1844 Delaware gubernatorial election

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1844 Delaware gubernatorial election
Flag of Delaware.svg
  1840 November 5, 1844 1846 (special)  
  ThomasStockton.gif WilliamTharp.gif
Nominee Thomas Stockton William Tharp
Party Whig Democratic
Popular vote6,1406,095
Percentage50.18%49.82%

Governor before election

William B. Cooper
Whig

Elected Governor

Thomas Stockton
Whig

The 1844 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1844. Whig Governor William B. Cooper was unable to seek re-election to a second term. Thomas Stockton, the former New Castle County Register in Chancery, ran as the Whig nominee to succeed Cooper. He faced former State Senator William Tharp, the Democratic nominee. Despite the state's strong financial condition, Whigs came close to losing their grip on power; Stockton only defeated Tharp by 45 votes, or 0.37%. [1] However, Stockton died a year into his term, on March 2, 1846, elevating the Speaker of the State Senate, Joseph Maull, to the governorship, and triggering a special election in 1846. Maull, served just two months before he, too died, elevating State House Speaker William Temple to the governorship.

Contents

General election

Results

1844 Delaware gubernatorial election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Thomas Stockton 6,140 50.18% -3.61%
Democratic William Tharp 6,09549.82%+3.61%
Majority450.37%-7.23%
Turnout 12,235100.00%
Whig hold

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References

  1. Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware: From the Earliest Settlements to the Year 1907. Vol. 1. Lancaster, Pa.: Wickersham Company, Printers and Binders. p. 185-86.
  2. Dubin 2003, p. 27.

Bibliography