A table showing the results of general elections for the Governor of Delaware , beginning in 1792 when the Delaware Constitution of 1792  went into effect, providing for the popular election of Governors.
The Governor serves as head of the executive branch  of the state's government. Beginning in 1792, the Governor was popularly elected, at first for a three-year term, changing to a four-year term in 1831. Elections were held the first Tuesday in October until 1831, when they were changed to the first Tuesday after November 1.
Governors of Delaware [ edit ]  
Year
 
 
Elected
 
Party
 
Votes
 
%
 
 
Opponent
 
Party
 
Votes
 
%
 
 
Notes
  
1792 
 
 
Joshua Clayton *
 
Federalist 
 
2,209
 
48%
 
 
Thomas Montgomery
 
Republican 
 
1,902
 
42%
 
 
[ a]  
 
1795 
 
 
Gunning Bedford Sr. 
 
Federalist 
 
2,352
 
52%
 
 
Archibald Alexander 
 
Republican 
 
2,142
 
48%
 
 
  
1798 
 
 
Richard Bassett 
 
Federalist 
 
2,490
 
53%
 
 
David Hall 
 
Republican 
 
2,068
 
44%
 
 
[ b]  
 
1801 
 
 
David Hall 
 
Republican 
 
3,475
 
50%
 
 
Nathaniel Mitchell 
 
Federalist 
 
3,457
 
50%
 
 
  
1804 
 
 
Nathaniel Mitchell 
 
Federalist 
 
4,391
 
52%
 
 
Joseph Haslet 
 
Republican 
 
4,050
 
48%
 
 
  
1807 
 
 
George Truitt 
 
Federalist 
 
3,309
 
52%
 
 
Joseph Haslet 
 
Republican 
 
3,062
 
48%
 
 
  
1810 
 
 
Joseph Haslet 
 
Republican 
 
3,664
 
50%
 
 
Daniel Rodney 
 
Federalist 
 
3,593
 
50%
 
 
  
1813 
 
 
Daniel Rodney 
 
Federalist 
 
4,643
 
55%
 
 
James Riddle
 
Republican 
 
3,768
 
45%
 
 
  
1816 
 
 
John Clark 
 
Federalist 
 
4,008
 
53%
 
 
Manaen Bull
 
Republican 
 
3,517
 
47%
 
 
  
1819 
 
 
Henry Molleston 
 
Federalist 
 
3,823
 
55%
 
 
Manaen Bull
 
Republican 
 
3,185
 
45%
 
 
  
1820 
 
 
John Collins 
 
Republican 
 
3,970
 
53%
 
 
Jesse Green
 
Federalist 
 
3,520
 
47%
 
 
[ c]  
 
1822 
 
 
Joseph Haslet 
 
Republican 
 
3,784
 
50%
 
 
James Booth
 
Federalist 
 
3,762
 
50%
 
 
  
1823 
 
 
Samuel Paynter 
 
Federalist 
 
4,348
 
52%
 
 
David Hazzard 
 
Republican 
 
4,051
 
48%
 
 
[ d]  
 
1826 
 
 
Charles Polk Jr. 
 
Federalist 
 
4,333
 
51%
 
 
David Hazzard 
 
Republican 
 
4,238
 
49%
 
 
  
1829 
 
 
David Hazzard 
 
National Republican 
 
4,215
 
51%
 
 
Allen Thompson
 
Democratic 
 
4,046
 
49%
 
 
  
1832 
 
 
Caleb P. Bennett 
 
Democratic 
 
4,220
 
50%
 
 
Arnold Naudain 
 
Whig 
 
4,166
 
50%
 
 
  
1836 
 
 
Cornelius P. Comegys 
 
Whig 
 
4,693
 
52%
 
 
Nehemiah Clark
 
Democratic 
 
4,276
 
48%
 
 
  
1840 
 
 
William B. Cooper 
 
Whig 
 
5,850
 
54%
 
 
Warren Jefferson
 
Democratic 
 
5,024
 
46%
 
 
  
1844 
 
 
Thomas Stockton 
 
Whig 
 
6,140
 
50%
 
 
William Tharp 
 
Democratic 
 
6,095
 
50%
 
 
  
1846 
 
 
William Tharp 
 
Democratic 
 
6,148
 
51%
 
 
Peter F. Causey 
 
Whig 
 
6,012
 
49%
 
 
  
1850 
 
 
William H. H. Ross 
 
Democratic 
 
6,001
 
48%
 
 
Peter F. Causey 
 
Whig 
 
5,978
 
48%
 
 
[ e]  
 
1854 
 
 
Peter F. Causey 
 
American 
 
6,941
 
53%
 
 
William Burton 
 
Democratic 
 
6,244
 
47%
 
 
  
1858 
 
 
William Burton 
 
Democratic 
 
7,758
 
53%
 
 
James S. Buckmaster
 
People's 
 
7,554
 
47%
 
 
  
1862 
 
 
William Cannon 
 
Republican 
 
8,155
 
50%
 
 
Samuel Jefferson
 
Democratic 
 
8,044
 
50%
 
 
  
