1843–44 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
November 13, 1843
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Popular election results by county Briggs: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Morton: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1843–44 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 13, 1843. The result of the election was inconclusive, as no candidate won a majority of the popular vote. The Massachusetts General Court held a contingent election on January 8, 1844, in which the Whig Party nominee George N. Briggs defeated the incumbent Democratic governor Marcus Morton.[1]
General election
Candidates
- Marcus Morton, incumbent governor (Democratic)
- George N. Briggs, former U.S. representative from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district (Whig)
- Samuel E. Sewall, attorney and editor of American Jurist (Liberty)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | George N. Briggs | 57,899 | 47.74% | 1.18 | |
| Democratic | Marcus Morton | 54,242 | 44.72% | 3.16 | |
| Liberty | Samuel E. Sewall | 8,901 | 7.34% | 1.93 | |
| Write-in | 246 | 0.20% | 0.05 | ||
| Majority | 3,657 | 3.02% | |||
| Turnout | 121,288 | ||||
Contingent election
As no candidate received a majority of the vote, the General Court held a contingent election on January 8, 1844. The Massachusetts House of Representatives nominated Briggs and Morton from among the four most-voted candidates.[3] The Massachusetts Senate then voted to elect Briggs by a majority of 24 votes.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | George N. Briggs | 30 | 80.00% | |
| Democratic | Marcus Morton | 6 | 20.00% | |
| Total votes | 36 | 100.00% | ||
| Whig gain from Democratic | ||||
References
- ^ Kallenbach & Kallenbach 1977, pp. 277, 294n7.
- ^ Dubin 2003, p. 114.
- ^ "Massachusetts". New-York Daily Tribune. January 10, 1844.
- ^ a b "Massachusetts". New-York Daily Tribune. January 11, 1844.
Bibliography
- Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776–1860: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-1439-0.
- Kallenbach, Joseph E.; Kallenbach, Jessamine S., eds. (1977). American State Governors, 1776–1976. Vol. 1. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications. ISBN 0-379-00665-0.