1842 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
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The 1842 Massachusetts gubernatorial election consisted of an initial popular election held on November 14, 1842, that was followed by a legislative vote held on January 17, 1843. The ultimate task of electing the governor had been placed before the Massachusetts General Court because no candidate received the majority of the vote that was constitutionally required for a candidate to be elected through the popular election. Incumbent Whig Governor John Davis was defeated by Democratic nominee and former Governor Marcus Morton.
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November 14, 1842
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 County results Morton: 40â50% 50â60% Davis: 40â50% 50â60% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General election
Candidates
- John Davis, incumbent Governor since 1841[a] and former U.S. Senator (Whig)
- Marcus Morton, former Governor (Democratic)
- Samuel E. Sewall, attorney and editor of American Jurist (Liberty)
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Marcus Morton | 56,491 | 47.88% |  1.63 | |
| Whig | John Davis | 54,939 | 46.56% |  3.84 | |
| Liberty | Samuel E. Sewall | 6,382 | 5.41% | 2.27 | |
| Write-in | 180 | 0.15% | 0.06 | ||
| Majority | 1,552 | 1.32% | |||
| Turnout | 117,992 | ||||
Legislative vote
As no candidate received a majority of the vote, the Massachusetts House of Representatives was required to nominate two of the four top vote-getters to the Massachusetts Senate, which then chose one of the two as Governor. The House nominated Davis and Morton.[6][7] The election in the Senate was held on January 17, 1843.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Marcus Morton | 27 | 71.1 | |
| Whig | John Davis | 11 | 28.9 | |
| Turnout | 38 | |||
| Democratic gain from Whig | ||||
Notes
- Davis had previously served as Governor from 1834 to 1835.
