1825 Indiana gubernatorial election

none January 2025 January 2025 1825 Indiana gubernatorial election Indiana File:Flag of the United States (1822–1836).svg Presidential no 1822 Indiana gubernatorial election 1822 1828 Indiana gubernatorial election 1828 August 1, 1825 x150px James B. Ray 63a61f 13,852 53.24% x150px Isaac Blackford db3577 12,165 46.76% 1825 Indiana gubernatorial election.svg 175px County results Ray: #87be51 50–60% #63a61f 60–70% #478e00 70–80% #387100 80–90% #2a5400 >90%Blackford: #e66f9e 50–60% #db3577 60–70% #c6175d 70–80% #a60042 80–90% #7e0032 >90%#cccccc No data #808080 Non-voting area Governor James B. Ray James B. Ray The 1825 Indiana gubernatorial election took place on August 1, 1825, under the provisions of the Constitution of Indiana. It was the fourth gubernatorial election in the State of Indiana. James B. Ray, the incumbent governor following the resignation of William Hendricks, was reelected to a full term, defeating Isaac Blackford, the chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.Riker and Thornbrough, p. 138 The election took place concurrently with elections for lieutenant governor and members of the Indiana General Assembly.Riker and Thornbrough, p. 161 William Hendricks won the 1822 Indiana gubernatorial election without facing any significant opposition and remains the only governor of Indiana to be elected unanimously.Carmony, p. 80 Rather than seek reelection to a second three-year term, Hendricks ran for the United States Senate and was elected on the fourth ballot of the General Assembly by a narrow majority of two votes.Riker and Thornbrough, p. 127 He formally resigned the governorship on February 12, 1825, the last day of the state legislative session. As the elected lieutenant governor, Ratliff Boon, had resigned his office the previous year following his election to the United States House of Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Indiana Senate, James B. Ray, became acting governor.Carmony, p. 82 There was some controversy as to whether Ray could lawfully continue as governor for the remainder of Hendricks' term, with some arguing he must forfeit the office following the end of his senatorial term in August. Others questioned whether Ray, who was a few days shy of thirty when Hendricks resigned, was constitutionally eligible to serve as governor. Article IV§4 of the Indiana Constitution required the governor be "at least thirty years of age, and shall have been a citizen of the united States ten years, and have resided in the State five years next preceding his Election." A Richmond paper asserted Ray was only twenty-eight years old and described his ascension as "an usurpation, which should not be tolerated by the people of the state". The issue of Ray's age and the legality of his governorship persisted as the 1825 gubernatorial campaign commenced.Indiana Historical BureauCarmony, pp. 82-84 Despite the bitterly polarizing presidential election only the previous year, the campaign was conducted on a nonpartisan basis. Ray announced his candidacy in May and received the support of the Indianapolis Gazette and other newspapers, who praised his legislative experience, humility, and diligence. In addition to Ray, Chief Justice Blackford, Justices Jesse Lynch Holman and James Scott of the state supreme court, and State Representative David H. Maxwell were mentioned as potential candidates. By spring, Blackford has emerged as the main opposition to Ray. Both campaigns praised their candidate's experience and moral attributes, while disparaging their opponent as a craven office-seeker. While Blackford was rebuked for seeking the governorship while serving on the state supreme