On election day, 10 March 1846, Democratic nominee Jared W. Williams won the popular vote by a margin of 9,003 votes against his foremost opponent Whig nominee Anthony Colby. But because no candidate received a majority of the popular vote, a separate election was held by the New Hampshire General Court, which chose Whig nominee Anthony Colby as the winner, despite Colby having only received 31.99% of the vote and having placed second. Colby thereby gained Whig control over the office of Governor, he was sworn in as the 20th Governor of New Hampshire on 4 June 1846.[2]
