1843–44 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

The 1843–44 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 13, 1843. The result of the election was inconclusive, as no candidate won a majority of the popular vote. The Massachusetts General Court held a contingent election on January 8, 1844, in which the Whig Party nominee George N. Briggs defeated the incumbent Democratic governor Marcus Morton.

General election

Candidates

Marcus Morton, incumbent governor
George N. Briggs, former U.S. representative from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district
Samuel E. Sewall, attorney and editor of ''American Jurist''

Contingent election

As no candidate received a majority of the vote, the General Court held a contingent election on January 8, 1844. The Massachusetts House of Representatives nominated Briggs and Morton from among the four most-voted candidates. The Massachusetts Senate then voted to elect Briggs by a majority of 24 votes.