1838 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

← 1835 October 9, 1838 (1838-10-09) 1841 →

Nominee David R. Porter Joseph Ritner Party Democratic Anti-Masonic Popular vote 127,821 122,325 Percentage 51.1% 48.9%

County Results Porter:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Ritner:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election Joseph Ritner Anti-Masonic Elected Governor David R. Porter Democratic

The1838 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was a statewide contest for theoffice of Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States.^[1]

Incumbent GovernorJoseph Ritner, who was the last governor to serve under Pennsylvania's Constitution of 1790, ran as anAnti-Masonic candidate.^[2] He was defeated byJacksonian DemocratDavid R. Porter by less than 5,500 votes, following a divisive campaign marred by rising public prejudice against Freemasonry and a disinformation campaign that distributed biographical booklets with inaccurate information about Porter.^[3][4]

Unhappy with the election's outcome, a group of Ritner supporters subsequently challenged the election results, sparking statewide violence that culminated in theBuckshot War.^[5][6]

The last governor to serve under Pennsylvania's Constitution of 1790, incumbent GovernorJoseph Ritner, ran for re-election as anAnti-Masonic candidate againstJacksonian DemocratDavid R. Porter,^[7][8] who as a member of the Huntingdon Lodge of theFreemasons, had risen to the levels ofGrand Master of his lodge and Deputy Grand Master of the Masonic district in which his lodge was located.^[9][10]

The campaign was an unusually divisive one, fueled by disinformation about Porter that was spread by Ritner supporters,^[11] public prejudice against Freemasonry that had been increasing since the 1833 passage of a new state law which made it illegal for fraternal organizations to require their members to keep their rituals secret from the public,^[12][13][14] the rise of anti-abolitionist groups across Pennsylvania whose members were opposed to ending the practice of chattel slavery in America,^[15] and accusations of voter fraud.^[16] When Ritner was defeated by Porter by less than 5,500 results, supporters of Ritner challenged the election results, sparking statewide violence that culminated in theBuckshot War,^[17] which was finally ended by legislative action, enabling Porter to take office as the first governor under the State Constitution of 1838.^[18][19]

• Buckshot War

• "Letter from James Buchanan to Reuel William" (U.S. Senator and future U.S. PresidentJames Buchanan discusses the 1838 gubernatorial election in Pennsylvania). Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College, Archives & Special Collections.

• Pennsylvania gubernatorial elections
• 1838 United States gubernatorial elections
• 1838 Pennsylvania elections
• November 1838

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