William Temple was an American merchant and politician from Smyrna, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Whig Party, and later the Democratic Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as Governor of Delaware, and as U.S. Representative from Delaware. He is the youngest governor to serve in Delaware in all of its history.
William Tharp was an American politician from Milford in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.
The 1820 Delaware gubernatorial special election was held on October 3, 1820. The winner of the 1819 gubernatorial election, Henry Molleston, died before assuming office, elevating State Senate Speaker Jacob Stout to the governorship and triggering an election in 1820. However, the election was not just for the remainder of Molleston's term, but instead for a full three-year term.
The 1822 Delaware gubernatorial special election was held on October 1, 1822. A little more than a year into his three-year term, Democratic-Republican Governor John Collins died in office, elevating State Senate Speaker Caleb Rodney, a Federalist, to the governorship and triggering a special election for a three-year term in 1822. Former Governor Joseph Haslet ran as the Democratic-Republican nominee against James Booth, the Federalist nominee. Haslet won a narrow victory over Booth, receiving just 22 more votes than his opponent. However, for the third time in four years, a vacancy occurred; Haslet died on June 20, 1823, and State Senate Speaker Charles Thomas became Governor until the 1823 special election.
The 1823 Delaware gubernatorial special election was held on October 7, 1823. A few months into his three-year term, Democratic-Republican Governor Joseph Haslet died in office, elevating State Senate Speaker Charles Thomas to the governorship and triggering a special election in 1823. Justice of the Peace David Hazzard ran as the Democratic-Republican nominee to succeed Thomas and faced State Senator Samuel Paynter, the Federalist nominee. Paynter narrowly defeated Hazzard, regaining the office for the Federalists.
The 1826 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on October 3, 1826. Incumbent Federalist Governor Samuel Paynter was barred from seeking re-election to a second consecutive term. State Senator Charles Polk Jr. ran as the Federalist nominee to succeed Paynter, while 1823 Democratic-Republican nominee David Hazzard once again ran as his party's nominee. Polk ended up defeating Hazzard by a narrow margin, barely holding onto the governorship for the Federalists.
The 1829 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on October 6, 1829. Incumbent Federalist Governor Charles Polk Jr. was barred from seeking re-election to a second consecutive term. David Hazzard, the two-time Democratic-Republican nominee for Governor, ran as the National Republican, or Anti-Jacksonian, candidate as the First Party System crumbled and new political parties were formed. He was opposed by Allan Thompson, the Jacksonian candidate. Hazzard ended up winning the governorship on his third try, narrowly beating out Thompson.
The 1836 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1836. Democratic Governor Caleb P. Bennett, elected in 1832 and died in office on May 9, 1836 and was succeeded by State Senate Speaker Charles Polk Jr., a Whig. Former State House Speaker and State Treasurer Cornelius P. Comegys ran as the Whig nominee to succeed Polk and faced Democratic nominee Nehemiah Clark in the general election. Continuing the streak of closely fought elections, Comegys narrowly defeated Clark, winning 52% of the vote to Clark's 48%.
The 1840 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1840. Whig Governor Cornelius Comegys was unable to seek re-election to a second term. Former State Representative William B. Cooper ran as the Whig nominee to succeed Comegys and faced Democratic nominee Warren B. Jefferson in the general election. Cooper won the largest victory in a gubernatorial election since 1819, and was ushered into office with a sizable Whig majority in the legislature.
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%. 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.
The 1850 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1850. Incumbent Democratic Governor William Tharp was unable to seek re-election. Banker William H. H. Ross ran as the Democratic nominee to succeed Tharp and he faced former State Representative Peter F. Causey, the 1846 Whig nominee, and Temperance nominee Thomas Lockwood. Ross defeated Causey by a narrow margin, winning by just 23 votes and falling short of a majority.
The 1854 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1854. Incumbent Democratic Governor William H. H. Ross was unable to seek re-election. His 1850 opponent, former State Representative Peter F. Causey, ran as the American Party candidate, and faced former Kent County Sheriff William Burton, the Democratic nominee. Causey ultimately defeated Burton by a slim, but decisive, margin.
The 1858 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1858. Incumbent Know Nothing Governor Peter F. Causey was unable to seek re-election. His 1854 opponent, William Burton, once again ran as the Democratic nominee. James S. Buckmaster, the former State Treasurer, ran as the People's Party candidate. Burton narrowly defeated Buckmaster to win back the governorship for the Democratic Party.
The 1866 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1866. On March 1, 1865, Republican Governor William Cannon died in office, elevating State Senate Speaker Gove Saulsbury, a Democrat, to the governorship. Saulsbury ran for re-election in 1866, the first Governor to do so since Joshua Clayton in 1792. He faced Republican nominee James Riddle, a prominent industrialist. Saulsbury defeated Riddle by a decisive margin, ushering in a large Democratic majority in both houses of the legislature.
The 1853 Ohio gubernatorial election was held on October 11, 1853.
The 1844 Ohio gubernatorial election was held on October 8, 1844.
The 1839 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on March 12, 1839.
The 1844 Vermont gubernatorial election was held on September 3, 1844.
The 1845 Vermont gubernatorial election was held on September 2, 1845.
The 1845–46 Massachusetts gubernatorial election consisted of an initial popular election held on November 10, 1845 that was followed by a legislative vote held on January 12, 1846. The ultimate task of electing the governor had been placed before the Massachusetts General Court because no candidate received the majority of the vote required for a candidate to be elected through the popular election. Incumbent Whig Governor George N. Briggs defeated Democratic nominee Isaac Davis, Liberty Party nominee Samuel E. Sewall and Know Nothing nominee Henry Shaw.
