A gubernatorial election was held in Massachusetts on April 2, 1787. John Hancock, who had served as the first governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1780 to 1785, defeated James Bowdoin, the incumbent governor.
The election took place in the aftermath of Shays's Rebellion, for which Bowdoin was sharply censured. First elected in 1785, Bowdoin once in office pursued an economic policy of austerity that dramatically increased the tax burden on lower-class citizens, leading to judicial foreclosures against those owing back taxes, including many Continental Army veterans. After backcountry farmers rose in revolt, critics of the administration, including moderate fellow conservatives, charged that Bowdoin had acted unwisely by levying taxes "heavier than the People could bear." Bowdoin's harsh response to the rebels, several thousand of whom were summarily stripped of their right to vote, hold public office, or serve as jurors, was denounced as "self-serving" and "a violation of republican principles." In the election, the voters overwhelmingly rejected Bowdoin, who lost to Hancock by 13,081 votes.A New Nation Votes
Results
Results by county John HancockNonpartisan James BowdoinNonpartisan Scattering County total County Votes Percent Votes Percent Votes Percent Barnstable 398 81.89 78 16.05 10 2.06 486 Berkshire 627 59.04 337 31.73 98 9.23 1,062 Bristol 1,982 87.27 287 12.64 2 0.08 2,271 Cumberland 415 75.04 92 16.63 46 8.31 553 Dukes 153 71.16 60 27.91 2 0.93 215 Essex 2,010 68.76 850 29.08 63 2.16 2,923 Hampshire 1,036 48.23 809 37.66 303 14.11 2,148 Lincoln 415 83.17 78 15.63 6 1.20 499 Middlesex 3,142 82.60 621 16.32 41 1.08 3,804 Nantucket 56 50.45 53 47.75 2 1.80 111 Plymouth 1,545 83.20 308 16.58 4 0.22 1,857 Suffolk 2,629 68.18 1,190 30.86 37 9.60 3,856 Worcester 3,472 84.42 557 13.54 84 2.04 4,113 York 586 87.20 74 11.01 12 1.78 672 TOTAL 18,475 75.09 5,394 21.92 735 2.99 24,604
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