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County results Briggs: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% McKnight: 50-60% 60-70% No Data/Votes: | |||||||||||||||||
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The1846 Iowa gubernatorial election was held on 26 October 1846 in order to elect the firstGovernor of Iowa uponIowa acquiring statehood on 28 December 1846.Democratic nomineeAnsel Briggs defeatedWhig nomineeThomas McKnight.[1]
On election day, 26 October 1846,Democratic nomineeAnsel Briggs won the election by a margin of 247 votes against his opponentWhig nomineeThomas McKnight, thereby gaining Democratic control over the new office of Governor. Briggs was sworn in as the 1st Governor of the new state ofIowa on 28 December 1846.[2]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ansel Briggs | 7,626 | 50.82 | |
| Whig | Thomas McKnight | 7,379 | 49.18 | |
| Total votes | 15,005 | 100.00 | ||
| Democraticgain fromWhig | ||||