The Provisional Confederate States Congress met at Montgomery, Alabama, on February 4, 1861. A provisional constitution was adopted on February 8, 1861. On February 9, 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected Provisional President and Alexander H. Stephens was elected Provisional Vice President. Stephens took office on February 11 and Davis took office on February 18, 1861. On March 11, 1861, a permanent Constitution was adopted.
Constitutional Provisions
Article II Section 1 reads: "The executive power shall be vested in a President of the Confederate States of America. He and the Vice President shall hold their offices for the term of six years; but the President shall not be re-eligible." Article II Section 1 of the Confederate Constitution provides citizenship to people "born in the United States prior to the 20th of December, 1860" and also requires candidates for the President of the Confederacy to have resided "within the limits of the Confederate States" for 14 years. Article VII Section 1' includes instructions for electing permanent officials after the ratification of the Confederate Constitution: When five states shall have ratified this Constitution, in the manner before specified, the Congress under the Provisional Constitution, shall prescribe the time for holding the election of President and Vice President; and, for the meeting of the Electoral College; and, for counting the votes, and inaugurating the President.''
General election
Campaign
Davis and Stephens ran without opposition.
Results
The election simply confirmed the decision that had been made by the Provisional Confederate Congress earlier in the year. Davis remained president until May 5, 1865, when the Confederate government was officially dissolved. Source : . '..
Source : . '.. Totals reflect the popular vote in North Carolina only.
Missouri and Kentucky did not participate in this election. Missouri was admitted November 28, 1861 and Kentucky December 10, 1861.
Electoral College
The Confederate States Electoral College was the institution that elected the president and vice president for a six-year term without possibility of re-election for the President. The president and vice president were not elected directly by the voters. Instead, they were elected by electors who were chosen by popular vote on a state-by-state basis. This system was established by the Confederate States Constitution, in emulation of the United States Constitution. Like the U.S. Constitution, the Confederate Constitution provided that each state would have a number of electors "equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress". The Electoral College consisted of 109 electors. The electors met in their respective states to cast their votes on December 4, 1861. The Congress met in joint session on February 19, 1862 and certified the result.
