Leadership Elections
The first election of a President and Vice-President of Pennsylvania took place 5 March 1777, the day after the Council first convened. Thereafter, leadership elections took place in the fall, generally in November, following the popular election (held the second Tuesday in October) in which Counsellors and Assemblymen were elected by eligible citizens. Routine elections involved a joint ballot of the Council and the General Assembly. Several other elections were held to fill vacancies resulting from resignation; these involved only a vote by the Council rather than a joint ballot with the Assembly. More often than not, records do not list contenders (other than the winners) or vote tallies, saying simply that a particular gentleman was duly elected President and another Vice-President. Presidents and Vice-Presidents were elected to one-year terms. They could be reelected, but their term as President or Vice-President could not (in theory) extend beyond the end of their three-year term as Counsellor.
| date | President | Vice-President | purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 March 1777 | Thomas Wharton | George Bryan | initial election |
| 21 November 1777 | Thomas Wharton | George Bryan | annual election (note: only election held in Lancaster) |
| 1 December 1778 | Joseph Reed (61) George Bryan (1) James Read (1) |
George Bryan (62) Joseph Hart (1) |
annual election |
| 11 October 1779 | ------------------ | Matthew Smith | to fill vacancy following Bryan's resignation |
| 11 November 1779 | Joseph Reed William Moore |
William Moore James Read |
annual election |
| 14 November 1780 | Joseph Reed (59) William Moore (1) |
William Moore (53) James Potter (6) General Lacey (1) |
annual election |
| 14 November 1781 | William Moore(64) James Ewing (1) James Potter (1) John Lacey (1) |
James Potter(38) James Ewing (28) |
annual election |
| 7 November 1782 | John Dickinson (41) James Potter (32) |
James Ewing (39) James Potter (34) |
annual election |
| 6 November 1783 | John Dickinson (unanimous) |
James Ewing (unanimous) |
annual election |
| 6 November 1784 | John Dickinson John Neville |
James Irvine John Neville |
annual election |
| 10 October 1785 | ------------------ | Charles Biddle | to fill vacancy following Irvine’s resignation |
| 18 October 1785 | Benjamin Franklin (unanimous) |
------------------ | it is not clear why a replacement for Dickinson was needed. Dickinson's name does not appear in Council minutes after the 10 October 1785 meeting that elected Biddle to the Vice-Presidency. |
| 29 October 1785 | Benjamin Franklin | Charles Biddle | annual election |
| 4 November 1786 | Benjamin Franklin | Charles Biddle | |
| 31 October 1787 | Benjamin Franklin | Peter Muhlenberg | annual election |
| 14 October 1788 | ------------------ | David Redick | to fill vacancy following Muhlenberg’s resignation |
| 5 November 1788 | Thomas Mifflin | George Ross | annual election |
| 11 November 1789 | Thomas Mifflin (unanimous) |
George Ross (unanimous) |
annual election |
Read more about this topic: Supreme Executive Council Of The Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania
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