1842 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

1842 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

←  1841 November 14, 1842 1843  →

Nominee Marcus Morton John Davis Samuel E. Sewall Party Democratic Whig Liberty Electoral vote 27 11 — Popular vote 56,491 54,939 6,382 Percentage 47.88% 46.56% 5.41%

County results Morton:     40-50%     50-60% Davis:     40-50%     50-60%

Governor before election John Davis Whig Elected Governor Marcus Morton Democratic

The 1842 Massachusetts gubernatorial election consisted of an initial popular election held on November 14, 1842 that was followed by a legislative vote held on January 17, 1843. The ultimate task of electing the governor had been placed before the Massachusetts General Court because no candidate received the majority of the vote that was constitutionally required for a candidate to be elected through the popular election. Incumbent Whig Governor John Davis was defeated by Democratic nominee and former Governor Marcus Morton.

General election

Candidates

• John Davis, incumbent Governor since 1841 ^[a] and former U.S. Senator (Whig)
• Marcus Morton, former Governor (Democratic)
• Samuel E. Sewall, attorney and editor of American Jurist (Liberty)

Results

1842 Massachusetts gubernatorial election ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Marcus Morton	56,491	47.88%	1.63
	Whig	John Davis	54,939	46.56%	3.84
	Liberty	Samuel E. Sewall	6,382	5.41%	2.27
	Write-in		180	0.15%	0.06
Majority			1,552	1.32%
Turnout			117,992

Legislative vote

As no candidate received a majority of the vote, the Massachusetts House of Representatives was required nominate two of the four top vote-getters to the Massachusetts Senate, which then chose one of the two as Governor. The House nominated Davis and Morton. ^{[6] [7]} The election in the Senate was held on January 17, 1843.

Legislative election ^{[8] [7] [9]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Marcus Morton	27	71.1
	Whig	John Davis	11	28.9
Turnout			38
	Democratic gain from Whig

Notes

1. Davis had previously served as Governor from 1834 to 1835.

References

1. "MA Governor, 1842". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
2. Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. p. 58. ISBN   1-56802-396-0.
3. Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 114. ISBN   978-0-7864-1439-0.
4. Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Westport, CT: Meckler Books. pp. 142–143. ISBN   0-930466-17-9.
5. Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 277.
6. "Boston". The New York herald. New York, N.Y. January 18, 1843. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
7. "Massachusetts Legislature". The Middlebury people's press. Middlebury, Vt. January 25, 1843. p. 2. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
8. Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 294.
9. "Boston". The New York herald. New York, N.Y. January 19, 1843. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2021.

Bibliography

• Kallenbach, Joseph E.; Kallenbach, Jessamine S., eds. (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Vol. I. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, Inc. ISBN   0-379-00665-0.