Massachusetts 1788 Electoral College, Bristol, Dukes and Nantucket District

Office:
Electoral College (Federal)
Title:
Elector
Jurisdiction:
Federal
Label:
Massachusetts 1788 Electoral College, Bristol, Dukes and Nantucket District
Date:
1788
State:
Massachusetts
Type:
General
Iteration:
First Ballot
Office/Role:
Electoral College/Elector
Electors:
Elisha May, Walter Spooner, Samuel Tobey, Holder Housen, Phanuel Bishop, David Cobb, James Attrearn, John Worth, Beriah Norton, George Leonard, William Bailies, Cornelius Dunham, Jerathmeel Bowers, Daniel Leonard, Zephaniah Leonard
Electors: Elisha May[1]Walter Spooner[2]Samuel TobeyHolder HousenPhanuel BishopDavid CobbJames AttrearnJohn WorthBeriah NortonGeorge LeonardWilliam BailiesCornelius DunhamJerathmeel BowersDaniel LeonardZephaniah Leonard
Affiliation:Federalist
Presidential Candidate:George Washington / John Adams
Final Result: [3][4][5][6][7]5373573323002951625334131222111
District of Bristol5373573323002951625334131222111
Bristol County403210332300295162---122-111
Town of Attleborough76-77----------11
Town of Berkley-21---21---------
Town of Dartmouth-3-993----2----
Town of Dighton-51---51---------
Town of Easton----111---12-----
Town of Freetown-31-9-39---------
Town of Mansfield36-361212----------
Town of New Bedford4140-------------
Town of Norton-35-101236---------
Town of Raynham45-45------------
Town of Rehoboth99-99169170----------
Town of Swansea---91911------1--
Town of Taunton75-75------------
Town of Westport3129-------------
Dukes County------533413--2---
Town of Chilmark------18-13--2---
Town of Edgartown------3534-------
Town of Tisbury[8]---------------
Nantucket County134147-------------
Town of Sherburne134147-------------

Notes:

[1]Elected.
[2]Elected.
[3]Massachusetts had a unique method for choosing its Presidential Electors. In each of the eight Congressional districts, voters voted for two electors. The Massachusetts General Court would then chose one Elector from among the top two candidates in each district to go along with two at-large Electors chosen solely by the General Court.
[4]"The Massachusetts Election Resolutions of 20 November 1788 provided that on 18 December, when the voters cast their votes for Representatives in each district, they should also vote for two men as presidential Electors. The votes were to be sent to the Secretary of the Commonwealth by Monday, 5 January, and on 7 January the legislature in joint session would elect on eof the two men receiving the highest number of votes in each district. The legislature would then elect two Electors from the state at large from among men who had not received votes as Electors in any district. When the votes were returned to the Secretary, it was revealed that more than 220 men had received votes, including virtually every Federalist leader in the state. The Federalist-controlled legilature therefore hurriedly passed a resolution on 6 January declaring that anyone not disqualified by the Constitution 'shall be considered as eligible for an Elector at large, any resolve to the contrary notwithstanding' (see House and Seate Proceedings, 6 January)." DenBoer, Gordon and Lucy Trumbull Brown, ed. The Documentary History of the First Federal Elections: 1788-1790. Vol. II. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1976. 529.
[5]Walter Spooner was chosen by the Massachusetts General Court as the Elector for the Essex District.
[6]Elections for Presidential Electors were held on December 18, 1788. The Massachusetts General Court then selected the 10 Electors on January 7, 1789. The Electors voted for President on February 4, 1789.
[7]"The elections in the country have, in general, been very thinly attended - owing in some measure to the late fall of snow, making the passing bad." The Massachusetts Centinel (Boston, MA). December 20, 1788.
[8]There were no votes recorded in Tisbury.

References:

Original Election Returns. Massachusetts State Archives, Boston.
The Massachusetts Centinel (Boston, MA). December 20, 1788.
Jensen, Merrill and Robert A. Becker, ed. The Documentary History of the First Federal Elections: 1788-1790. Vol. I. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1976. 441-511, 529-542.

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