1788–89 United States presidential election in Virginia
January 7, 1789
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County results
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| Elections in Virginia |
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A presidential election was held in Virginia on January 7, 1789, as part of the 1788–1789 United States presidential election to elect the first President. Voters chose 12 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President. However, one elector did not vote, and another elector was not chosen because an election district failed to submit returns, resulting in only 10 electoral votes being submitted.
Virginia unanimously voted for nonpartisan candidate and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army George Washington. The total popular vote is composed of 3,337 for Federalist electors and 456 for Anti-Federalist electors, all of whom were supportive of Washington.[1] The total number of votes is incomplete.
Results
| 1788-1789 United States presidential election in Virginia | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Independent | George Washington | 3,793 | 100.00% | 10 | |
| Totals | 3,793 | 100.00% | 10 | ||
Results by county
| County | George Washington
Federalist |
George Washington
Anti-Federalist |
Margin | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Accomack | 194 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 194 | 100.00% | 194 |
| Albemarle | 109 | 60.56% | 71 | 39.44% | -38 | 21.12% | 180 |
| Amelia | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Amherst | 0 | 0.00% | 270 | 100.00% | -270 | -100.00% | 270 |
| Augusta | 353 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 353 | 100.00% | 353 |
| Bedford | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - | -100.00% | - |
| Berkeley | 200 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 200 | 100.00% | 200 |
| Botetourt | 47 | 42.73% | 63 | 57.27% | -16 | -14.54% | 110 |
| Bourbon | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Brunswick | 35 | 20.00% | 140 | 80.00% | -105 | -60.00% | 175 |
| Buckingham | 4 | 2.48% | 157 | 97.52% | -153 | -95.04% | 161 |
| Campbell | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - | -100.00% | - |
| Caroline | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Charles City | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Charlotte | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - | -100.00% | - |
| Chesterfield | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Culpeper | 177 | 87.19% | 26 | 12.81% | 151 | 74.38% | 203 |
| Cumberland | 83 | 43.46% | 108 | 56.54% | -25 | -13.08% | 191 |
| Dinwiddie | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Elizabeth City | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Essex | 28 | 16.18% | 145 | 83.82% | -117 | -67.64% | 173 |
| Fairfax | 218 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 218 | 100.00% | 218 |
| Fauquier | 101 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 101 | 100.00% | 101 |
| Fayette | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Fluvanna | 15 | 18.52% | 66 | 81.48% | -51 | -62.96% | 81 |
| Franklin | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - | -100.00% | - |
| Frederick | 119 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 119 | 100.00% | 119 |
| Gloucester | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Goochland | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Greenbrier | 70 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 70 | 100.00% | 70 |
| Greensville | 37 | 41.11% | 53 | 58.89% | -16 | -17.78% | 90 |
| Halifax | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - | -100.00% | - |
| Hampshire | 37 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 37 | 100.00% | 37 |
| Hanover | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Hardy | 91 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 91 | 100.00% | 91 |
| Harrison | 112 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 112 | 100.00% | 112 |
| Henrico | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Henry | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - | -100.00% | - |
| Isle of Wight | 209 | 74.38% | 72 | 25.62% | 137 | 48.76% | 281 |
| James City | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Jefferson | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| King and Queen | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| King George | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| King William | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Lancaster | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Lincoln | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Loudoun | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Louisa | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Lunenburg | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Madison | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Mecklenburg | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Mercer | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Middlesex | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Monongalia | 66 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 66 | 100.00% | 66 |
| Montgomery | 0 | 0.00% | 57 | 100.00% | -57 | -100.00% | 57 |
| Nansemond | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Nelson | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| New Kent | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Norfolk | 186 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 186 | 100.00% | 186 |
| Northampton | 117 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 117 | 100.00% | 117 |
| Northumberland | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Ohio | 68 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 68 | 100.00% | 68 |
| Orange | 113 | 96.58% | 4 | 3.42% | 109 | 93.16% | 117 |
| Pendleton | 101 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 101 | 100.00% | 101 |
| Pittsylvania | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - | -100.00% | - |
| Powhatan | 94 | 90.38% | 10 | 9.62% | 84 | 80.76% | 104 |
| Prince Edward | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - | -100.00% | - |
| Prince George | 8 | 5.23% | 145 | 94.77% | -137 | -89.54% | 153 |
| Prince William | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Princess Anne | 280 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 280 | 100.00% | 280 |
| Randolph | 67 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 67 | 100.00% | 67 |
| Richmond | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Rockbridge | 175 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 175 | 100.00% | 175 |
| Rockingham | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 0.00% | - |
| Russell | 47 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 47 | 100.00% | 47 |
| Shenandoah | 166 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 166 | 100.00% | 166 |
| Southampton | 363 | 99.18% | 3 | 0.82% | 360 | 98.36% | 366 |
| Spotsylvania | 268 | 96.40% | 10 | 3.60% | 258 | 92.80% | 278 |
| Stafford | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Surry | 133 | 97.79% | 3 | 2.21% | 130 | 95.58% | 136 |
| Sussex | 63 | 32.14% | 133 | 67.86% | -70 | -35.72% | 196 |
| Warwick | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Washington | 123 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 123 | 100.00% | 123 |
| Westmoreland | 115 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 115 | 100.00% | 115 |
| York | - | 100.00% | - | 0.00% | - | 100.00% | - |
| Total | 4,792 | 75.73% | 1,536 | 24.27% | 3,256 | 51.46% | 6,328 |
Electors
The following served as electors: -
- John Pride - previously voted against ratification of the Constitution.[4]
- John Harvie
- Zachariah Johnston - Augusta County, Botetourt County, Bourbon County, Fayette County, Greenbrier County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County, Madison County, Mercer County, Montgomery County, Nelson County, Pendleton County, Rockbridge County, Rockingham County, Russell County, Shenandoah County, Washington County[5]
- John Roane - one of the three Clinton electors[6]
- David Stuart
- William Fitzhugh
- Anthony Walke, Princess Anne Co.
- Patrick Henry - previously voted against ratification of the Constitution.[4]
- Edward Stevens
- Warner Lewis – did not attend the electoral college meeting.[7]
- James Wood
See also
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d "A New Nation Votes". elections.lib.tufts.edu. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ a b "Center for the Study of the American Constitution" (PDF). csac.history.wisc.edu. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
- ^ a b "House of Delegates History (DOME)". history.house.virginia.gov. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ a b Pulliam, David Loyd (1901). The Constitutional Conventions of Virginia from the Foundation of the Commonwealth to the Present Time. J. T. West. pp. 37–38.
- ^ A New Nation Votes - Virginia 1789 Electoral College, District 3
- ^ "Our Campaigns - VA US President Race - Jan 07, 1789". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ Jensen & Becker 1976, p. XXVIII.
Works cited
- Jensen, Merrill; Becker, Robert, eds. (1976). The First Federal Elections 1788-1790: Congress, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Vol. 1. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 0299066908.