1838 Illinois gubernatorial election
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August 6, 1838
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 County Results
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| Elections in Illinois |
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The 1838 Illinois gubernatorial election was the sixth quadrennial election for this office. Democratic nominee Thomas Carlin was elected by a bare majority of the voters in a close election. He defeated Whig nominee Cyrus Edwards, the brother of former governor Ninian Edwards, for the office.[1]
Originally, the Democratic Party had nominated James W. Stephenson to be their candidate. However, Stephenson was forced to withdrawal from the election after he was caught in an embezzling scandal related to his time as the state's Register of Lands.[2][3][1] A second Democratic convention was convened in June 1838 and Carlin, who had a reputation for honesty, was selected as the replacement nominee.[3]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Thomas Carlin | 30,668 | 50.78% | +19.57% | |
| Whig | Cyrus Edwards | 29,722 | 49.22% | −3.71% | |
| Majority | 946 | 1.56% | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 60,390 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Whig | Swing | ||||
References
- 1 2 Robert P. Howard, rev. by Peggy Boyer Long and Mike Lawrence, Mostly Good and Competent Men, 2nd Edition (University of Illinois Press and Illinois State historical Society 1988, ISBN 0-938943-15-4 at p. 54
- ↑ Moses, John. Illinois, Historical and Statistical. Fergus Printing Company: 1889, p. 424. Retrieved August 15, 2007.
- 1 2 Simon, Paul. Lincoln's Preparation for Greatness: The Illinois Legislative Years. University of Illinois Press: 1989, p. 152, (ISBN 0252002032). Retrieved August 15, 2007.
- Illinois Blue Book 1899