court, Ray came under criticism for campaigning for a seat in Congress while still a member of the State Senate in 1824. Both campaigns likewise sought to portray their candidate as a man of the people, in contrast to the opponent's perceived elitism. Blackford was endorsed by the Indiana Journal, whose editor nevertheless conceded Ray had competently carried out his duties as acting governor, while there were few important policy differences between the candidates.Carmony, pp. 83-84 Results Ray defeated Blackford decisively, polling strongest in the eastern counties.Carmony, p. 85 The county returns, provided below, are incomplete: in his inaugural message to the General Assembly, Ray noted that eleven communities had failed to make returns for the gubernatorial election.Riker and Thornbrough, p. 139 1825 Indiana gubernatorial electionCapitol & WashingtonRiker and Thornbrough, pp. 138-39 Nonpartisan candidate James B. Ray 13,852 53.24% Nonpartisan candidate Isaac Blackford 12,165 46.76% 26,017 100.00% Results by county James B. Ray Isaac Blackford County total County Votes Percent Votes Percent Allen 41 42.71% 55 57.29% 96 Bartholomew 238 47.32% 265 52.68% 503 Clark 541 46.04% 634 53.96% 1,175 Clay unknown unknown unknown Crawford 44 8.78% 457 91.22% 501 Daviess 297 49.25% 306 50.75% 603 Dearborn 886 57.20% 663 42.80% 1,549 Decatur 278 71.10% 113 28.90% 391 Dubois unknown unknown unknown Fayette 690 70.41% 290 29.59% 980 Floyd 305 51.26% 290 48.74% 595 Franklin 824 63.29% 478 36.11% 1,302 Gibson 55 15.62% 297 84.38% 352 Greene 80 24.92% 241 75.08% 321 Hamilton 79 68.70% 36 31.30% 115 Harrison 490 43.79% 629 56.21% 1,119 Hendricks unknown unknown unknown Henry 303 82.79% 63 17.21% 366 Jackson 135 31.32% 296 68.68% 431 Jefferson 299 22.33% 1,040 77.67% 1,339 Jennings 31 6.70% 432 93.30% 463 Johnson 103 61.68% 64 38.32% 167 Knox 230 34.12% 444 65.88% 674 Lawrence 374 49.21% 386 50.79% 760 Madison 91 68.94% 41 31.06% 132 Marion 288 58.30% 206 41.70% 494 Martin 167 71.98% 65 28.02% 232 Monroe 404 71.89% 158 28.11% 562 Montgomery 113 72.90% 42 27.10% 155 Morgan 110 44.53% 137 55.47% 247 Orange 205 25.22% 608 74.78% 813 Owen 91 27.33% 242 72.67% 333 Parke 268 75.92% 85 24.08% 353 Perry 106 38.27% 171 61.73% 277 Pike 43 21.82% 154 78.18% 197 Posey 40 5.85% 644 94.15% 684 Putnam unknown unknown unknown Randolph unknown unknown unknown Ripley 445 81.20% 103 18.80% 548 Rush 386 76.28% 120 23.72% 506 ScottScott County gave Ray a majority of 20 votes over Blackford. unknown unknown unknown Shelby 203 62.46% 122 37.54% 325 Spencer 337 82.20% 73 17.80% 410 SullivanSullivan County gave Ray a majority of 472 votes over Blackford. unknown unknown unknown Switzerland 687 83.78% 133 16.22% 820 Union 600 80.00% 150 20.00% 750 Vanderburgh 218 77.86% 62 22.14% 280 Vermillion unknown unknown unknown Vigo 271 53.03% 240 46.07% 511 Warrick 275 93.22% 20 6.78% 295 Washington 994 65.87% 515 34.13% 1,509 Wayne 1,187 66.24% 595 33.76% 1,782 Notes References Bibliography Carmony Donald Francis Indiana 1816-1850: the Pioneer Era 1998 Indiana Historical Society Indianapolis 0-87195-125-8 https://books.google.com/books?id=BkYhDQAAQBAJ Foughty Trevor 1825 Indiana General Election Results: Governor https://www.capitolandwashington.com/results/1825/1/1/ Capitol & Washington 23 May 2019 July 27, 2021 Indiana Governor James Brown Ray (1794 - 1848) https://www.in.gov/history/about-indiana-history-and-trivia/governors-portraits/list-of-governors/indiana-governor-james-brown-ray-1794-1848/ Indiana Historical Bureau 15 December 2020 July 27, 2021 Riker Dorothy Thornbrough Gayle Indiana Election Returns: 1816-1851 1960 Indiana Historical Bureau 1816 Gubernatorial Indiana Category:August 1825