123 | 2.82% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,189 | 27.25% | 4,364 |
| Green | 1,643 | 60.21% | 674 | 24.70% | 159 | 5.83% | 253 | 9.27% | 0 | 0.00% | 969 | 35.51% | 2,729 |
| Green Lake | 983 | 52.57% | 624 | 33.37% | 151 | 8.07% | 112 | 5.99% | 0 | 0.00% | 359 | 19.20% | 1,870 |
| Iowa | 1,377 | 42.02% | 1,382 | 42.17% | 504 | 15.38% | 14 | 0.43% | 0 | 0.00% | -5 | -0.15% | 3,277 |
| Jackson | 1,190 | 58.36% | 522 | 25.60% | 246 | 12.06% | 80 | 3.92% | 1 | 0.05% | 668 | 32.76% | 2,039 |
| Jefferson | 1,636 | 35.63% | 2,360 | 51.39% | 487 | 10.61% | 109 | 2.37% | 0 | 0.00% | -724 | -15.77% | 4,592 |
| Juneau | 986 | 41.52% | 985 | 41.47% | 354 | 14.91% | 50 | 2.11% | 0 | 0.00% | 1 | 0.04% | 2,375 |
| Kenosha | 1,172 | 54.08% | 949 | 43.79% | 45 | 2.08% | 1 | 0.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 223 | 10.29% | 2,167 |
| Kewaunee | 306 | 21.92% | 1,087 | 77.87% | 3 | 0.21% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -781 | -55.95% | 1,396 |
| La Crosse | 2,143 | 51.65% | 1,598 | 38.52% | 281 | 6.77% | 123 | 2.96% | 4 | 0.10% | 545 | 13.14% | 4,149 |
| Lafayette | 1,476 | 46.58% | 1,425 | 44.97% | 217 | 6.85% | 50 | 1.58% | 1 | 0.03% | 51 | 1.61% | 3,169 |
| Langlade | 131 | 61.50% | 66 | 30.99% | 0 | 0.00% | 16 | 7.51% | 0 | 0.00% | 65 | 30.52% | 213 |
| Lincoln | 254 | 57.73% | 111 | 25.23% | 0 | 0.00% | 75 | 17.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 143 | 32.50% | 440 |
| Manitowoc | 1,672 | 40.78% | 2,411 | 58.80% | 17 | 0.41% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -739 | -18.02% | 4,100 |
| Marathon | 696 | 29.90% | 1,307 | 56.14% | 80 | 3.44% | 245 | 10.52% | 0 | 0.00% | -611 | -26.25% | 2,328 |
| Marinette | 1,138 | 69.60% | 448 | 27.40% | 46 | 2.81% | 1 | 0.06% | 2 | 0.12% | 690 | 42.20% | 1,635 |
| Marquette | 495 | 36.18% | 773 | 56.51% | 100 | 7.31% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | -278 | -20.32% | 1,368 |
| Milwaukee | 7,398 | 48.49% | 6,989 | 45.81% | 410 | 2.69% | 460 | 3.01% | 1 | 0.01% | 409 | 2.68% | 15,258 |
| Monroe | 1,520 | 50.96% | 1,018 | 34.13% | 257 | 8.62% | 188 | 6.30% | 0 | 0.00% | 502 | 16.83% | 2,983 |
| Oconto | 734 | 48.97% | 556 | 37.09% | 200 | 13.34% | 9 | 0.60% | 0 | 0.00% | 178 | 11.87% | 1,499 |
| Outagamie | 955 | 29.29% | 1,753 | 53.76% | 250 | 7.67% | 303 | 9.29% | 0 | 0.00% | -798 | -24.47% | 3,261 |
| Ozaukee | 413 | 24.63% | 1,198 | 71.44% | 7 | 0.42% | 59 | 3.52% | 0 | 0.00% | -785 | -46.81% | 1,677 |
| Pepin | 807 | 60.77% | 316 | 23.80% | 205 | 15.44% | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 491 | 36.97% | 1,328 |
| Pierce | 865 | 48.46% | 408 | 22.86% | 479 | 26.83% | 18 | 1.01% | 15 | 0.84% | 457 | 25.60% | 1,785 |
