broadside of a resolution passed by the Massachusetts State Senate on November 19, 1788 stating that the Commonwealth would be divided into eight districts “for the purpose of choosing eight persons to represent the people thereof in the Congress of the United States.” The resolution further stated that selectmen should call town meetings on December 18 so that those qualified to vote should gather to cast their ballot for their respective representative. The broadside in our collection was sent to the selectmen in the town of Manchester.
The Massachusetts state legislature was formed and a state Constitution ratified in 1780, but it would be nearly a decade later that the early republic would ratify the United States Constitution, form the federal government, and elect officials. The eight individuals elected from the districts announced in this resolution would serve in the very first session of the United States House of Representatives.
The eight districts in the resolution are as follows:
- The County of Suffolk, be one district
- The County of Essex, one district
- The Count of Middlesex, one district
- The Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, one district
- The Counties of Plymouth and Barnstable, one district
- The Counties of York, Cumberland and Lincoln, one district
- The Counties of Bristol, Duke’s County and Nantucket, one district
- The County of Worcester, one district
This looks different from today’s Congressional districts - there are currently nine districts, and they aren’t cleanly divided by county (for example, cities/towns from Worcester County can be found in five different Congressional districts). Also of note is the district that included the counties of York, Cumberland, and Lincoln - you may not recognize those as Massachusetts counties because they are in Maine! It wasn’t until 1820 that Maine was granted its statehood and separated from Massachusetts.
The voting process was also different in 1788 than it is today. This resolution instructs town selectmen to call for those eligible to vote to gather on December 18 to vote for a representative from their town. Specific candidates were not listed on a ballot – basically everyone was a write-in candidate. The town selectmen shall then “sort and count the votes, and form a list of the persons voted for, with the number of votes for each person.” Those results were announced at the town meeting and then the tabulation of votes for that town were sealed and sent to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, with a submission deadline of the first Monday of January 1789. The Secretary would then present all the town votes to the governor, who at the time was John Hancock, and the Governor’s Council. Several towns made up each district, so whichever candidate received the most votes within each district would receive a certificate from the governor announcing their election. If there was not a majority within a district, then the governor would issue a certificate with the names of the two individuals who received the highest number of votes to all of the towns within the district. The selectmen in those towns would then call a second town meeting for those eligible to vote to decide between those two candidates. As it turned out, of the eight districts, four of them did not have a majority in the first vote and went on to hold a second. More information about this election can be found in A Documentary History of the First Federal Elections, 1788-1790.
This resolution was issued during a formative time in American history, as members of Congress were elected for the first time, and just before George Washington was elected as the first president. But it’s important to note that in many states it was only white landowning men who were eligible to vote. When you head to the polls this week, think about the changes and expansions that have occurred in the 234 years that have ensued since this resolution was issued, and if you’re in the area stop by through November 30 to see it on display in our main library reading room.
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian
