1838 New York gubernatorial election

* * *

| <- 1836 | November 5–7, 1838 | 1840 ->

|
|

|  |  |

|
|

Nominee  | William H. Seward | William L. Marcy |
Party  | Whig | Democratic
Popular vote  | 192,882 | 182,461
Percentage  | 51.39% | 48.61%

* * *

Results by county
Seymour: 50–60% 60–70%
Hunt: 50–60% 60–70%
No Data/Vote:

* * *

| Governor before election

William L. Marcy
Democratic

| Elected Governor

William H. Seward
Whig

|

Elections in New York State

Federal government

|  Presidential elections

* 1792
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* 1801
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* 1821
* 1825–26
* 1827
* 1829 sp
* 1831
* 1833
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* 1837
* 1839–40
* 1843
* 1845 sp
* 1849
* 1851
* 1855
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* 1861
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* 1867
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* 1881
* 1881 sp
* 1885
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* 1897
* 1899
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* 1909
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* 1926
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* 1938 sp
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* 1968
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U.S. House

* 1789
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* 1st sp
* 1793
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* 1st sp
* 1800
* 1801
* 5th sp
* 1801
* 6th sp
* 1802
* 1803
* 6th sp
* 1803
* 7th sp
* 1804
* 1st sp
* 2nd and 3rd sp
* 1805
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* 1806
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* 1838
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* 1890
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* 1892
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State government

|  New York gubernatorial elections

* 1777
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* 1928
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* 1942
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* 1962
* 1966
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* 1974
* 1978
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* 1986
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* 1998
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* 2006
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Attorney General elections

* 1982
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State Senate elections

* 2008
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State Assembly elections

* 99th district, 2006
* 2008
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State elections by year

* 1811-LtGSE
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* 1900
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* 1903
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* 1907
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1916
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* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
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* 1924
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
* 1933
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* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1946
* 1949
* 1950
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1959
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New York City

|  Mayoral elections

Pre-consolidation:

* 1850
* ...
* 1854
* 1856
* 1857
* 1859
* 1861
* ...
* 1886
* 1888
* 1890
* 1892
* 1894

Post-consolidation:

* 1897
* 1901
* 1903
* 1905
* 1909
* 1913
* 1917
* 1921
* 1925
* 1929
* 1932
* 1933
* 1937
* 1941
* 1945
* 1950
* 1953
* 1957
* 1961
* 1965
* 1969
* 1973
* 1977
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
* 1993
* 1997
* 2001
* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2025

City Council elections

Pre-consolidation:

* 1808

Post-consolidation:

* 1897
* 1899
* 1901
* 1903
* 1905
* 1907
* 1909
* 1911
* 1913
* 1915
* 1917
* 1919
* 1921
* 1923
* 1925
* 1927
* 1929
* 1931
* 1933
* 1935
* 1937
* 1939
* 1941
* 1943
* 1945
* 1949
* 1953
* 1957
* 1961
* 1965
* 1969
* 1973
* 1977
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
* 1993
* 1997
* 2001
* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2023
* 2025

Public Advocate elections

* 1897
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* 1929
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* 1941
* 1945
* 1949
* 1953
* 1957
* 1961
* 1965
* 1969
* 1973
* 1977
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
* 1993
* 1997
* 2001
* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2019 (special)
* 2019
* 2021
* 2025

Comptroller elections

* 1897
* 1901
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* 1921
* 1925
* 1929
* 1933
* 1937
* 1941
* 1945
* 1949
* 1953
* 1957
* 1961
* 1965
* 1969
* 1973
* 1977
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
* 1993
* 1997
* 2001
* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2025

Borough president elections

* 1897
* 1901
* 1905
* 1909
* 1913
* 1917
* 1921
* 1925
* 1929
* 1933
* 1937
* 1941
* 1945
* 1949
* 1953
* 1957
* 1961
* 1965
* 1969
* 1973
* 1977
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
* 1993
* 1997
* 2001
* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2025

* The Bronx
* Brooklyn
* Manhattan
* Queens
* Staten Island

Albany

|  Mayoral elections

* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021

Buffalo

|  Mayoral elections

* 1881
* 1977
* 1981
* 1985
* 1989
* 1993
* 1997
* 2001
* 2005
* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2025

Rochester

|  Mayoral elections

* 1997
* 2001
* 2005
* 2009
* 2011 sp
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021

Syracuse

|  Mayoral elections

* 2009
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2025

* v
* t
* e

The 1838 New York gubernatorial election was held from November 5 to 7, 1838, to elect the Governor of New York.

After winning election, Seward demonstrated considerable support for African Americans, signing legislation during his two terms to guarantee jury trials to alleged fugitive slaves, to repeal the nine-month allowance for slaveholders bringing slaves into the state, to give state support to efforts to gain freedom for free blacks kidnapped and sold into slavery, and establish public education for all children.

## General election

[edit]

### Candidates

[edit]

* William L. Marcy, incumbent Governor (Democratic)
* William H. Seward, former State Senator from Auburn and nominee for governor in 1834 (Whig)

### Campaign

[edit]

The issues of slavery and abolition were among the topics of the campaigns. Abolitionists asked the candidates for both positions their stands on the following issues:[1] 1) "the right of blacks to a jury trial when seized as fugitive slaves; 2) a law freeing slaves-in-transit the moment they were brought into the state by their masters; and 3) equal suffrage for blacks."

