1797 Virginia gubernatorial election
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| Elections in Virginia |
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A gubernatorial election was held in Virginia on December 7, 1797.[3] The incumbent governor of Virginia James Wood defeated the U.S. representative from Virginia's 12th congressional district John Page.[1]
Wood had earned the displeasure of his fellow Democratic-Republicans for his inaction in the face of the Alien and Sedition Acts. Some Democratic-Republicans preferred to support the former U.S. minister to France James Monroe, an outspoken critic of the legislation. Monroe, however, declined to challenge Wood, in deference to the custom that incumbent governors eligible for re-election be allowed to run unopposed.[4]
The election was conducted by the Virginia General Assembly in joint session.[2] Wood was elected with a majority on the first ballot.[1]
General election
[edit]| Candidate | First ballot | |
|---|---|---|
| Count | Percent | |
| James Wood | 116 | 75.32 |
| John Page | 38 | 24.68 |
Total
|
154
|
100.00
|
Notes
[edit]- ^ Lampi does not include parties for this election,[1] but lists Wood as a Federalist in 1794. Sobel and Raimo list Wood as a Democratic-Republican during his tenure.[2]
- ^ a b c d Lampi 2012.
- ^ a b Sobel & Raimo 1978, p. 1625.
- ^ Headlee 1976, p. 2.
- ^ Ammon 1971, p. 172.
Bibliography
[edit]- Ammon, Harry (1971). James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company.
- Headlee, Thomas J. Jr. (1976). Journal of the Senate of Virginia: Session of 1797/98. Richmond: Virginia State Library.
- Lampi, Philip J. (2012). "Virginia 1797 Governor". A New Nation Votes. American Antiquarian Society. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
- Sobel, Robert; Raimo, John (1978). Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States 1789–1978. Vol. 4. Westport, CT: Meckler Books.