1802 United States gubernatorial elections
← 1801 March 9, 1802 – December 11, 1802 1803 →
12 state governorships
(including 1 special election)
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic-Republican Federalist
Last election 11 governorships 5 governorships
Seats before 11 5
Seats won 8 4
Seats after 12 4
Seat change Increase1 Decrease1
Seats up 7 5
     Democratic-Republican gain      Democratic-Republican hold
     Federalist gain      Federalist hold

United States gubernatorial elections were held in 1802, in 12 states, concurrent with the House and Senate elections.

Six governors were elected by popular vote and six were elected by state legislatures.

In Georgia, a special election was held following the resignation of incumbent Governor Josiah Tattnall.

In New Jersey, three tied ballots were taken in October and November, resulting in no choice of Governor. The Vice-President of the Executive Council, John Lambert, served the term as acting Governor.

In North Carolina, the winner of the ordinary election, John B. Ashe, died before taking office. A special election was then held.

Results

State Election date Incumbent Party Status Opposing candidates
Connecticut 8 April 1802[a] Jonathan Trumbull Jr. Federalist Re-elected, 11,398 (69.87%) Ephraim Kirby (Democratic-Republican), 4,523 (27.73%)
Scattering 393 (2.41%)
[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Georgia
(special election)
(election by legislature) 		3 November 1802[7] Josiah Tattnall Democratic-Republican Resigned, Democratic-Republican victory John Milledge (Democratic-Republican), 48 votes
Thomas P. Carnes (Federalist), 22 votes
[8][9][10]
Maryland
(election by legislature) 		8 November 1802 John Francis Mercer Democratic-Republican Re-elected, 53 votes James Murray (Federalist), 22 votes[b]
[11][12][13][14][15]
Massachusetts 5 April 1802 Caleb Strong Federalist Re-elected, 29,983 (60.47%) Elbridge Gerry (Democratic-Republican), 19,445 (39.22%)[c]
Scattering 155 (0.31%)
[17][18][19][4][20][21][22][23][24]
New Hampshire 9 March 1802 John Taylor Gilman Federalist Re-elected, 10,377 (54.14%) John Langdon (Democratic-Republican), 8,753 (45.67%)
Scattering 36 (0.19%)
[25][26][27][4][28][29][30][31]
New Jersey
(election by legislature) 		28 October 1802 Joseph Bloomfield Democratic-Republican No choice, further election held (First election)
Joseph Bloomfield (Democratic-Republican), 26 votes
Richard Stockton (Federalist), 26 votes
[32][33][34][35]
25 November 1802 No choice, further election held (Second election)
Joseph Bloomfield (Democratic-Republican), 26 votes
Richard Stockton (Federalist), 26 votes
[32][36][37][38]
25 November 1802 No choice. Vice-President of the Executive Council, John Lambert, served the term as acting Governor. (Third election)
Joseph Bloomfield (Democratic-Republican), 26 votes
Aaron Ogden (Federalist), 26 votes
[32][37][39][38]
North Carolina
(election by legislature) 		20 November 1802 Benjamin Williams Federalist
[40][41][42][d] 		Term-limited, Democratic-Republican victory John B. Ashe (Democratic-Republican) 103 votes
William Polk (Federalist) 49 votes
Joseph Taylor (Democratic-Republican), 20 votes[e]
[47][48][49][38][50][51]
North Carolina
(special election)
(election by legislature) 		3-4 December 1802 Benjamin Williams (pro tempore)[f] (Fourth ballot)
James Turner (Democratic-Republican), 112 votes
Thomas Blount (Democratic-Republican) 51 votes
John R. Eaton (Democratic-Republican), 8 votes
Blank, 3 votes
Benjamin Williams (Federalist), 2 votes
William Richardson Davie (Federalist), 1 vote[g]
[52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60]
Pennsylvania 12 October 1802 Thomas McKean Democratic-Republican Re-elected, 47,879 (73.65%) James Ross (Federalist), 17,037 (26.21%)
Scattering 94 (0.15%)
[61][62][63][4][64][65][66][67]
Rhode Island 21 April 1802[68] Arthur Fenner Democratic-Republican/Country Re-elected, 3,802 (66.28%) William Greene[69][h] (Federalist), 1,934 (33.72%)[i]
[70][71][72][4][73][74][75][76]
South Carolina
(election by legislature) 		8 December 1802[77][78] John Drayton Democratic-Republican Term-limited, Democratic-Republican victory James Burchill Richardson (Democratic-Republican), 98 votes
Richard Winn (Democratic-Republican), 32 votes
Blank, 7 votes
Thomas Pinckney (Federalist), 2 votes
John Gaillard (Democratic-Republican), 1 vote
[79][80][81][82]
Vermont 7 September 1802 Isaac Tichenor Federalist Re-elected, 7,823 (59.77%) Israel Smith (Democratic-Republican), 5,085 (38.85%)
Scattering 181 (1.38%)
[83][84][85][4][86][87][88][89][90]
Virginia
(election by legislature) 		11 December 1802 James Monroe Democratic-Republican Term-limited, Democratic-Republican victory John Page (Democratic-Republican), unknown number of votes
Abraham B. Venable (Democratic-Republican), "a few votes"[j]
[91][92][93][94]

