1849 Indiana gubernatorial election

1849 Indiana gubernatorial election

←  1846 August 6, 1849 1852  →

Nominee Joseph A. Wright John A. Matson Party Democratic Whig Popular vote 76,996 67,218 Percentage 52.27% 45.64%

County results Wright:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Matson:     40–50%     50–60% No Vote/Data:

Governor before election James Whitcomb Democratic Elected Governor Joseph A. Wright Democratic

The 1849 Indiana gubernatorial election was held on August 6, 1849. ^[1]

This was the last election held in August, and the last election for a three-year term, until a new state constitution came into effect in 1851.

Incumbent Democratic Governor James Whitcomb was term-limited, and could not seek a third consecutive term. ^[2]

Democratic nominee Joseph A. Wright defeated Whig nominee John A. Matson and Free Soil nominee James H. Cravens with 52.27% of the vote.

Following the election, on December 26, 1848, Whitcomb resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate. Lieutenant Governor Paris C. Dunning acted as governor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

General election

Candidates

• James H. Cravens, Free Soil, former U.S. Representative
• John A. Matson, Whig, attorney, former member of the Indiana House of Representatives, unsuccessful candidate for Indiana's 3rd congressional district in 1843 ^[3]
• Joseph A. Wright, Democrat, former U.S. Representative

Results

1849 Indiana gubernatorial election ^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [a]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Joseph A. Wright	76,996	52.27%
	Whig	John A. Matson	67,218	45.64%
	Free Soil	James H. Cravens	3,076	2.09%
	Write-in	Ephraim Trabu	3	0.00
	Write-in	James A. Matson [b]	2	0.00
Majority			9,778	6.63%
Turnout			147,295
	Democratic hold		Swing

Notes

1. The Indiana State Senate Journal and some other sources give the result as Wright 76,996, Matson 67,228, Cravens 3,018. ^{[10] [11] [12] [13]}
2. Likely intended for John A. Matson.

References

1. "Proclamation". Indiana State sentinel. Indianapolis. August 2, 1849. p. 4. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
2. "Article IV". Constitution of 1816. Indiana Historical Bureau. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
3. "Matson, John A." Papers of Abraham Lincoln Digital Library. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
4. "IN Governor, 1849". Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
5. Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. p. 50. ISBN   1-56802-396-0.
6. Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. pp. 62–63. ISBN   978-0-7864-1439-0.
7. Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Westport, CT: Meckler Books. pp. 86–87. ISBN   0-930466-17-9.
8. Kallenbach, Joseph E.; Kallenbach, Jessamine S., eds. (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Vol. I. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, Inc. p. 173. ISBN   0-379-00665-0.
9. Riker, Dorothy; Thornbrough, Gayle (1960). Indiana Election Returns 1816-1851. Indiana Historical Review. pp. 155–158.
10. Journal of the Indiana State Senate, during the Thirty-Fourth Session of the General Assembly. Commencing December 3, 1849. Indianapolis: John D. Defrees, State Printer. 1849. p. 30.
11. Stoll, John B. (1917). History of the Indiana Democracy, 1816-1916. Indianapolis: Indiana Democratic Publishing Company. p. 108.
12. Woodburn, James Albert (September 1914). "Constitution Making in Early Indiana: a Historical Survey". Indiana Magazine of History. 10 (3): 237–255. JSTOR   27785637 . Retrieved August 24, 2023.
13. "[Unknown]". Fort Wayne Sentinel. Fort Wayne, Indiana. September 8, 1849. p. 2. Retrieved August 24, 2023.