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 4,640 for Federalist electors and 1,737 for Anti-Federalist electors, all of whom were supportive of Washington.[1] The Anti-Federalists actively contested the election, nominating and circulating a list of twelve electors in opposition to the Federalist candidates.[2] The total number of votes is incomplete.

Results

1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent George Washington 6,377 100.00%
Total votes 6,377 100.00%

Results by county

1788–89 United States presidential election in Virginia[1]
County George Washington

Federalists

 George Washington

Anti-Federalists

 Margin Total

votes[a]

# % # % # %
Accomack 216 98.18% 4 1.82% 212 96.36% 220
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 239 100.00% 0 0.00% 239 100.00% 239
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 34.16% 160 65.84% -77 -31.68% 243
Dinwiddie - 0.00% - 0.00% - 0.00% -
Elizabeth City - 100.00% - 0.00% - 100.00% -
Essex 5 2.81% 173 97.19% -168 -94.38% 178
Fairfax 218 100.00% 0 0.00% 218 100.00% 218
Fauquier 102 100.00% 0 0.00% 102 100.00% 102
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 120 100.00% 0 0.00% 120 100.00% 120
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 43 100.00% 0 0.00% 43 100.00% 43
Hanover - 0.00% - 0.00% - 0.00% -
Hardy 91 100.00% 0 0.00% 91 100.00% 91
Harrison 18 100.00% 0 0.00% 18 100.00% 18
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 - 0.00% - 0.00% - 0.00% -
King William - 0.00% - 0.00% - 0.00% -
Lancaster - 0.00% - 0.00% - 0.00% -
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 77 100.00% 0 0.00% 77 100.00% 77
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 1 0.85% 117 99.15% -116 -98.30% 118
Northumberland - 0.00% - 0.00% - 0.00% -
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 95 90.48% 10 9.52% 85 80.96% 105
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 - 0.00% - 0.00% - 0.00% -
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 - 0.00% - 0.00% - 0.00% -
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 4,640 72.76% 1,737 27.24% 2,903 45.52% 6,377

Results by district

1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia[1]
District E.V. George Washington

Federalists

 George Washington

Anti-Federalists

 Margin Total

votes[b]

# % E.V. # % E.V. # %
1 1 250 40.78% 0 363 59.22% 1 -113 -18.44% 613
2 1 - 100.00% 1 - 0.00% 0 - 100.00% -
3 1 1,082 90.02% 1 120 9.98% 0 962 80.04% 1,202
4 1 5 2.81% 0 173 97.19% 1 -168 -94.38% 178
5 1 320 100.00% 1 0 0.00% 0 320 100.00% 320
6 1 115 100.00% 0 0 0.00% 0 115 100.00% 115
7 1 723 100.00% 1 0 0.00% 0 723 100.00% 723
8 1 683 84.95% 1 121 15.05% 0 562 69.90% 804
9 1 776 68.55% 0 356 31.45% 0 420 37.10% 1,132
10 1 - 0.00% 0 - 100.00% 1 - -100.00% -
11 1 686 53.18% 1 604 46.82% 0 82 6.36% 1,290
12 1 - 100.00% 1 - 0.00% 0 - 100.00% -
Total 12 4,640 72.76% 7 1,737 27.24% 3 2,903 45.52% 6,377

Results by elector

1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 1st congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Anti-Federalists John Pride 311 50.65%
Federalists Edward Carrington 249 40.55%
Anti-Federalists Theodorick Bland 52 8.47%
Unknown Mayo Carrington 1 0.16%
Federalists William Ronald 1 0.16%
Total votes 614 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 2nd congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists John Harvie - 100.00%
Total votes - 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 3rd congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists Zachariah Johnston 1,082 90.02%
Anti-Federalists Thomas Madison[c] 120 9.98%
Total votes 1,202 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 4th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Anti-Federalists John Roane 145 70.05%
Anti-Federalists Meriwether Smith 28 13.53%
Unknown Robert Gilchrist 26 12.56%
Federalists Carter Braxton 4 1.93%
Unknown Henry Kidd 3 1.45%
Federalists Edmund Pendleton 1 0.48%
Total votes 207 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 5th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists David Stuart 319 92.73%
Unknown Thomas Blackburn 24 6.98%
Federalists Elias Edmonds 1 0.29%
Total votes 344 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 6th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists William Fitzhugh[d] 115 96.64%
Unknown John Rowe 4 3.36%
Total votes 119 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 7th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists James Wood 419 50.12%
Federalists William Darke 275 32.89%
Unknown Robert Rutherford 113 13.52%
Federalists William Haymond 18 2.15%
Federalists Ebenezer Zane 7 0.84%
Federalists Alexander White 4 0.48%
Total votes 836 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 8th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists Anthony Walke 466 54.57%
Federalists Isaac Avery 194 22.72%
Anti-Federalists Henry Guy 117 13.70%
Unknown Thomas Newton Jr. 30 3.51%
Unknown Joseph Godwin 18 2.11%
Federalists Thomas Mathews 16 1.87%
Federalists George Parker 6 0.70%
Anti-Federalists Edmund Curtis 3 0.35%
Unknown George Kelly 1 0.12%
Unknown John Robins 1 0.12%
Anti-Federalists Josiah Parker 1 0.12%
Federalists Littleton Eyre 1 0.12%
Total votes 854 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 9th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists Samuel Kello[e] 776 68.49%
Anti-Federalists Joseph Jones 356 31.42%
Unknown Benjamin Riggan 1 0.09%
Total votes 1,133 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 10th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Anti-Federalists Patrick Henry - 100.00%
Total votes - 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 11th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists Edward Stevens 686 53.18%
Anti-Federalists William Cabell Sr. 604 46.82%
Total votes 1,290 100.00%
1788-89 United States presidential election in Virginia's 12th congressional district[1][3][4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Federalists Warner Lewis - 100.00%
Total votes - 100.00%

Electors

The following served as electors: -

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Some county results are missing or incomplete.[1]
  2. ↑ Some district results are missing or incomplete.[1]
  3. ↑ Explicity described as being Zachariah Johnston's opponent for this election.[6]
  4. ↑ The electoral vote from this elected candidate was never submitted or recorded.
  5. ↑ The electoral vote from this candidate was never submitted or recorded. Due to incomplete returns, a winner could not be certified.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "A New Nation Votes". elections.lib.tufts.edu. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  2. ↑ Risjord, Norman K.; DenBoer, Gordon (March 1974). "The Evolution of Political Parties in Virginia, 1782-1800". Journal of American History. 60 (4): 974.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Center for the Study of the American Constitution" (PDF). csac.history.wisc.edu. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "House of Delegates History (DOME)". history.house.virginia.gov. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  6. ↑ Campbell, Jud. "Whiskey, Soldiers, and Voting: Western Virginia Elections in the 1790s". scholarship.richmond.edu. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  7. 1 2 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.
  8. ↑ A New Nation Votes - Virginia 1789 Electoral College, District 3
  9. ↑ "Our Campaigns - VA US President Race - Jan 07, 1789". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  10. ↑ Jensen & Becker 1976, p. XXVIII.

Works cited

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1788–89_United_States_presidential_election_in_Virginia