1785 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

A gubernatorial election was held in Massachusetts on April 4, 1785. James Bowdoin, the former president of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention, received more votes than any of his rivals—Thomas Cushing, the incumbent acting governor, Benjamin Lincoln, the former United States secretary of war, and Oliver Prescott, the judge of the probate court for Middlesex County—but no candidate received a majority of the votes cast.^[1] The election was decided by the Massachusetts General Court, which elected Bowdoin by a vote of 18 to 10 in the Senate.^[2]

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1785 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

← 1784 April 4, 1785 1786 â†’

Nominee James Bowdoin Thomas Cushing Benjamin Lincoln Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Electoral vote 18 10 Eliminated Popular vote 3,510 3,005 1,152 Percentage 44.07% 37.73% 14.46%

County results Bowdoin:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      70–80% Cushing:      20–30%      30–40%      40–50%      60–70% No Data/Vote:

Governor before election Thomas Cushing (acting) Nonpartisan Elected Governor James Bowdoin Nonpartisan

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