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![]() County results Clinton: 50–60% 70–80% 80-90% >90% Yates: 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in New York State |
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The 1789 New York gubernatorial election was held in April 1789 to elect the Governor of New York for a term beginning in July 1789. Incumbent Governor George Clinton was narrowly re-elected to a fifth consecutive term in office over Robert Yates.
From the establishment of an independent government of New York in 1777, George Clinton had continuously served in the office of Governor; he had no opponent in 1780 or 1786. During that previous decade, New York politics had coalesced around two loose factions: a federalist faction led by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Robert R. Livingston, Philip Schuyler, and the Van Rensselaer family, which favored adoption of the proposed United States Constitution and an anti-federalist faction led by Governor Clinton, Robert Yates, John Lansing, and Melancton Smith, which opposed ratification without serious revision. [1] [2]
At the New York convention to ratify the Constitution in 1788, Clinton presided over a sharp division between the federalists and anti-federalists. The final vote favored ratification of the Constitution as written by a vote of 30–27. Clinton, despite his anti-federalist views, closed the convention by vowing to exercise his office to enforce it and maintain order. [2] However, partisan divisions were sharpened by the formation of a new national administration under President George Washington, who sought to elevate Hamilton, Jay, and other federalists to his administration without representation for the Clinton faction. [3]
Under Article VII of the New York Constitution of 1777, only certain male freeholders and certain freemen of Albany or New York City could vote: [4]
For the first time, the federalist faction actively organized to block Clinton's re-election. In light of the incumbent's broad popularity, they sought to nominate an anti-federalist in order to divide the majority faction. [5] At a meeting in New York City on February 11, they appointed a committee of correspondence to manage the campaign, consisting of Hamilton, William Duer, Robert Troup and anti-federalist Aaron Burr, who defected to oppose Clinton. The meeting nominated Supreme Court justice Robert Yates. On February 24, Yates accepted the nomination. [5]
There was a movement to nominate Richard Morris, who was favored by the majority within the federalist faction, but he declined to be a candidate on February 27. [5]
Incumbent Pierre Van Cortlandt was the only candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
Clinton was re-elected to a fifth term in office, albeit by the lowest margin to date. In his home county of Ulster, Clinton won 1,039 out of 1,245 votes. However, federalists won a majority of the seats in the New York Assembly. [4]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Anti-Administration | George Clinton (incumbent) | 6,391 | 51.74% | |
Anti-Administration | Robert Yates | 5,962 | 48.26% | |
Total votes | 12,353 | 100% |
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![]() County results Clinton: 50–60% 70–80% 80-90% >90% Yates: 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
Elections in New York State |
---|
![]() |
The 1789 New York gubernatorial election was held in April 1789 to elect the Governor of New York for a term beginning in July 1789. Incumbent Governor George Clinton was narrowly re-elected to a fifth consecutive term in office over Robert Yates.
From the establishment of an independent government of New York in 1777, George Clinton had continuously served in the office of Governor; he had no opponent in 1780 or 1786. During that previous decade, New York politics had coalesced around two loose factions: a federalist faction led by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Robert R. Livingston, Philip Schuyler, and the Van Rensselaer family, which favored adoption of the proposed United States Constitution and an anti-federalist faction led by Governor Clinton, Robert Yates, John Lansing, and Melancton Smith, which opposed ratification without serious revision. [1] [2]
At the New York convention to ratify the Constitution in 1788, Clinton presided over a sharp division between the federalists and anti-federalists. The final vote favored ratification of the Constitution as written by a vote of 30–27. Clinton, despite his anti-federalist views, closed the convention by vowing to exercise his office to enforce it and maintain order. [2] However, partisan divisions were sharpened by the formation of a new national administration under President George Washington, who sought to elevate Hamilton, Jay, and other federalists to his administration without representation for the Clinton faction. [3]
Under Article VII of the New York Constitution of 1777, only certain male freeholders and certain freemen of Albany or New York City could vote: [4]
For the first time, the federalist faction actively organized to block Clinton's re-election. In light of the incumbent's broad popularity, they sought to nominate an anti-federalist in order to divide the majority faction. [5] At a meeting in New York City on February 11, they appointed a committee of correspondence to manage the campaign, consisting of Hamilton, William Duer, Robert Troup and anti-federalist Aaron Burr, who defected to oppose Clinton. The meeting nominated Supreme Court justice Robert Yates. On February 24, Yates accepted the nomination. [5]
There was a movement to nominate Richard Morris, who was favored by the majority within the federalist faction, but he declined to be a candidate on February 27. [5]
Incumbent Pierre Van Cortlandt was the only candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
Clinton was re-elected to a fifth term in office, albeit by the lowest margin to date. In his home county of Ulster, Clinton won 1,039 out of 1,245 votes. However, federalists won a majority of the seats in the New York Assembly. [4]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Anti-Administration | George Clinton (incumbent) | 6,391 | 51.74% | |
Anti-Administration | Robert Yates | 5,962 | 48.26% | |
Total votes | 12,353 | 100% |