The 1790 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on 9 March 1790 in order to elect the President of New Hampshire. (The office would be renamed to Governor in 1792.) Third time Anti-Federalist candidate Josiah Bartlett defeated former Acting President John Pickering, Joshua Wentworth and former delegate to the Continental CongressNathaniel Peabody. Since no candidate received a majority in the popular vote, Bartlett was elected by the New Hampshire General Court per the state constitution, despite placing third in the popular vote.[1]
On election day, 9 March 1790, former Acting President John Pickering won the popular vote by a margin of 820 votes against his foremost opponent Joshua Wentworth. But because no candidate received a majority of the popular vote, a separate election was held by the New Hampshire General Court, which chose Anti-Federalist candidate Josiah Bartlett as the winner, despite Bartlett having only received 21.59% of the vote and having placed third. Bartlett thereby gained Anti-Federalist control over the office of President. Bartlett was sworn in as the fourth President of New Hampshire on 5 June 1790.[2]
