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1834 Illinois gubernatorial election

1834 Illinois gubernatorial election
← 1830 August 4, 1834 1838 →
 
Nominee Joseph Duncan William Kinney Robert K. McLaughlin
Party Democratic[a] Democratic Democratic
Popular vote 17,349 10,229 4,315
Percentage 52.93% 31.21% 13.16%
County Results


Duncan:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      90-100%
Ewing:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%
McLaughlin:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Unknown/No Vote:      
Governor before election

William Lee D. Ewing
Democratic

Elected Governor

Joseph Duncan
Whig[b]

The 1834 Illinois gubernatorial election was the fifth quadrennial election for this office. U.S. Representative Joseph Duncan was elected by a majority of the voters. He defeated former Lt. Governor William Kinney and former state treasurer Robert K. McLaughlin.

Duncan was a member of the Democratic Party for most of his early career, but fell out with party leader and President Andrew Jackson during Jackson's first term.[1] He did not announce his change in party affiliation publicly, allowing his votes against Jackson in Congress to relay the message, but news of Duncan's change in affiliation did not reach most Illinois voters and politicians until after the election, resulting in Duncan's nomination and election as a Democrat.[1]

Duncan did not return to the state from Washington, D.C. until after the election.[1] This was the only election of a Whig Governor in Illinois history, albeit by accident on the part of voters.[1]

Results

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1834 gubernatorial election, Illinois
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Joseph Duncan 17,349 52.93% +52.93%
Democratic William Kinney 10,229 31.21% −8.84%
Democratic Robert K. McLaughlin 4,315 13.16% N/A
Democratic James Adams 887 2.71% N/A
Majority 7,120 21.72% N/A
Turnout 32,780
Whig gain from Democratic Swing

See also

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References

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  1. ^ By the time of Duncan's nomination and election, news of his defection to the Whig Party had not yet reached Illinois. As such, Duncan was elected as a Democrat, though he did not take office as one.
  2. ^ Though elected as a Democrat, Duncan's party switch had occurred prior to the election and he took office as a Whig.
  1. ^ a b c d Howard, Robert P. (1988). Mostly Good and Competent Men (2nd ed.). Springfield, Illinois: Institute for Public Affairs. pp. 43–46. ISBN 0-938943-15-4.