Presidential elections.
Under the
Constitution as originally adopted, the candidates for
President and
Vice-President were voted for in the electoral college of each State, without designating which the elector intended for the first and which for the second office.
Lists of these were transmitted to the seat of government, and the candidate having the greatest
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number (if a majority of the whole) became
President, and the one having the next greatest number
Vice-President.
If the two highest candidates received an equal number of votes, the House of Representatives (as now) was to proceed immediately to choose by ballot one of them for
President, voting by States, each State having one vote, and a majority of all the States being necessary to a choice.
In case of a tie on the
Vice-President, the Senate was to choose between the equal candidates.
The Twelfth Amendment to the
Constitution (declared in force Sept. 25, 1804) changed the mode of voting for the two officers, the electors being required to vote separately for
President and
Vice-President.
They were to name in their ballots the person voted for as
President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as
Vice-President; distinct lists of all persons voted for as
President and
Vice-President, signed and certified, were sent to the seat of government, directed to “the
President of the Senate,” whose duty it was, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, to open all the certificates, and count the votes, the person having the greatest number of votes for the respective offices (if a majority of the whole), to be declared elected.
Strictly speaking, the people do not vote for the Presidential candidates direct.
The people vote for electors, the majority of whom elect the
President.
As a result, a candidate might have an overwhelming popular majority and yet be defeated in the electoral college.
In the elections of 1789, 1792, 1796, and 1800, each elector in the electoral college voted for two candidates for
President.
The candidate who received the largest electoral vote was declared
President, and the candidate who received the next largest number of votes was declared
Vice-President.
In 1804 the
Constitution was amended (Twelfth Amendment). Beginning with the election of 1804, all the electors voted for a President and a
Vice-President, instead of for two candidates as formerly.
The record of any popular vote for electors prior to 1824 is so meagre and imperfect that a trustworthy compilation would be impossible.
In most of the States, for more than a quarter-century following the establishment of the government, the
State legislatures “appointed” the Presidential electors, and the people's choice was expressed by their votes for members of the legislature.
In the tabulation of the votes 1789-1820 only the aggregate electoral votes for candidates for
President and
Vice-President are given.
See
popular vote for President.
1789.
George Washington, 69;
John Adams, of
Massachusetts, 34;
John Jay, of New York, 9;
R. H. Harrison, of
Maryland, 6;
John Rutledge, of
South Carolina, 6; John Hancock, of
Massachusetts, 4;
George Clinton, of New York, 3;
Samuel Huntingdon, of
Connecticut, 2;
John Milton, of
Georgia, 2;
James Armstrong, of
Georgia;
Benjamin Lincoln, of
Massachusetts, and
Edward Telfair, of
Georgia, 1 vote each.
Vacancies (votes not cast), 4.
George Washington was chosen
President and
John Adams Vice-President.
1792.
George Washington received 132 votes;
John Adams, Federalist, 77;
George Clinton, of New York, Republican (a), 50;
Thomas Jefferson, of
Virginia, Republican, 4;
Aaron Burr, of New York, Republican, 1 vote.
Vacancies, 3.
George Washington was chosen
President and
John Adams Vice-President.
1796.
John Adams, Federalist, 71;
Thomas Jefferson, Republican, 68;
Thomas Pinckney, of
South Carolina, Federalist, 59;
Aaron Burr, of New York, Republican, 30;
Samuel Adams, of
Massachusetts, Republican, 15;
Oliver Ellsworth, of
Connecticut, Independent, 11;
George Clinton, of New York, Republican, 7;
John Jay, of New York, Federalist, 5;
James Iredell, of
North Carolina, Federalist, 3;
George Washington, of
Virginia;
John Henry, of
Maryland, and
S. Johnson, of
North Carolina, all Federalists, 2 votes each;
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, of
South Carolina, Federalist, 1 vote.
John Adams was chosen
President and Thomas Jefferson Vice-Presi dent.
1800.