Incumbent Democrat William Marcy and his running mate were described as doughfaces, not supporting the abolitionist proposals. During the campaign, Seward said that he did not support the latter two proposals, noting that a change to suffrage required a constitutional amendment to be changed. Thus, while abolitionists endorsed Luther Bradish, the Whig candidate for lieutenant governor, who supported all three, some activists recommended voting against Seward.

### Results

[edit]

The Whig ticket, led by Seward, was elected.

1838 New York gubernatorial election  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Whig | William H. Seward | 192,882  | 51.39%  | +6.77%
| Democratic | William L. Marcy (incumbent)  | 182,461  | 48.61%  | −5.63%
Total votes  | 375,343  | 100%

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Finkelman, Paul (September 1988). "The Protection of Black Rights in Seward's New York". Civil War History. 34 (3). Kent State University Press: 211–234\. doi:10.1353/cwh.1988.0057.211-234&rft.date=1988-09&rft_id=info:doi/10.1353/cwh.1988.0057&rft.aulast=Finkelman&rft.aufirst=Paul&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:1838+New+York+gubernatorial+election" class="Z3988">

## Sources

[edit]

* Result: The Tribune Almanac 1841

* v
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* e

(1837<-)  1838 United States elections (->1839)

U.S.
Senate|

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Related|

* Broad Seal War

* v
* t
* e

Elections in New York (state)

General|

* 1844
* 1846
* 1847
* 1848
* 1849
* 1850
* 1851
* 1852
* 1853
* 1854
* 1855
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* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
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* 1934
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* 1940
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U.S. President|

* 1792
* 1796
* 1800
* 1804
* 1808
* 1812
* 1816
* 1820
* 1824
* 1828
* 1832
* 1836
* 1840
* 1844
* 1848
* 1852
* 1856
* 1860
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* 1868
* 1872
* 1876
* 1880
* 1884
* 1888
* 1892
* 1896
* 1900
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* 1908
* 1912
* 1916
* 1920
* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1940
* 1944
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
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* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
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* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
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U.S. Senate|

| Class 1|

* 1789
* 1791
* 1797
* Jan. 1798 (Special)
* Aug. 1798 (Special)
* Apr. 1800 (Special)
* 1803
* 1804 (Special)
* 1809
* 1815
* 1821
* 1827
* 1829 (Special)
* 1833
* 1839–40
* 1845
* 1851
* 1857
* 1863
* 1869
* 1875
* 1881
* 1881 (Special)
* 1887
* 1893
* 1899
* 1905
* 1911
* 1916
* 1922
* 1928
* 1934
* 1938 (Special)
* 1940
* 1946
* 1952
* 1958
* 1964
* 1970
* 1976
* 1982
* 1988
* 1994
* 2000
* 2006
* 2010 (Special)
* 2012
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* 2024

|

Class 3|

* 1789
* 1795
* 1796 (Special)
* Nov. 1800 (Special)
* 1801
* 1802 (Special)
* 1804 (Special)
* 1807
* 1813
* 1819–20
* 1825–26
* 1831
* 1833 (Special)
* 1837
* 1843
* 1845 (Special)
* 1849
* 1855
* 1861
* 1867
* 1873
* 1879
* 1881 (Special)
* 1885
* 1891
* 1897
* 1903
* 1909
* 1914
* 1920
* 1926
* 1932
* 1938
* 1944
* 1949 (Special)
* 1950
* 1956
* 1962
* 1968
* 1974
* 1980
* 1986
* 1992
* 1998
* 2004
* 2010
* 2016
* 2022

U.S. House|

* 1789
* 1790
* 1793
* 1794
* 1796
* 1798
* 1800
* 1802
* 1804
* 1806
* 1808
* 1810
* 1812
* 1814
* 1816
* 1818
* 1821
* 1822
* 1824
* 1826
* 1828
* 1830
* 1832
* 1834
* 1836
* 1838
* 1840
* 1842
* 1844
* 1846
* 1848
* 1850
* 1852
* 1854
* 1856
* 1858
* 1860
* 1862
* 1864
* 1866
* 1868
* 1870
* 1872
* 1874
* 1876
* 1878
* 1880
* 1882
* 1884
* 1886
* 1888
* 1890
* 1892
* 1894
* 1896
* 1898
* 1900
* 1902
* 1904
* 1906
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1914
* 1916
* 1918
* 1920
* 1922
* 1924
* 1926
* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
* 1934
* 1936
* 1938
* 1940
* 1942
* 1944
* 1946
* 1948
* 1950
* 1952
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1960
* 1962
* 1964
* 1966
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1974
* 1976
* 1978
* 1980
* 1982
* 1984
* 1986
* 1988
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* 6th sp
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Governor and
Lieutenant Governor|

* 1777
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* 1810
* 1811 sp
* 1813
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* 1820
* 1822
* 1824
* 1826
* 1828
* 1830
* 1832
* 1834
* 1836
* 1838
* 1840
* 1842
* 1844
* 1846
* 1848
* 1850
* 1852
* 1854
* 1856
* 1858
* 1860
* 1862
* 1864
* 1866
* 1868
* 1870
* 1872
* 1874
* 1876
* 1879 sp
* 1882
* 1898
* 1918
* 1920
* 1922
* 1924
* 1926
* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
* 1934
* 1936
* 1938
* 1942
* 1946
* 1950
* 1954
* 1958
* 1962
* 1966
* 1970
* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
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* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
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Attorney General|

* 1982
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State Legislature|

| State Assembly|

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* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

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State Senate|

* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

Judicial|

* 1847 (Special)
* 1870 (Special)

See also Political party strength in New York (state)

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