Neither the public nor the Legislature can decide on a governor.
What do we do now?

The Legislature met to determine a governor on this day in 1835.

The election for governor was undecided, as incumbant William Palmer fell just shy of a majority in the race against William Bradley and Charles Paine.

The election was sent to the Legislature, but they became deadlocked. 63 ballots and nearly a month later, they gave up, leaving Lieutenant Governor Silas Jenison to serve as governor.

The following year, in an effort to avoid another such election debacle in the future, Vermont abandoned the Governor's Council, and the Legislature was split into two branches, the House and the Senate, becoming bicameral.

State House image courtesy Vermont State Houses by Nancy Price Graff. Silas Jenison image courtesy Shoreham, The Town and its People published by the Town of Shoreham.

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