Thomas Jefferson, Republican, 73;
Aaron Burr, Republican, 73;
John Adams, Federalist, 65;
Charles C. Pinckney, Federalist, 64;
John Jay, Federalist, 1 vote.
There being a tie vote for
Jefferson and
Burr, the choice devolved upon the House of Representatives.
Jefferson received the votes of ten States;
Burr received the votes of four States.
There were 2 blank votes.
Thomas Jefferson was chosen
President and
Aaron Burr Vice-President.
1804. For
President,
Thomas Jefferson, Republican, 162;
Charles C. Pinckney, Federalist, 14.
For
Vice-President, George Clinton, Republican, 162;
Rufus King, of New York, Federalist, 14.
Jefferson was chosen
President and
Clinton Vice-President.
(a) For foot-note reference, see page 291.
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1808. For
President,
James Madison, of
Virginia, Republican, 122;
Charles C. Pinckney, of
South Carolina, Federalist, 47;
George Clinton, of New York, Republican, 6.
For
Vice-President, George Clinton, Republican, 113;
Rufus King, of New York, Federalist, 47; John Langdon, of
New Hampshire, 9;
James Madison, 3;
James Monroe, 3.
Vacancy, 1.
Madison was chosen
President and
Clinton Vice-President.
1812. For
President,
James Madison, Republican, 128;
De Witt Clinton, of New York, Federalist, 89.
For
Vice-President,
Elbridge Gerry, of
Massachusetts, 131;
Jared Ingersoll, of
Pennsylvania, Federalist, 86.
Vacancy, 1.
Madison was chosen
President and
Gerry Vice-President.
1816. For
President,
James Monroe, of
Virginia, Republican, 183;
Rufus King, of New York, Federalist, 34.
For
Vice-President.
Daniel D. Tompkins, of New York, Republican, 183; John Eager
Howard, of
Maryland, Federalist, 22;
James Ross, of
Pennsylvania, 5;
John Marshall, of
Virginia, 4;
Robert G. Harper, of
Maryland, 3.
Vacancies, 4.
Monroe was chosen
President and
Tompkins Vice-President.
1820. For
President,
James Monroe, of
Virginia, Republican, 231;
John Q. Adams, of
Massachusetts, Republican, 1.
For
Vice-President,
Daniel D. Tompkins, Republican, 218;
Richard Stockton, of
New Jersey, 8;
Daniel Rodney, of
Delaware, 4;
Robert G. Harper, of
Maryland, and Richard Rush, of
Pennsylvania, 1 vote each.
Vacancies, 3.
James Monroe was chosen
President and
Daniel D. Tompkins Vice-President.
The popular vote for the principal Presidential candidates since 1824 was as follows:
Electoral and popular votes.
Year of Election and Candidates for President. | States. | Political Party. | Popular Vote. | Plurality. | Electoral Vote. | Candidates for Vice-President. | States. | Political Party. | Electoral Vote. |
1824. |
Andrew Jackson | Tenn | Dem | 155,872 | 50,551 | (b) 99 | John C. Calhoun1 | S. C. | Dem | 182 |
John Q. Adams2 | Mass. | Nat.
R. | 105,321 | | 83 | Nathan Sanford | N. Y. | Rep | 30 |
Henry Clay | Ky | Rep | 46,587 | | 37 | Nathaniel Macon | N. C. | Rep | 24 |
William H. Crawford | Ga | Rep | 44,282 | | 41 | Andrew Jackson | Tenn | Dem | 13 |
| | | | | | Martin Van Buren | N. Y. | Rep | 9 |
| | | | | | Henry Clay | Ky | Rep | 2 |
1828. |
Andrew Jackson3 | Tenn | Dem | 647,231 | 138,134 | 178 | John C. Calhoun4 | S. C. | Dem | 171 |
John Q. Adams | Mass. | Nat.
