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In the1800 United States presidential election, electors could be selected in each state at any time after October 31 and all electors were required to vote on December 3, 1800. In the1800 United States presidential election in New York The state legislature chose 12 representatives, or electors to theElectoral College on November 6, 1800.[1] Based on the constitutional provision in effect at that time electors cast two votes. The candidate receiving most votes would bePresident. The runner up would be electedVice President.
Like many states at the time, New York chose its presidential electors by a vote of the New York legislature. Therefore, the April 1800 elections were the decisive contest in the presidential campaign, and with New York shaping up as a criticalswing state, its legislative elections were sharply contested.[2]
Though the upstate New York, through political loyalty to former GovernorGeorge Clinton, was reliably Republican, the Federalist Party remained strong inNew York City and the lowerHudson Valley, where the majority of legislative seats were.[2]
The Federalist campaign was led by formerSecretary of the TreasuryAlexander Hamilton. The Republican campaign in New York City was led byAaron Burr and his supporters, primarily made up of members of the cityTammany Society, who would eventually become the city's Tammany Hall political machine.[2] Matthew L. Davis,William P. Van Ness, and John Swartwourt were Burr's key advisors; they established a steering committee to direct the campaign and canvassing committees to raise funds from wealthy donors.[3]
To effectively challenge the Federalists in their stronghold of Manhattan, Burr assembled a ticket of Republican luminaries who could win Federalist votes.[4] Operating covertly to avoid Hamilton's response, Burr recruited governor Clinton, Revolutionary heroHoratio Gates,Brockholst Livingston, and president of theNew York Insurance CompanyJohn Broome. Initially, Clinton, Gates and Livingston attempted to decline, but Burr prevailed on them to join the ticket.[4]
The campaign was furious, before and during the three-day balloting period.[4] Burr ran the campaign out of his country estate on Manhattan, serving refreshments and keeping mattresses for campaign staff.[5] Meetings were also held at Martling's Long Room, which would become the headquarters of Tammany Hall.[5] To generate support, Davis planted stories in prominent newspapers claiming that Republican supporters were meeting nightly in all corners of the city, at which attendance and enthusiasm were high. Later, it would be revealed that most meetings consisted of Davis and two friends.[5] Burr himself criss-crossed polling places to harangue voters; on more than one occasion, he met Hamilton, whom he engaged in impromptu debate.[5]
On May 1, balloting closed; Burr and the Republicans had swept New York.[5]
The state was ultimately decisive in the Republican victory in the election
During this election,New York cast 12 electoral votes forDemocratic-Republican Party candidatesThomas Jefferson andAaron Burr.[6]
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