All the electors were Federalists. They met on the first Wednesday in February at the Boston state house, and cast ten votes each for Washington and Adams. The electors had their ballots prepared before meeting; they quickly organized, voted, and adjourned. The Worcester Spy reports: "There was not a word spoken, except in the choice of chairman."[1]
The Maryland legislature passed a law, December 22, ordering the election of electors and representatives by a popular vote.[2] The electors were to be chosen on a general ticket. Five were allotted to the Western Shore and three to the Eastern. For choosing representatives the State was divided into six districts. A representative must reside in his district; but each voter could vote for six candidates, or in other words for the general ticket. The election was free, and the voting via voce, a common method at this time. It took place early in January, 1789, and lasted about five days, the number of days being fixed by law.
Probably the elections caused more excitement in Maryland than elsewhere.[3] The campaign was marked by public meetings, published addresses, reciprocal accusations of fraud between the parties, and a general canvass of country as well as town. Both Federalists and Anti-Federalists had a ticket. Some insight into the manner of conducting the campaign and the voting may be gained from the following contemporary account. The Baltimore Journal of January 13, 1789, says that the election of representatives
