Because no candidate received 50% of the vote, the choice of electors formally reverted to the state legislature, in accordance with the provisions of Massachusetts state law of the time. Ultimately this did not change the outcome since the Whigs controlled the legislature, which duly confirmed the choice of electors pledged to the clear plurality winner. Even if the Massachusetts legislature had chosen someone else, Taylor would have still had enough electoral votes (151, five more than a bare majority) to win the presidency.