| Polk | 1,105 | 73.57% | 223 | 14.85% | 161 | 10.72% | 3 | 0.20% | 10 | 0.67% | 882 | 58.72% | 1,502 |
| Portage | 1,080 | 48.56% | 927 | 41.68% | 189 | 8.50% | 28 | 1.26% | 0 | 0.00% | 153 | 6.88% | 2,224 |
| Price | 171 | 57.38% | 125 | 41.95% | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0.67% | 0 | 0.00% | 46 | 15.44% | 298 |
| Racine | 2,026 | 46.13% | 2,023 | 46.06% | 259 | 5.90% | 84 | 1.91% | 0 | 0.00% | 3 | 0.07% | 4,392 |
| Richland | 1,383 | 55.72% | 686 | 27.64% | 185 | 7.45% | 226 | 9.11% | 2 | 0.08% | 697 | 28.08% | 2,482 |
| Rock | 2,783 | 57.79% | 1,276 | 26.50% | 630 | 13.08% | 127 | 2.64% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,507 | 31.29% | 4,816 |
| Sauk | 1,694 | 49.16% | 1,084 | 31.46% | 551 | 15.99% | 117 | 3.40% | 0 | 0.00% | 610 | 17.70% | 3,446 |
| Shawano | 500 | 49.75% | 462 | 45.97% | 34 | 3.38% | 5 | 0.50% | 4 | 0.40% | 38 | 3.78% | 1,005 |
| Sheboygan | 1,999 | 44.55% | 2,055 | 45.80% | 67 | 1.49% | 366 | 8.16% | 0 | 0.00% | -56 | -1.25% | 4,487 |
| St. Croix | 1,183 | 40.44% | 1,357 | 46.39% | 381 | 13.03% | 4 | 0.14% | 0 | 0.00% | -174 | -5.95% | 2,925 |
| Taylor | 354 | 53.15% | 292 | 43.84% | 15 | 2.25% | 5 | 0.75% | 0 | 0.00% | 62 | 9.31% | 666 |
| Trempealeau | 1,219 | 69.62% | 249 | 14.22% | 82 | 4.68% | 201 | 11.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 970 | 55.40% | 1,751 |
| Vernon | 2,022 | 70.60% | 358 | 12.50% | 153 | 5.34% | 326 | 11.38% | 5 | 0.17% | 1,664 | 58.10% | 2,864 |
| Walworth | 2,325 | 64.39% | 876 | 24.26% | 311 | 8.61% | 99 | 2.74% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,449 | 40.13% | 3,611 |
| Washington | 1,217 | 39.22% | 1,732 | 55.82% | 66 | 2.13% | 88 | 2.84% | 0 | 0.00% | -515 | -16.60% | 3,103 |
| Waukesha | 1,841 | 39.34% | 2,233 | 47.71% | 476 | 10.17% | 128 | 2.74% | 2 | 0.04% | -392 | -8.38% | 4,680 |
| Waupaca | 1,779 | 58.08% | 885 | 28.89% | 119 | 3.89% | 280 | 9.14% | 0 | 0.00% | 894 | 29.19% | 3,063 |
| Waushara | 1,571 | 79.79% | 267 | 13.56% | 71 | 3.61% | 60 | 3.05% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,304 | 66.23% | 1,969 |
| Winnebago | 2,499 | 43.89% | 2,494 | 43.80% | 326 | 5.73% | 374 | 6.57% | 1 | 0.02% | 5 | 0.09% | 5,694 |
| Wood | 452 | 33.93% | 497 | 37.31% | 57 | 4.28% | 326 | 24.47% | 0 | 0.00% | -45 | -3.38% | 1,332 |
| Total | 81,754 | 47.57% | 69,797 | 40.61% | 13,225 | 7.70% | 7,002 | 4.07% | 78 | 0.05% | 11,957 | 6.96% | 171,856 |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Price
* Shawano

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Chippewa
* Dane
* Douglas
* Eau Claire
* Iowa
* St. Croix
* Waukesha
* Wood