1806 Rhode Island gubernatorial election

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1806 Rhode Island gubernatorial election
Flag of the United States (1795-1818).svg
  1805 2 April 1806 1807  
  Richard Jackson Chester Harding.jpg No image.svg Judge Peleg Arnold by Arnold Steere 1815.jpg
Nominee Richard Jackson Jr. Henry Smith Peleg Arnold
Party Federalist Democratic-Republican Democratic-Republican
Popular vote1,6621,0971,094
Percentage43.07%28.43%28.35%

1806 Rhode Island gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Jackson:      40–50%
Smith:      30–40%     50–60%

Governor before election

Henry Smith
Democratic-Republican

Elected Governor

Isaac Wilbour
Democratic-Republican

The 1806 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on 2 April 1806 in order to elect the governor of Rhode Island. Federalist nominee Richard Jackson Jr. won a plurality of the vote against incumbent Democratic-Republican governor Henry Smith and Democratic-Republican candidate and incumbent chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court Peleg Arnold. However, as no candidate received a majority of the total votes cast as was required by Rhode Island law, the election was forwarded to the Rhode Island legislature. When the legislature was also unable to elect a governor, it was decided that Democratic-Republican lieutenant governor-elect Isaac Wilbour would serve out the term as acting governor. [1] [2]

Contents

General election

On election day, 2 April 1806, Federalist nominee Richard Jackson Jr. led the field by a margin of 565 votes against his foremost opponent incumbent Democratic-Republican governor Henry Smith. As he however did not receive a majority of all votes cast, the race was ultimately awarded to Democratic-Republican lieutenant governor-elect Isaac Wilbour, who would serve out the term as acting governor, thereby retaining Democratic-Republican control over the office of governor. Wilbour was sworn in as the acting 6th governor of Rhode Island on 7 May 1806. [3]

Results

Rhode Island gubernatorial election, 1806
PartyCandidateVotes%
Federalist Richard Jackson Jr. 1,66243.07
Democratic-Republican Henry Smith (incumbent)1,09728.43
Democratic-Republican Peleg Arnold 1,09428.35
Scattering60.15
Total votes3,859 100.00
Democratic-Republican hold

References

  1. "Isaac Wilbour". National Governors Association . Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  2. "Rhode Island 1806 Governor". elections.lib.tufts.edu. January 11, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  3. "RI Governor". ourcampaigns.com. February 8, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2024.