The 1862 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 2.[1] In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Frederick Holbrook was a candidate for a second one-year term.[2][3] The Democratic nominee was Benjamin H. Smalley, who had been on the ballot in 1861 as the gubernatorial candidate of the "Peace Democrats," who favored compromise with the Confederacy.[4]
Vermont continued to strongly support the Union and the Republican Party.[2] Holbrook was backed by Republicans and pro-Union Democrats, and easily defeated Smalley to win a one-year term that began on October 10.[2][5]