See also

References

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  2. ^ Glashan 1979, pp. 38–39.
  3. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 44.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Dubin 2003.
  5. ^ Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 86.
  6. ^ "Connecticut 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Augusta, Nov. 6. Welcome news from Louisville". The Augusta chronicle and gazette of the state. Augusta, GA. 6 November 1802. p. 3. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  8. ^ "GA Governor, 1802 - Special". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Georgia 1802 Governor, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Washington City. Monday, November 22, 1802". The national intelligencer and Washington advertiser. Washington, D.C. 22 November 1802. p. 3. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  11. ^ "MD Governor, 1802". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  12. ^ Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 250.
  13. ^ "Maryland 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  14. ^ Votes and Proceedings of the Senate of the State of Maryland. November Session, 1802. Annapolis: Frederick Green, Printer to the State. p. 5.
  15. ^ "Washington City. Friday, November 12, 1802". The national intelligencer and Washington advertiser. Washington, D.C. 12 November 1802. p. 3. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Massachusetts election". Poughkeepsie Journal. Poughkeepsie, NY. 8 June 1802. p. 2. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  17. ^ "MA Governor, 1802". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  18. ^ Glashan 1979, pp. 140–141.
  19. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 57.
  20. ^ Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 266.
  21. ^ "Massachusetts 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  22. ^ Burdick, Charles (1814). The Massachusetts Manual: or Political and Historical Register, for the Political Year from June 1814 to June 1815. Vol. I. Boston: Charles Callender. p. 26.
  23. ^ The Massachusetts Register and United States Calendar; for the Year of Our Lord 1814, &c., &c. Boston: John West & Co. 1814. p. 36.
  24. ^ Hayward, John (1847). A Gazetteer of Massachusetts, &c., &c. Boston: John Hayward. p. 417.
  25. ^ "NH Governor, 1802". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  26. ^ Glashan 1979, pp. 200–201.
  27. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 66.
  28. ^ Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 372.
  29. ^ "New Hampshire 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  30. ^ A Journal of the Proceedings of the Honorable Senate of the State of New Hampshire, at a Session of the General Court, held at Concord, June 1802. Concord: George Hough, Printer to the State. 1802. p. 8.
  31. ^ Farmer, James. The New Hampshire Annual Register and United States Calendar, 1833. Concord: Marsh, Capen and Lyon. pp. 17–18.
  32. ^ a b c Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 411.
  33. ^ "New Jersey 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  34. ^ "Minutes and Proceedings of the Joint-Meeting. In Joint-Meeting, Saurday [sic, this was a Thursday], October 28, 1802". Journal of the Proceedings of the Legislative Council of the State of New Jersey, &c., &c. The First Sitting of the 27th Session. Trenton: Wilson & Blackwell, Printers to the State. 1803. p. 32–33.
  35. ^ Lee, Francis Bazely (1902). New Jersey as a colony and a state. Vol. 3. New York: Publishing Society of New Jersey. p. 155.
  36. ^ "New Jersey 1802 Governor, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  37. ^ a b "Minutes and Proceedings of the Joint-Meeting. In Joint-Meeting, Thursday, November 25, 1802". Journal of the Proceedings of the Legislative Council of the State of New Jersey, &c., &c. The First Sitting of the 27th Session. Trenton: Wilson & Blackwell, Printers to the State. 1803. p. 34.
  38. ^ a b c "Washington City. Wednesday, December 1, 1802". The national intelligencer and Washington advertiser. Washington, D.C. 1 December 1802. p. 3. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  39. ^ Lee, Francis Bazely (1902). New Jersey as a colony and a state. Vol. 3. New York: Publishing Society of New Jersey. p. 156.
  40. ^ Glashan 1979, pp. 228–229.
  41. ^ Broussard 1978, p. 220.
  42. ^ Gilpatrick, Delbert Harold (1931). Jeffersonian Democracy in North Carolina, 1789-1816. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 132. ISBN 9780231916707.
  43. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 27.
  44. ^ Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 436.
  45. ^ "Gov. Benjamin Williams". nga.org. National Governors Association. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  46. ^ Cheney, John L. Jr., ed. (1975). North Carolina Government 1585-1974: a narrative and statistical history. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State. p. 160.
  47. ^ "NC Governor, 1802". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  48. ^ "North Carolina 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  49. ^ Broussard, James H. (January 1978). "The North Carolina Federalists, 1800-1816". The North Carolina Historical Review. 55 (1): 18–41. JSTOR 23535380.
  50. ^ "Warrenton, Nov. 22". The Augusta chronicle and gazette of the state. Augusta, GA. 4 December 1802. p. 5. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  51. ^ "Balloting for Governor for 1803". North Carolina Digital Collections. Balloting: November-December 1802. North Carolina Legislature. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  52. ^ "NC Governor, 1802 - Special Election". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  53. ^ "North Carolina 1802 Governor, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  54. ^ "North Carolina 1802 Governor, Special, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  55. ^ "North Carolina 1802 Governor, Special, Ballot 3". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  56. ^ "North Carolina 1802 Governor, Special, Ballot 4". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  57. ^ "Washington City. Monday, December 13, 1802". The national intelligencer and Washington advertiser. Washington, D.C. 13 December 1802. p. 3. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  58. ^ "Washington City. Wednesday, December 15, 1802". The national intelligencer and Washington advertiser. Washington, D.C. 15 December 1802. p. 3. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  59. ^ "Raleigh, December 6". The Augusta chronicle and gazette of the state. Augusta, GA. 18 December 1802. p. 2. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  60. ^ "Balloting". North Carolina Digital Collections. Balloting: November-December 1802. North Carolina Legislature. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  61. ^ "PA Governor, 1802". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  62. ^ Glashan 1979, pp. 260–261.
  63. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 75.
  64. ^ Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 489.
  65. ^ "Pennsylvania 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  66. ^ Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Vol. XIII. Lancaster: William Hamilton. 1802. pp. 53–55.
  67. ^ "Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Election Returns 1802". Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006. Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  68. ^ "Rhode-Island Election". Rhode-Island Republican. Newport, R.I. April 24, 1802. p. 3. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  69. ^ DeSimone, Russell J.; Schofield, Daniel C. (2015). "Rhode Island Election Tickets: A Survey" (PDF). Kingston, Rhode Island: The University of Rhode Island. p. Figure 1-47. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  70. ^ "RI Governor, 1802". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  71. ^ Glashan 1979, pp. 268–269.
  72. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 76.
  73. ^ Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 507.
  74. ^ "Rhode Island 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  75. ^ J. Fred Parker, Secretary of State (1914). Manual, with Rules and Orders, for the use of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island, 1914. Providence, RI: E. L. Freeman Company, State Printers. p. 107.
  76. ^ "Rhode-Island election". The national intelligencer and Washington advertiser. Washington, D.C. 19 May 1802. p. 2. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  77. ^ Lewis, J. D. "James Burchill Richardson: 11th Governor of the State of South Carolina 1802 to 1804". carolana.com. Little River, S.C. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  78. ^ "A record of this State's executives". Anderson Daily Intelligencer. Anderson, S.C. 26 May 1914. p. 20. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  79. ^ "SC Governor, 1802". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  80. ^ "South Carolina 1802 Governor". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  81. ^ "Columbia, (S.C.) Dec. 10". The Augusta chronicle and gazette of the state. Augusta, GA. 18 December 1802. p. 5. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  82. ^ "Untitled". The national intelligencer and Washington advertiser. Washington, D.C. 20 December 1802. p. 3. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  83. ^ "VT Governor, 1802". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  84. ^ Glashan 1979, pp. 314–315.
  85. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 83.
  86. ^ Kallenbach and Kallenbach 1977, p. 606.
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  88. ^ "General Election Results: Governor". Election Results Archive. Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. p. 2. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  89. ^ Walton, E. P., ed. (1876). "Record of the Governor and Council at the Session of the General Assembly at Burlington, Oct. 1802". Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont. Vol. IV. Montpelier: Steam Press of J. & J. M. Poland. p. 328.
  90. ^ Coolidge, A. J.; Mansfield, J. B. (1860). "Governors and Gubernatorial Vote". History and Description of New England: Vermont. Boston: Austin J. Coolidge. p. 964.
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  93. ^ Reese, George H.; Hickin, Patricia, eds. (1973). Journal of the Senate of Virginia. Session of 1802/03. Richmond, VA: Virginia Library Board. p. 5.
  94. ^ "Washington City. Monday, 20 December, 1802". The national intelligencer and Washington advertiser. Washington, D.C. 20 December 1802. p. 2. Retrieved 19 July 2020.

