1797 Virginia gubernatorial election

1797 Virginia gubernatorial election

←  1796 November 30, 1797 1798  →

Nominee James Wood John Page Party Democratic-Republican Democratic-Republican 1st ballot 116 38

Governor before election James Wood Democratic-Republican Elected Governor James Wood Democratic-Republican

A gubernatorial election was held in Virginia on November 30, 1797. The Democratic-Republican incumbent governor James Wood defeated the Democratic-Republican U.S. representative from Virginia's 12th congressional district John Page. ^[1]

Wood had earned the displeasure of his fellow Democratic-Republicans for his inaction in the face of the Alien and Sedition Acts. Some Democratic-Republicans preferred to support the former U.S. minister to France James Monroe, an outspoken critic of the legislation. Monroe, however, declined to challenge Wood, in deference to the custom that incumbent governors eligible for re-election be allowed to run unopposed. ^[2]

The election was conducted by the Virginia General Assembly in joint session. ^[3] Wood was elected with a majority on the first ballot. ^[4]

General election

1797 Virginia gubernatorial election ^[4]

Party		Candidate	First ballot
			Count	Percent
	Democratic-Republican	James Wood	116	75.32
	Democratic-Republican	John Page	38	24.68
Total			154	100.00

Notes

1. Lampi 2012; Sobel & Raimo 1978, pp. 1625, 1627.
2. Ammon 1971, p. 172.
3. Sobel & Raimo 1978, p. 1625.
4. Lampi 2012.

Bibliography

• Ammon, Harry (1971). James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company.
• Lampi, Philip J. (2012). "Virginia 1797 Governor". A New Nation Votes. American Antiquarian Society. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
• Sobel, Robert; Raimo, John (1978). Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States 1789–1978. Vol. 4. Westport, CT: Meckler Books.