R. | 509,097 | | 83 | Richard Rush | Pa | Nat.
R. | 83 |
| | | | | | William Smith | S. C. | Dem | 7 |
1832. |
Andrew Jackson5 | Tenn | Dem | 687,502 | 157,313 | 219 | Martin Van Buren6 | N. Y. | Dem | 189 |
Henry Clay | Ky | Nat R. | 530,189 | | 49 | John Sergeant | Pa | Nat.
R. | 49 |
John Floyd | Va | Ind. | 33,108 | | 11 | Henry Lee | Mass. | Ind. | 11 |
William Wirt (c) | Md | Anti-M. | | | 7 | Amos Ellmaker (c) | Pa | Anti-M. | 7 |
| | | | | | William Wilkins | Pa | Dem | 30 |
1836. |
Martin Van Buren7 | N. Y. | Dem | 761,549 | 24,893 | 170 | R. M. Johnson (d)8 | Ky | Dem | 147 |
W. H. Harrison | O. | Whig | | | 73 | Francis Granger | N. Y. | Whig | 77 |
Hugh L. White | Tenn | Whig | | | 26 | John Tyler | Va | Whig | 47 |
Daniel Webster | Mass. | Whig | 736,656 | | 14 | William Smith | Ala | Dem | 23 |
Willie P. Mangum | N. C. | Whig | | | 11 |
1840. |
W. H. Harrison9 | O. | Whig | 1,275,017 | 146,315 | 234 | John Tyler10 | Va | Whig | 234 |
Martin Van Buren | N. Y. | Dem | 1,128,702 | | 60 | R. M. Johnson | Ky | Dem | 48 |
James G. Birney | N. Y. | Lib | 7,059 | | | L. W. Tazewell | Va | Dem | 11 |
| | | | | | James K. Polk | Tenn | Dem | 1 |
1844. |
James K. Polk11 | Tenn | Dem | 1,337,243 | 38,175 | 170 | George M. Dallas12 | Pa | Dem | 170 |
Henry Clay | Ky | Whig | 1,299,068 | | 105 | T. Frelinghuysen | N. J. | Whig | 105 |
James G. Birney | N. Y. | Lib | 62,300 | | | Thomas Morris | O. | Lib |
1848. |
Zachary Taylor13 | La | Whig | 1,360,101 | 139,557 | 163 | Millard Fillmore14 | N. Y. | Whig | 163 |
Lewis Cass | Mich. | Dem | 1,220,544 | | 127 | William O. Butler | Ky | Dem | 127 |
Martin Van Buren | N. Y. | F. Soil | 291,263 | | | Charles F. Adams | Mass. | F. Soil |
1852. |
Franklin Pierce15 | N. H. | Dem | 1,601,474 | 220,896 | 254 | William R. King16 | Ala | Dem | 254 |
Winfield Scott | N. J. | Whig | 1,380,576 | | 42 | William A. Graham | N. C. | Whig | 42 |
John P. Hale | N. H. | F. D. (i) | 156,149 | | | George W. Julian | Ind. | F. D. | |
Daniel Webster (k) | Mass. | Whig | 1,670 |
1856. |
James Buchanan17 | Pa | Dem | 1,838,169 | 496,905 | 174 | J. C. Breckinridge18 | Ky | Dem | 174 |
John C. Fremont | Cal | Rep | 1,341,264 | | 114 | William L. Dayton | N. J. | Rep | 114 |
Millard Fillmore | N. Y. | Amer | 874,538 | | 8 | A. J. Donelson | Tenn | Amer | 8 |
1860. |
Abraham Lincoln19 | Ill. | Rep | 1,866,352 | 491,195 | 180 | Hannibal Hamlin20 | Me | Rep | 180 |
Stephen A. Douglas | Ill. | Dem | 1,375,157 | | 12 | H. V. | Johnson | Ga | Dem | 12 |
J. C. Breckinridge | Ky | Dem | 845,763 | | 72 | Joseph Lane | Ore | Dem | 72 |
John Bell | Tenn | Union | 589,581 | | 39 | Edward Everett | Mass. | Union | 39 |
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Electoral and popular votes—Continued.
