Early America

Early America Election Letter

Voting by mail did not come into practice in the United States until the nineteenth century, however, mail has long played a significant role in enabling government officials to communicate about elections. This folded letter contained the 1792 election results from officials in York County reporting to the Massachusetts Commonwealth’s secretary. Sent from a private subscription post office, the stampless cover travelled to Boston from Parsonsfield, York County, Massachusetts [Maine] at the 2-cent rate. The clerk and selectman David Hobbs wrote the election results on April 2, 1792, and addressed the folded letter on the front to "John Avery Jr. Esq, Secretary for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at Boston." The contents noted on interior folds are summarized as, "Votes from Parsonsfield for Governor, Lieut Governor] & Senators, County of York," And “Parsonsfield return of Gov, L Gov, & Senators.” The tally for the town of Parsonsfield included forty votes for John Hancock for Governor; twenty-nine votes for Samuel Adams for Lieutenant Governor; Nathaniel Webb with thirty-seven votes and Samuel Nasson with twenty-six votes for first senator; and for the second senator, Tristam Jordan with eighteen votes and Simon Fry with thirty-one votes.