1789 New York gubernatorial election

From the establishment of an independent government of New York in 1777, George Clinton had continuously served in the office of Governor; he had no opponent in 1780 or 1786. During that previous decade, New York politics had coalesced around two loose factions: a federalist faction led by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Robert R. Livingston, Philip Schuyler, and the Van Rensselaer family, which favored adoption of the proposed United States Constitution and an anti-federalist faction led by Governor Clinton, Robert Yates, John Lansing, and Melancton Smith, which opposed ratification without serious revision.^[1][2]

At the New York constitutional convention of 1788, Clinton presided over a sharp division between the federalists and anti-federalists. The final vote favored ratification of the Constitution as written, by a vote of 30–27. Clinton, despite his anti-federalist views, closed the convention by vowing to exercise his office to enforce it and maintain order.^[2] However, partisan divisions were sharpened by the formation of a new national administration under President George Washington, who sought to elevate Hamilton, Jay, and other federalists to his administration without representation for the Clinton faction.^[3]

• George Clinton, incumbent Governor since 1777
• Robert Yates, justice of the New York Supreme Court

Incumbent Pierre Van Cortlandt was the only candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

Clinton and Van Cortlandt were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor respectively.

• Jenkins, John Stilwell (1846). History of Political Parties in the State of New-York. Auburn, N.Y.: Alden & Markham.

• New York gubernatorial elections
• New York state elections