Year of Election and Candidates for President. | States. | Political Party. | Popular Vote. | Plurality. | Electoral Vote. | Candidates for Vice-President. | States. | Political Party. | Electoral Vote. |
1864. |
Abraham Lincoln* | Ill. | Rep | 2,216,067 | 407,342 | (e) 212 | Andrew Johnson* | Tenn | Rep | 212 |
George B. McClellan | N. J. | Dem | 1,808,725 | | 21 | George H. Pendleton | O. | Dem | 21 |
1868. |
Ulysses S. Grant* | Ill. | Rep | 3,015,071 | 305,456 | (f) 214 | Schuyler Colfax* | Ind. | Rep | 214 |
Horatio Seymour | N. Y. | Dem | 2,709,615 | | 80 | F. P. Blair, Jr | Mo | Dem | 80 |
1872. |
Ulysses S. Grant* | Ill. | Rep | 3,597,070 | 762,991 | 286 | Henry Wilson* | Mass. | Rep | 286 |
Horace Greeley | N. Y. | D. & L. | 2,834,079 | | (g) | B. Gratz Brown | Mo | D. L. | 47 |
Charles O'Conor | N. Y. | Dem | 29,408 | | | John Q. Adams | Mass. | Dem |
James Black | Pa. | Temp | 5,608 | | | John Russell | Mich. | Temp |
Thomas A. Hendricks | Ind. | Dem | | | 42 | George W. Julian | Ind. | Lib | 5 |
B. Gratz Brown | Mo. | Dem | | | 18 | A. H. Colquitt | Ga | Dem | 5 |
Charles J. Jenkins | Ga. | Dem | | | 2 | John M. Palmer | Ill. | Dem | 3 |
David Davis | Ill. | Ind. | | | 1 | T. E. Bramlette | Ky | Dem | 3 |
| | | | | | W. S. Groesbeck | O. | Dem | 1 |
| | | | | | Willis B. Machen | Ky | Dem | 1 |
| | | | | | N. P. Banks | Mass. | Lib | 1 |
1876. |
Samuel J. Tilden | N. Y. | Dem | 4,284,885 | 250,235 | 184 | T. A. Hendricks | Ind. | Dem | 184 |
Rutherford B. Hayes* | O. | Rep | 4,033,950 | | (h) 185 | William A. Wheeler* | N. Y. | Rep | 185 |
Peter Cooper | N. Y. | Gre'nb | 81,740 | | | Samuel F. Cary | O. | Gre'nb |
Green Clay Smith | Ky | Pro. | 9,522 | | | Gideon T. Stewart | O. | Pro |
James B. Walker | Ill. | Amer | 2,636 | | | D. Kirkpatrick | N. Y. | Amer |
1880. |
James A. Garfield* | O. | Rep | 4,449,053 | 7,018 | 214 | Chester A. Arthur* | N. Y. | Rep | 214 |
W. S. Hancock | Pa. | Dem | 4,442,035 | | 155 | William H. English | Ind. | Dem | 155 |
James B. Weaver | Iowa | Gre'nb | 307,306 | | | B. J. Chambers | Tex | Gre'nb |
Neal Dow | Me. | Pro | 10,305 | | | H. A. Thompson | O. | Pro |
John W. Phelps | Vt. | Amer | 707 | | | S. C. Pomeroy | Kan | Amer |
1884. |
Grover Cleveland* | O. | Dem | 4,911,017 | 62,683 | 219 | T. A. Hendricks* | Ind. | Dem | 219 |
James G. Blaine | Me. | Rep | 4,848,334 | | 182 | John A. Logan | Ill. | Rep | 182 |
John P. St. John | Kan | Pro | 151,809 | | | William Daniel | Md | Pro |
Benjamin F. Butler | Mass. | Peop | 133,825 | | | A. M. West | Miss | Peop |
P. D. Wigginton | Cal | Amer |
1888. |
Grover Cleveland | N. Y. | Dem | 5,538,233 | 98,017 | 168 | Allen G. Thurman | O. | Dem | 168 |
