1816 Indiana gubernatorial election: Difference between revisions

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{{Elections in Indiana}}

{{Elections in Indiana}}

The ”’1816 Indiana gubernatorial election”’ took place on August 5, 1816, under the provisions of the recently ratified [[Constitution of Indiana#Constitution of 1816|Constitution of Indiana]]. It was the first [[Indiana gubernatorial election|gubernatorial election]] in the [[State of Indiana]]. [[Jonathan Jennings]], the longtime [[Indiana Territory’s At-large congressional district|U.S. territorial delegate from Indiana]] and president of the state’s constitutional convention, defeated [[Thomas Posey]], the incumbent territorial governor, with 56.9% of the vote.<ref>Riker and Thornbrough, p. 137</ref> The election was held concurrently with elections for [[Lieutenant Governor of Indiana|lieutenant governor]] and members of the [[Indiana General Assembly]].<ref>Riker and Thornbrough, p. 183</ref>

The ”’1816 Indiana gubernatorial election”’ took place on August 5, 1816, under the provisions of the recently ratified [[Constitution of Indiana#Constitution of 1816|Constitution of Indiana]]. It was the first [[Indiana gubernatorial election|gubernatorial election]] in the [[State of Indiana]]. [[Jonathan Jennings]], the longtime [[ |U.S. delegate Indiana]] and president of the constitutional convention, defeated [[Thomas Posey]], the incumbent territorial governor.<ref>Riker and Thornbrough, p. 137</ref> The election was held concurrently with elections for [[Lieutenant Governor of Indiana|lieutenant governor]] and members of the [[Indiana General Assembly]].<ref>Riker and Thornbrough, p. 183</ref>

At the time of the election, the [[Democratic-Republican Party]] was dominant nationally following the [[War of 1812]], and the politics of the new state were conducted on a [[Non-partisan democracy|nonpartisan basis]]. Geographic factionalism and the personal reputation of the candidates provided the ammunition with which the campaign would be fought.<ref>Riker and Thornbrough, p. xvi</ref> In spite of this, the campaign was spirited: of the barely more than 12,000 eligible voters, more than 9,000 cast ballots in the gubernatorial election.<ref>Riker and Thornbrough, p. xii</ref>

[[Democratic-Republican Party]] was dominant nationally following the [[War of 1812]], and the politics of the new state were conducted on a [[Non-partisan democracy|nonpartisan basis]]. and the the campaign. the barely more than 12,000 eligible voters, more than 9,000 cast ballots in the gubernatorial election.<ref>Riker and Thornbrough, . xii</ref>

Jennings was well known to the voting public, having represented the [[Indiana Territory]] in the [[United States Congress]] for more than half a decade. A resident of [[Clark County, Indiana|Clark County]], he was associated with the Eastern faction in territorial politics and a leading opponent of [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]]. In a campaign typical of the era, he presented his visits with voters as personal in nature in order to avoid the appearance of electioneering. Posey, the incumbent, was unpopular and, due to his absence from the territorial capital in [[Corydon, Indiana|Corydon]], lacked the necessary political connections to wage an effective campaign. On election day, Jennings defeated Posey handily by a margin of well over 1,000 votes.<ref>Riker, pp. 228-33</ref>

Jennings was well known to the , having represented the [[Indiana Territory]] in the [[United States Congress]] for more than half a decade. A resident of [[Clark County, Indiana|Clark County]], he was associated with the Eastern faction in territorial politics and a leading opponent of [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]]. In a campaign typical of the era, he presented his visits with voters as personal in nature in order to avoid the appearance of electioneering. Posey, the incumbent, was unpopular and, due to his absence from the territorial capital in [[Corydon, Indiana|Corydon]], lacked the necessary political connections to wage an effective campaign. On election day, Jennings defeated Posey handily by a margin of well over 1,000 votes.<ref>Riker, pp. 228-33</ref>

==Results==

==Results==

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|candidate = [[Jonathan Jennings]]

|candidate = [[Jonathan Jennings]]

|votes = 5,211

|votes = 5,211

|percentage = 56.98%

|percentage = 56.98%

|change = +56.98%}}

|change = +56.98

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Nonpartisan candidate

|party = Nonpartisan candidate

|candidate = [[Thomas Posey]] ([[incumbent]])

|candidate = [[Thomas Posey]] ([[incumbent]])

|votes = 3,934

|votes = 3,934

|percentage = 43.02%

|percentage = 43.02%

|change = +43.02%}}

|change = +43.02

}}

{{Election box total

{{Election box total

|votes = 9,145

|votes = 9,145

|percentage = 100.00%

|percentage = 100.00

}}

}}

{{Election box turnout

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 9,145

|votes = 9,145

|percentage = 75.50%

|percentage = 75.50

|change =

|change =

}}

}}

1816 Indiana gubernatorial election

County results[1] Jennings:      80–90% Posey:      50–60%      70–80%      80–90%

The 1816 Indiana gubernatorial election took place on August 5, 1816, under the provisions of the recently ratified Constitution of Indiana. It was the first gubernatorial election in the State of Indiana. Jonathan Jennings, the longtime U.S. delegate representing the Indiana Territory’s at-large congressional district and president of the Indiana constitutional convention, defeated Thomas Posey, the incumbent territorial governor.^[2] The election was held concurrently with elections for lieutenant governor and members of the Indiana General Assembly.^[3]

The Democratic-Republican Party was dominant nationally following the War of 1812, and the politics of the new state were conducted on a nonpartisan basis. Localism and personalities supplied the issues of the campaign. Of the barely more than 12,000 eligible voters, more than 9,000 cast ballots in the gubernatorial election.^[4]

Jennings was well known to the electorate, having represented the Indiana Territory in the United States Congress for more than half a decade. A resident of Clark County, he was associated with the Eastern faction in territorial politics and a leading opponent of slavery. In a campaign typical of the era, he presented his visits with voters as personal in nature in order to avoid the appearance of electioneering. Posey, the incumbent, was unpopular and, due to his absence from the territorial capital in Corydon, lacked the necessary political connections to wage an effective campaign. On election day, Jennings defeated Posey handily by a margin of well over 1,000 votes.^[5]

Results

Results by county

The official election returns appear to have been lost. The Vincennes Western Sun in its editions of August 17 and 24, 1816 gives the returns of four of the state’s fifteen counties as follows.^[8]

	Jonathan Jennings Nonpartisan		Thomas Posey Nonpartisan		County total
County	Votes	Percent	Votes	Percent
Jackson	124	84.93	22	15.07	146
Knox	174	23.36	571	76.64	745
Orange	66	12.86	447	86.94	513
Washington	257	41.72	359	58.28	616

References

Bibliography