Notes

  1. ^ Glashan records this election as taking place on 12 April.
  2. ^ Some sources give Murray's total as 21 and/or credit William Vans Murray with one vote. The result given here is that given in the Maryland Senate Journal.
  3. ^ A contemporary source gives the combined Gerry and scattering votes as 19,600.[16] The number for Gerry is variously given as 19,443, 19,445, 19,581, and 19,584, and the number scattering as 157, 155, 19, or 16. The result given here is the most likely correct one given the town and county breakdown at A New Nation Votes.
  4. ^ Some sources describe Williams as a Democratic-Republican, although Broussard refers to him as "a quiet but unmistakeable Federalist" and "undeniably a Federalist", and Gilpatrick describes him as a "mild Federalist."[43] [44][45][46]
  5. ^ Some sources give Taylor's total as 19. The result given here is that given in the North Carolina Legislative Papers.
  6. ^ Williams' term was extended until the legislature could elect a replacement for Ashe.
  7. ^ Although the various sources agree Turner received 112 votes on the final ballot, they disagree on the full result. The result given here is that given in the North Carolina Legislative Papers.
  8. ^ OurCampaigns records this candidate as James Greene but no other source agrees with this.
  9. ^ A New Nation Votes records an additional scattering vote but no other source agrees with this.
  10. ^ Although most sources agree Page was elected "unanimously" or "without opposition", one contemporary source states "There was no opposition. A few votes, however, were given to Mr. Venable."

Bibliography

Category