John Drayton (June 22, 1766 to November 27, 1822) was an attorney and politician; he was the 40th Governor of South Carolina on two non-consecutive occasions from 1800 to 1802 and 1808 to 1810. As governor, he was noted for establishing South Carolina College and for extending the vote to all white males; eleminating the requirement of land ownership to vote. The requirement specified a minimum ammount of land which effectively placed most power in the hands of the planter folk. With it's removal as a requirement to vote, he effectively moved the state away from Timocracy. He was later appointed as a United States federal judge.