American Psephology

The 1788-89 House Elections in New Hampshire

On December 15, 1788, New Hampshire's voters voted for three at-large representatives. A majority was needed to elect. The results are as follows:

• Benjamin West (federalist) - 2374 votes (46.32%)
• Samuel Livermore (federalist) - 2245 votes (43.80%)
• Paine Wingate (federalist) - 2054 votes (40.07%)
• Abiel Foster (federalist) - 1236 votes (24.11%)
• John Sullivan (federalist) - 1058 votes (20.64%)
• Nicholas Gilman (federalist) - 871 votes (16.99%)
• Joshua Atherton - 795 votes (15.51%)
• Nathaniel Peabody (antifederalist) - 777 votes (15.16%)
• Pierce Long - 670 votes (13.07%)
• Benjamin Bellows - 527 votes (10.28%)
• About 60 others - 2255 votes (43.99%)

Nobody was elected, so a second ballot was held on February 2, 1789, the results being as follows:

• Benjamin West (federalist) - 2733 votes (99.53%)
• Samuel Livermore (federalist) - 2116 votes (77.06%)
• Nicholas Gilman (federalist) - 1619 votes (58.96%)
• Abiel Foster (federalist) - 1612 votes (58.7%)
• John Sullivan (federalist) - 154 votes (5.61%)
• Paine Wingate (federalist) - 4 votes (0.15%)

West, Livermore, and Gilman were duly elected. West declined the nomination, so on June 22, 1789, a special election (the first in the history of the House of Representatives) was held to replace him. The results were as follows:

• Abiel Foster (federalist) - 1804 votes (59.26%)
• Samuel Sherburne (antifederalist) - 538 votes (17.67%)
• James Sheafe (federalist) - 190 votes (6.24%)
• Elisha Payne - 139 votes (4.57%)
• Joshua Atherton - 112 votes (3.68%)
• Nathaniel Peabody (antifederalist) - 86 votes (2.83%)
• Simeon Olcott (federalist) - 76 votes (2.50%)
• Scattering - 99 votes (3.25%)

Foster was duly elected.

Only scattered town results exist, so no proper map can be made.