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. The Anti-Federalists actively contested the election, nominating and circulating a list of twelve electors in opposition to the Federalist candidates. The total number of votes is incomplete.

Results

Results by county +1788–89 United States presidential election in VirginiaCountyGeorge WashingtonFederalistsGeorge WashingtonAnti-FederalistsMarginTotalvotes#%#%#% Accomack21698.18%41.82%21296.36%220 Albemarle10960.56%7139.44%3821.12%180 Amelia-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Amherst00.00%270100.00%-270-100.00%270 Augusta353100.00%00.00%353100.00%353 Bedford-0.00%-100.00%--100.00%- Berkeley239100.00%00.00%239100.00%239 Botetourt4742.73%6357.27%-16-14.54%110 Bourbon-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Brunswick3520.00%14080.00%-105-60.00%175 Buckingham42.48%15797.52%-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%- Culpeper17787.19%2612.81%15174.38%203 Cumberland8334.16%16065.84%-77-31.68%243 Dinwiddie-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Elizabeth City-100.00%-0.00%-100.00%- Essex52.81%17397.19%-168-94.38%178 Fairfax218100.00%00.00%218100.00%218 Fauquier102100.00%00.00%102100.00%102 Fayette-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Fluvanna1518.52%6681.48%-51-62.96%81 Franklin-0.00%-100.00%--100.00%- Frederick120100.00%00.00%120100.00%120 Gloucester-100.00%-0.00%-100.00%- Goochland-100.00%-0.00%-100.00%- Greenbrier70100.00%00.00%70100.00%70 Greensville3741.11%5358.89%-16-17.78%90 Halifax-0.00%-100.00%--100.00%- Hampshire43100.00%00.00%43100.00%43 Hanover-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Hardy91100.00%00.00%91100.00%91 Harrison18100.00%00.00%18100.00%18 Henrico-100.00%-0.00%-100.00%- Henry-0.00%-100.00%--100.00%- Isle of Wight20974.38%7225.62%13748.76%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%- Monongalia77100.00%00.00%77100.00%77 Montgomery00.00%57100.00%-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%- Norfolk186100.00%00.00%186100.00%186 Northampton10.85%11799.15%-116-98.30%118 Northumberland-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Ohio68100.00%00.00%68100.00%68 Orange11396.58%43.42%10993.16%117 Pendleton101100.00%00.00%101100.00%101 Pittsylvania-0.00%-100.00%--100.00%- Powhatan9590.48%109.52%8580.96%105 Prince Edward-0.00%-100.00%--100.00%- Prince George85.23%14594.77%-137-89.54%153 Prince William-100.00%-0.00%-100.00%- Princess Anne280100.00%00.00%280100.00%280 Randolph67100.00%00.00%67100.00%67 Richmond-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Rockbridge175100.00%00.00%175100.00%175 Rockingham-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Russell47100.00%00.00%47100.00%47 Shenandoah166100.00%00.00%166100.00%166 Southampton36399.18%30.82%36098.36%366 Spotsylvania26896.40%103.60%25892.80%278 Stafford-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Surry13397.79%32.21%13095.58%136 Sussex6332.14%13367.86%-70-35.72%196 Warwick-100.00%-0.00%-100.00%- Washington123100.00%00.00%123100.00%123 Westmoreland115100.00%00.00%115100.00%115 York-100.00%-0.00%-100.00%-Total4,64072.76%1,73727.24%2,90345.52%6,377

Results by district +1788-89 United States presidential election in VirginiaDistrictGeorge WashingtonFederalistsGeorge WashingtonAnti-FederalistsMarginTotalvotes#%#%#% 1 125040.78% 036359.22% 1-113-18.44%613 21-100.00% 1-0.00% 0-100.00%- 311,08290.02% 11209.98% 096280.04%1,202 4 152.81% 017397.19% 1-168-94.38%178 51320100.00% 100.00% 0320100.00%320 61115100.00% 000.00% 0115100.00%115 71723100.00% 100.00% 0723100.00%723 8168384.95% 112115.05% 056269.90%804 9177668.55% 035631.45% 042037.10%1,132 10 1-0.00% 0-100.00% 1--100.00%- 11168653.18% 160446.82% 0826.36%1,290 121-100.00% 1-0.00% 0-100.00%-Total124,64072.76%71,73727.24%32,90345.52%6,377

Results by elector

Electors The following served as electors: - John Pride - previously voted against ratification of the Constitution. John Harvie Zachariah Johnston - Augusta County, Botetourt County, Bourbon County, Fayette County, Greenbrier County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County, Madison County, Mercer County, Montgomery County, Nelson County, Pendleton County, Rockbridge County, Rockingham County, Russell County, Shenandoah County, Washington CountyA New Nation Votes - Virginia 1789 Electoral College, District 3 John Roane - one of the three Clinton electors David Stuart William Fitzhugh Anthony Walke, Princess Anne Co. Patrick Henry - previously voted against ratification of the Constitution. Edward Stevens Warner Lewis – did not attend the electoral college meeting. James Wood

See also United States presidential elections in Virginia

Notes

References

Works cited