1792 Delaware gubernatorial election

1792 Delaware gubernatorial election

←  1789 October 2, 1792 1795  →

Nominee Joshua Clayton Thomas Montgomery George Mitchell Party Federalist Anti-Federalist Anti-Federalist Popular vote 2,352 1,902 458 Percentage 48.4% 41.6% 10.0%

County results Clayton:     50–60% Montgomery:     60–70%

Governor before election Joshua Clayton [a] Federalist Elected Governor Joshua Clayton Federalist

The 1792 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on October 2, 1792. It was the first popular gubernatorial election following ratification of the Delaware Constitution of 1792. ^[1] The Federalist incumbent president of Delaware Joshua Clayton defeated the Anti-Federalist former delegate to the Delaware constitutional convention Thomas Montgomery and the Anti-Federalist councilor George Mitchell. ^[2]

General election

Results

1792 Delaware gubernatorial election ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Federalist	Joshua Clayton (incumbent)	2,209	48.35
	Anti-Federalist	Thomas Montgomery	1,902	41.63
	Anti-Federalist	George Mitchell	458	10.02
Total votes			4,569	100.00
	Federalist hold

Results by county

1792 Delaware gubernatorial election by county ^[3]

County	John Clayton Federalist		Thomas Montgomery Anti-Federalist		George Mitchel Anti-Federalist		Margin [b]		Total
	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%
Kent	945	57.3	702	42.5	3	0.2	243	14.8	1,650
New Castle	382	31.8	819	68.1	1	0.1	-437	-36.3	1,202
Sussex	882	51.4	381	22.2	454	26.4	428	25.0	1,717
TOTAL	2,209	48.3	1,902	41.6	458	10.0	307	6.7	4,569

Notes

1. As president of Delaware
2. In Kent and New Castle counties, the margin is the vote for Clayton minus the vote for Montgomery. In Sussex County, where Mitchel ran ahead of Montgomery by 73 votes, the margin is the vote for Clayton minus the vote for Mitchel.

References

1. Dubin 2003, p. 26.
2. Lampi 2012.
3. Dubin 2003, p. 26; Lampi 2012.

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.
• Lampi, Philip J. (2012). "Delaware 1792 Governor". A New Nation Votes. American Antiquarian Society. Retrieved December 16, 2025.