Governor Levi Lincoln Jr., an Adams Republican, was re-elected to a third term in office over William Jarvis, nominated on a "free bridge" platform.

Jarvis declined to actively run for the office and his support was effectively limited to Middlesex and Essex, where the bridge issue was salient; in most other counties, he received only a handful of votes.

[1] The bill establishing the bridge passed both houses of the Massachusetts General Court, but was returned without signature by Governor Levi Lincoln Jr. Lincoln's decision drew criticism from populist elements opposed to the conservative Charles River Bridge Company and from Middlesex County farmers who would have utilized the toll-free bridge to ship their produce into Boston.

[1] Middlesex residents who had backed Governor Lincoln in 1826 refused to renominate him and instead chose William Jarvis, who declined to actively run.

In rural Southern and Western Massachusetts, some Old Republicans cast votes for Marcus Morton.