1794 Virginia gubernatorial election

1794 Virginia gubernatorial election
November 20, 1794
 
Nominee Robert Brooke James Wood
Party Democratic-Republican Federalist
1st ballot 90 60
Governor before election

Henry Lee III
Federalist

Elected Governor

Robert Brooke
Democratic-Republican

A gubernatorial election was held in Virginia on November 20, 1794. The Democratic-Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Spotsylvania County Robert Brooke defeated the Federalist member of the Council of State James Wood.

The Federalist incumbent governor of Virginia Henry Lee III was ineligible for re-election due to term limits established by the Constitution of Virginia. Lee courted controversy near the end of his term when he accepted command of United States troops during the Whiskey Rebellion, an action unpopular with Democratic-Republicans and farmers in Western Virginia. On November 21, the House of Delegates found Lee had forfeited his office by accepting a lucrative U.S. commission and declared the governorship vacant, nine days before Lee was due to leave office on December 1.

The election was conducted by the Virginia General Assembly in joint session. Brooke defeated Wood on the first ballot.

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