1866 
 
 
Gove Saulsbury *
 
Democratic 
 
9,810
 
53%
 
 
James Riddle
 
Republican 
 
8,598
 
47%
 
 
  
1870 
 
 
James Ponder 
 
Democratic 
 
11,464
 
56%
 
 
Thomas B. Coursey
 
Republican 
 
9,130
 
44%
 
 
  
1874 
 
 
John P. Cochran 
 
Democratic 
 
12,488
 
53%
 
 
Isaac Jump
 
Republican 
 
11,259
 
47%
 
 
  
1878 
 
 
John W. Hall 
 
Democratic 
 
10,730
 
79%
 
 
Kensey J. Stewart
 
Greenback 
 
2,835
 
21%
 
 
  
1882 
 
 
Charles C. Stockley 
 
Democratic 
 
16,558
 
53%
 
 
Albert Curry
 
Republican 
 
14,620
 
47%
 
 
  
1886 
 
 
Benjamin T. Biggs 
 
Democratic 
 
13,942
 
64%
 
 
John H. Hoffecker 
 
Temperance Reform
 
7,835
 
36%
 
 
  
1890 
 
 
Robert J. Reynolds 
 
Democratic 
 
17,801
 
50%
 
 
Harry A. Richardson 
 
Republican 
 
17,258
 
49%
 
 
  
1894 
 
 
Joshua H. Marvil 
 
Republican 
 
19,880
 
51%
 
 
Ebe W. Tunnell 
 
Democratic 
 
18,659
 
48%
 
 
  
1896 
 
 
Ebe W. Tunnell 
 
Democratic 
 
15,507
 
44%
 
 
John H. Hoffecker 
 
Republican 
 
11,014
 
31%
 
 
[ f]  
 
1900 
 
 
John Hunn 
 
Republican 
 
22,421
 
54%
 
 
Peter J. Ford
 
Democratic 
 
18,808
 
45%
 
 
  
1904 
 
 
Preston Lea 
 
Republican 
 
22,532
 
51%
 
 
Caleb S. Pennewill
 
Democratic 
 
19,780
 
45%
 
 
[ g]  
 
1908 
 
 
Simeon S. Pennewill 
 
Republican 
 
24,905
 
52%
 
 
Rowland G. Paynter
 
Democratic 
 
22,794
 
48%
 
 
  
1912 
 
 
Charles R. Miller 
 
Republican 
 
22,745
 
47%
 
 
Thomas M. Monaghan
 
Democratic 
 
21,460
 
44%
 
 
[ h]  
 
1916 
 
 
John G. Townsend Jr. 
 
Republican 
 
26,664
 
52%
 
 
James H. Hughes 
 
Democratic 
 
24,053
 
47%
 
 
  
1920 
 
 
William D. Denney 
 
Republican 
 
51,895
 
56%
 
 
Andrew J. Lynch
 
Democratic 
 
41,038
 
43%
 
 
  
1924 
 
 
Robert P. Robinson 
 
Republican 
 
53,046
 
59%
 
 
Joseph Bancroft
 
Democratic 
 
34,830
 
40%
 
 
  
1928 
 
 
C. Douglass Buck 
 
Republican 
 
63,716
 
61%
 
 
Charles M. Wharton
 
Democratic 
 
40,346
 
39%
 
 
  
1932 
 
 
C. Douglass Buck *
 
Republican 
 
60,903
 
54%
 
 
Landreth L. Layton
 
Democratic 
 
50,401
 
45%
 
 
  
1936 
 
 
Richard McMullen 
 
Democratic 
 
65,437
 
50%
 
 
Harry L. Cannon
 
Republican 
 
52,782
 
43%
 
 
[ i]  
 
1940 
 
 
Walter W. Bacon 
 
Republican 
 
70,909
 
52%
 
 
Josiah Marvel Jr. 
 
Democratic 
 
61,237
 
45%
 
 
[ j]  
 
1944 
 
 
Walter W. Bacon *
 
Republican 
 
63,829
 
51%
 
 
Isaac J. MacCollum 
 
Democratic 
 
62,156
 
49%
 
 
  
1948 
 
 
Elbert N. Carvel 
 
Democratic 
 
75,339
 
54%
 
 
Hyland P. George
 
Republican 
 
64,996
 
46%
 
 
  
1952 
 
 
J. Caleb Boggs 
 
Republican 
 
88,977
 
52%
 
 
Elbert N. Carvel *
 
Democratic 
 
81,772
 
48%
 
 
  
1956 
 
 
J. Caleb Boggs *
 
Republican 
 
91,965
 
52%
 
 
J. H.Tyler McConnell
 
Democratic 
 
85,047
 
48%
 
 
  
1960 
 
 
Elbert N. Carvel 
 
Democratic 
 
100,792
 
52%
 
 
John W. Rollins
 
Republican 
 
94,043
 
48%
 
 
  
1964 
 
 
Charles L. Terry Jr. 
 
