Electoral Vote from Massachusetts for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson
12/7/1864
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This is an electoral vote from the state of Massachusetts for the 1864 presidential election. It includes a Certificate of Ascertainment and Certificates of Vote from the state.
A Certificate of Ascertainment (page 3) confirms which electors were appointed in the state based on the election results. (When a person votes for a presidential and vice presidential candidate, they're actually voting for the slate of electors representing their choice for president and vice president.) The governor prepares Certificates of Ascertainment as soon as the election results in the state are certified.
When the electors meet, they vote for President and Vice President on separate ballots. The electors record their votes on Certificates of Vote (pages 4-5).
The Certificate of Ascertainment and Certificates of Vote are paired together and the electors sign, seal, and certify the electoral votes. They are sent to the President of the United States Senate (and in modern times to the Archivist of the United States at the National Archives).
The 1864 election occurred during the middle of the Civil War. Incumbent President Abraham Lincoln was elected to a second term and Andrew Johnson was elected as vice president.
A Certificate of Ascertainment (page 3) confirms which electors were appointed in the state based on the election results. (When a person votes for a presidential and vice presidential candidate, they're actually voting for the slate of electors representing their choice for president and vice president.) The governor prepares Certificates of Ascertainment as soon as the election results in the state are certified.
When the electors meet, they vote for President and Vice President on separate ballots. The electors record their votes on Certificates of Vote (pages 4-5).
The Certificate of Ascertainment and Certificates of Vote are paired together and the electors sign, seal, and certify the electoral votes. They are sent to the President of the United States Senate (and in modern times to the Archivist of the United States at the National Archives).
The 1864 election occurred during the middle of the Civil War. Incumbent President Abraham Lincoln was elected to a second term and Andrew Johnson was elected as vice president.
Transcript
To the President of the Senate of the United States, at the City of Washington,in the District of Columbia.
Herein is contained a true list of all the votes of the States of Massachusetts given for President of the United States; and a true list of all the votes given by the, said State of Massachusetts, for Vice President of the United States. Sealed at the State House in Boston, on the first Wednesday of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
[signatures]
Edward Everett John G. Whittier
Whiting Griswald George L. Davis
Richard Borden Stephen M. Weld
Artemas Hale Levi Lincoln
George Putnam W. S. Clark
John M. [L.] Williams John Wells [signatures]
[red letter seal]
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
[underline]
[green seal and red ribbon]
Pursuant to laws of the United States passed on the first day of March, One thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, and on the twenty third day of January, One thousand eight hundred and forty-five, I John A. Andrew [underlined in red], Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby certify that -
Edward Everett George L. Davis
Whiting Griswald John. G Whittier
Richard Borden Stephen M. Weld
Artemas Hale Levi Lincoln
George Putnam William S. Clark
J.M.[L.] Williams John Wells
have been chosen Electors of President and Vice President of the United States, on the part of this Commonwealth, agreeably to the provisions of the laws of the said Commonwealth, and in conformity to the Constitution of the United States of America, for the purpose of giving in their votes for President and Vice President of the United States, for the term prescribed by the Constitution of said States, to commence on the fourth day of March, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Given under my hand and the Seal of the Commonwealth, at Boston, this seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and in the eighty-ninth year of Independence of the United States of America.
By His Excellency the Governor
[signature] Oliver Warner.
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
[underline]
We whose names are mentioned in the annexed Certificate of Appointment, having pursuant to the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America, and in the manner directed by the General Statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, been appointed ELECTORS of President and Vice President of the United States of America; and having assembled in the State House in Boston in the State aforesaid, being the place designated by the said General Statutes for that purpose, on the first Wednesday of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, being the seventh day of said month, and in the eighty-ninth year of the Independence of the United States of America, have voted by ballot for President and Vice President, having named in our ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice President, and in the same ballots there were twelve votes for PRESIDENT of the United States of America, all of which twelve votes were cast for [underlined] Abraham Lincoln of Illinois. [underlined]
In Testimony Whereof, We have hereunto set our hands on the first Wednesday of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty four.
[signatures]
Edward Everett John G. Whittier
Whiting Griswald George L. Davis
Richard Borden Stephen M. Weld
Artemas Hale Levi Lincoln
George Putnam W.S. Clark
John M. [L.] Williams John Wells
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
[underline]
We whose names are mentioned in the annexed Certificate of appointment, having pursuant to the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America, and in the manner directed by the General Statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, been appointed [underlined] Electors [underlined] of President and Vice President of the United States of America; and having assembled in the State House, in Boston, in the State aforesaid, being the place designated by the said General Statutes for that purpose, on the first Wednesday of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, being the seventh day of said month, and in the eighty-ninth year of the Independence of the United States of America, have voted by ballot for President and Vice President, having named in our ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice President, and in the same ballots these were twelve votes for VICE PRESIDENT of the United States of America, all of which twelve votes were cast for [underlined] Andrew Johnson of Tennessee. [underlined]
In Testimony Whereof, We have hereunto set our hands on the first Wednesday of December, in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
[signatures]
Edward Everett John G. Whittier
Whiting Griswald George L. Davis
Richard Borden Stephen M. Weld
Artemas Hale Levi Lincoln
George Putnam W.S. Clark
John M. [L.] Williams John Wells
[underlined] We the Undersigned, [underlined] having been duly appointed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , [underlined] Electors [underlined] to vote for President and Vice President of the United States of America, do hereby certify that we have appointed Solomon B. Stebbins, of Boston, to take charge of and deliver to the President of the Senate of the United States, at their Seat of Government, Our doings in the said Trust, before the first Wednesday of January next.
[underlined] Witness our hands, [underlined] the first Wednesday of December, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
[signatures]
Edward Everett
Whiting Griswald
Richard Borden
Artemas Hale
George Putnam
John M. [L.] Williams
John G. Whittier
George L. Davis
Stephen M. Weld
Levi Lincoln
W.S. Clark
John Wells
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 134379652
Full Citation: Certificates of Ascertainment and Vote of Massachusetts Electors for Abraham Lincoln for President, and Andrew Johnson for Vice President, in the 1864 Presidential Election; 12/7/1864; 1864 [Lincoln and Johnson]; Certificates of Electors of the Electoral College for Massachusetts, 1840 - 1964; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at Boston, Waltham, MA. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/massachusetts-electors-lincoln, May 8, 2024]Activities that use this document
- The Electoral College Process
Created by the National Archives Education Team
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