A presidential election was held in Massachusetts on November 7, 1796, as part of the 1796 United States presidential election. The Federalist vice president John Adams defeated the Democratic-Republican former secretary of state Thomas Jefferson.

Federalist electors carried seven electoral districts with a majority of the popular vote. The Massachusetts General Court subsequently chose Federalists to represent the seven remaining districts, and appointed two additional electors to represent the state at-large. The electors voted for Adams as a bloc but split their second votes among three other candidates. Divisions among Northern Federalists allowed Jefferson to succeed Adams as vice president under the rule which awarded the office to the runner-up in the presidential election.

Candidates 1st Eastern District Appointed Thomas Rice, former Massachusetts senator (Federalist)

Eliminated in legislature Amos Stoddard, attorney

2nd Eastern District Elected Stephen Longfellow (Federalist)

3rd Eastern District Elected Nathaniel Wells (Federalist)

Eliminated in election Ichabod Goodwin

Eliminated in election Lemuel Weeks

1st Middle District Elected Thomas Dawes, president of the Massachusetts Senate (Federalist)

Eliminated in election Samuel Adams, governor of Massachusetts (Democratic-Republican)

2nd Middle District Appointed Elbridge Gerry, former U.S. representative from Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district (Federalist)

Results

Results by county

+1796 United States presidential election in MassachusettsCountyJohn AdamsFederalistThomas JeffersonDemocratic-RepublicanMarginTotal#%#%#% Barnstable645100.00%00.00%645100.00%645 Berkshire55888.29%7411.71%48476.58%632 Bristol245100.00%00.00%245100.00%245 Cumberland316100.00%00.00%316100.00%316 Dukes9594.06%65.94%8988.12%101 Essex82093.39%586.61%76286.78%878 Hampshire2,21296.93%703.07%2,14293.86%2,282 Hancock108100.00%00.00%108100.00%108 Lincoln774100.00%00.00%774100.00%774 Middlesex1,42169.90%61230.10%80939.80%2,033 Nantucket88100.00%00.00%88100.00%88 Norfolk49562.50%29737.50%19825.00%792 Plymouth57095.00%305.00%54090.00%600 Suffolk1,48760.30%97939.70%50820.60%2,466 Washington-0.00%-0.00%-0.00%- Worcester1,87287.52%26712.48%1,60575.04%2,139 York47091.80%428.20%42883.60%512Total12,17683.33%2,43516.67%9,74166.66%14,611

Swing by county

+ Swing compared to the 1792 electionCountyPartyStatus Federalist Democratic-Republican Barnstable 0.00 pp 0.00 ppHoldBerkshire ▲ 9.97 pp ▼ 9.97 ppGainBristol ▲ 28.57 pp ▼ 28.57 ppGainCumberland ▲ 0.34 pp ▼ 0.34 ppGainDukes ▼ 5.94 pp ▲ 5.94 ppLossEssex ▲ 4.86 pp ▼ 4.86 ppGainHampshire ▲ 17.27 pp ▼ 17.27 ppGainHancock 0.00 pp 0.00 ppHoldLincoln 0.00 pp 0.00 ppHoldMiddlesex ▲ 7.60 pp ▼ 7.60 ppGainNantucket 0.00 pp 0.00 ppHoldNorfolk No data No data NewPlymouth ▼ 4.55 pp ▲ 4.55 ppLossSuffolk ▼ 10.04 pp ▲ 10.04 ppLossWashington No data No data N/AWorcester ▲ 11.62 pp ▼ 11.62 ppGainYork ▲ 1.71 pp ▼ 1.71 ppGainTotal ▲ 5.14 pp ▼ 5.14 ppGain

Results by district

+1796 United States presidential election in MassachusettsDistrictJohn AdamsFederalistThomas JeffersonDemocratic-RepublicanMarginTotal#%#%#% At-large electors 2-- 2-- 0--- First Western 166783.69% 113016.31% 053767.38%797 Second Western 11,42799.93% 110.07% 01,42699.86%1,428 Third Western 11,19498.92% 1131.08% 01,18197.84%1,207 Fourth Western 11,09283.81% 121116.19% 088167.62%1,303 First Southern 197199.39% 160.61% 096598.78%977 Second Southern 165692.26% 1557.74% 060184.52%711 Third Southern 1390100.00% 100.00% 0390100.00%390 First Middle 11,71855.38% 11,38444.62% 033410.76%3,102 Second Middle 11,17368.68% 153531.32% 063837.36%1,708 Third Middle 1586100.00% 100.00% 0586100.00%586 Fourth Middle 163491.62% 1588.38% 057683.24%692 First Eastern 1644100.00% 100.00% 0644100.00%644 Second Eastern 1523100.00% 100.00% 0523100.00%523 Third Eastern 150192.27% 1427.73% 045984.54%543Total1612,17683.33%162,43516.67%09,74166.66%14,611

Results by elector

See also United States presidential elections in Massachusetts

Notes

References

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