Democratic 
 
102,797
 
51%
 
 
David P. Buckson 
 
Republican 
 
97,374
 
49%
 
 
  
1968 
 
 
Russell W. Peterson 
 
Republican 
 
104,474
 
51%
 
 
Charles L. Terry Jr. *
 
Democratic 
 
102,360
 
49%
 
 
  
1972 
 
 
Sherman W. Tribbitt 
 
Democratic 
 
117,274
 
51%
 
 
Russell W. Peterson *
 
Republican 
 
109,583
 
48%
 
 
[ k]  
 
1976 
 
 
Pete du Pont 
 
Republican 
 
130,531
 
57%
 
 
Sherman W. Tribbitt *
 
Democratic 
 
97,480
 
42%
 
 
  
1980 
 
 
Pete du Pont *
 
Republican 
 
159,004
 
71%
 
 
William J. Gordy
 
Democratic 
 
64,217
 
29%
 
 
[ l]  
 
1984 
 
 
Mike Castle 
 
Republican 
 
135,250
 
56%
 
 
William T. Quillen 
 
Democratic 
 
108,315
 
44%
 
 
  
1988 
 
 
Mike Castle *
 
Republican 
 
169,733
 
71%
 
 
Jacob Kreshtool
 
Democratic 
 
70,236
 
29%
 
 
  
1992 
 
 
Tom Carper 
 
Democratic 
 
179,268
 
65%
 
 
B. Gary Scott
 
Republican 
 
90,747
 
33%
 
 
[ m]  
 
1996 
 
 
Tom Carper *
 
Democratic 
 
188,300
 
70%
 
 
Janet Rzewnicki 
 
Republican 
 
82,654
 
30%
 
 
  
2000 
 
 
Ruth Ann Minner 
 
Democratic 
 
191,695
 
59%
 
 
John M. Burris 
 
Republican 
 
128,603
 
40%
 
 
[ n]  
 
2004 
 
 
Ruth Ann Minner *
 
Democratic 
 
185,687
 
51%
 
 
Bill Lee 
 
Republican 
 
167,115
 
46%
 
 
[ o]  
 
2008 
 
 
Jack Markell 
 
Democratic 
 
266,861
 
68%
 
 
Bill Lee 
 
Republican 
 
126,662
 
32%
 
 
[ p]  
 
2012 
 
 
Jack Markell *
 
Democratic 
 
275,991
 
69%
 
 
Jeff Cragg
 
Republican 
 
113,792
 
29%
 
 
[ q]  
 
2016 
 
 
John Carney 
 
Democratic 
 
248,404
 
58%
 
 
Colin Bonini 
 
Republican 
 
166,852
 
39%
 
 
[ r]  
 
2020 
 
 
John Carney *
 
Democratic 
 
292,903
 
59%
 
 
Julianne Murray
 
Republican 
 
190,312
 
39%
 
 
[ s]  
 
2024 
 
 
Matt Meyer 
 
Democratic 
 
279,585
 
56%
 
 
Mike Ramone 
 
Republican 
 
219,050
 
44%
  
^   An additional candidate was George Mitchell (458). 
 
^   An additional candidate was Barclay Townsend (185). 
 
^   This was a special election held on October 3, 1820, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry Molleston . 
 
^   This was a special election held on October 7, 1823, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Joseph Haslet . 
 
^   An additional candidate was Thomas Lockwood (456). 
 
^   An additional candidate was John C. Higgins (7,154). 
 
^   Regular Republican  candidate Joseph H. Chandler received 802 votes (2%). . 
 
^   Additional candidates included George B. Hynson (3,019). 
 
^   Additional candidates included Isaac D. Short (8,400). 
 
^   Liberal Democratic  candidate Ivan Culbertson received 2,975 votes (2%). 
 
^   Additional candidates were Virginia M. Lyndall (1,468) and Harry H. Conner (397). 
 
^   An additional candidate was Lawrence Levy. 
 
^   Additional candidates were Floyd E. McDowell Sr. and Richard A. Cohen. 
 
^   An additional candidate was Floyd E. McDowell Sr. (3,271). 
 
^   An additional candidate was Frank Infante (12,206). 
 
^   An additional candidate was Jeffrey Brown (1,681). 
 
^   Additional candidates were Mark Perri (Green Party, 4,575) and Jesse McVay (Libertarian, 3,668). 
 
^   Additional candidates were  Andrew R. Groff (Green, 5,951) and Sean L. Groward (Libertarian, 4,577). 
 
^   Additional candidates were Kathy DeMatteis (Delaware Independent, 6,150) and John Machurek (Libertarian, 3,270). 
 
  
Dublin, Michael J. United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776–1860 .  
Glashan. American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775–1978 .  
Barone, Michael; Richard E. Cohen (2005). The Almanac of American Politics  . National Journal Group. ISBN  0-89234-112-2  .  
Martin, Roger A. (1984). A History of Delaware Through its Governors . Wilmington, Delaware : McClafferty Press.