1835 Tennessee gubernatorial election
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The 1835 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on August 6, 1835, to elect the Governor of Tennessee. Whig nominee, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 5th district and candidate for Governor in 1827 Newton Cannon defeated Democratic nominee and incumbent Governor William Carroll and member of the Tennessee House of Representatives West Hughes Humphreys.[1]
August 6, 1835
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 County results Cannon: 40â50% 50â60% 60â70% 70â80% 80â90% Carroll: 30â40% 40â50% 50â60% 60â70% 70â80% 80â90% Humphreys: 40â50% No Data/Vote: | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Cannon became the first member of the Whig Party to be elected governor of Tennessee.[2]
Background
During William Carroll's final term, the state constitution of 1796 was supplanted by a new one which gave more executive power to the governor.
Popular provisions in the new constitution included an equitable land tax (which benefited small farmers) and the requirement that county officials be popularly elected, rather than appointed.[3][4][5]
Carroll claimed that the new constitution allowed him to seek a fourth consecutive term and he tried to run for re-election.[4]
General election
On election day, August 6, 1835, Whig candidate Newton Cannon won the election by a margin of 8,682 votes against his foremost opponent Democratic candidate and incumbent Governor William Carroll, thereby gaining Whig control over the office of Governor. Cannon was sworn in as the 8th Governor of Tennessee on October 12, 1835.[6]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whig | Newton Cannon | 41,862 | 50.41% | |
| Democratic | William Carroll (incumbent) | 33,180 | 39.96% | |
| Independent/Other | West Hughes Humphreys | 7,999 | 9.63% | |
| Total votes | 83,041 | 100.00% | ||
| Whig gain from Democratic | ||||