Benjamin Harrison* | Ind. | Rep | 5,440,216 | | 233 | Levi P. Morton* | N. Y. | Rep | 233 |
Clinton B. Fisk | N. J. | Pro | 249,907 | | | John A. Brooks | Mo. | Pro |
Alson J. Streeter | Ill. | U. L. | 148,105 | | | C. E. Cunningham | Ark | U'd L. |
R. H. Cowdry | Ill. | U'd L. | 2,808 | | | W. H. T. Wakefield | Kan. | U'd L. |
James L. Curtis | N. Y. | Amer | 1,591 | | | James B. Greer | Tenn | Amer |
1892. |
Grover Cleveland* | N. Y. | Dem | 5,556,918 | 380,810 | 277 | Adlai E. Stevenson* | Ill. | Dem | 277 |
Benjamin Harrison | Ind. | Rep | 5,176,108 | | 145 | Whitelaw Reid | N. Y. | Rep | 145 |
James B. Weaver | Iowa | Peop | 1,041,028 | | 22 | James G. Field | Va | Peop | 22 |
John Bidwell | Cal. | Pro | 264,133 | | | James B. Cranfill | Tex | Pro |
Simon Wing | Mass. | Soc.
L. | 21,164 | | | Charles H. Matchett | N. Y. | Soc.
L. |
1896. |
William McKinley* | O. | Rep | 7,104,779 | 601,854 | 271 | Garret A. Hobart* | N. J. | Rep | 271 |
William J. Bryan | Neb. | Dem | 6,502,925 | | 176 | Arthur Sewall | Me | Dem | 176 |
William J. Bryan | Neb. | Peop | | | | Thomas E. Watson | Ga | Peop |
Joshua Levering | Md. | Pro | 132,007 | | | Hale Johnson | Ill. | Pro |
John M. Palmer | Ill. | N. Dem | 133,148 | | | Simon B. Buckner | Ky | N. Dem |
Charles H. Matchett | N. Y. | Soc.
L. | 36,274 | | | Matthew Maguire | N. J. | Soc.
L. |
Charles E. Bentley | Neb | Nat.
(j) | 13,969 | | | James H. Southgate | N. C. | Nat.
(j) |
1900. |
William McKinley* | O. | Rep | 7,206,677 | 832,280 | 292 | Theodore Roosevelt* | N. Y. | Rep | 292 |
William J. Bryan | Neb. | Dem.
P. | 6,374,397 | | 155 | Adlai E. Stevenson | Ill. | Dem.
P. | 155 |
John G. Woolley | Ill. | Pro | 208,555 | | | Henry B. Metcalf | O. | Pro |
Wharton Barker | Pa. | M. P. (m) | 50,337 | | | Ignatius Donnelly | Minn | M. P. (m) |
Eugene V. Debs | Ind. | Soc.
D. | 84,003 | | | Job Harriman | Cal | Soc.
D. |
Joseph F. Malloney | Mass. | Soc.
L. | 39,537 | | | Valentine Remmel | Pa | Soc.
L. |
J. F. R. Leonard | Iowa | U. C. (n) | 1,060 | | | John G. Woolley | Ill. | U. C. (n) |
Seth H. Ellis | O. | U. R. (o) | 5,698 | | | Samuel T. Nicholas | Pa | U. R.(o) | |
*The candidates starred were elected.
(a) The first Republican party is claimed by the present Democratic party as its progenitor.
(b) No candidate having a majority of the electoral vote, the House of Representatives elected
Adams.
(c) Candidate of the Anti-masonic party.
(d) There being no choice, the Senate elected
Johnson.
(e) Eleven Southern States, being within the belligerent territory, did not vote.
(f) Three Southern States disfranchised.
(g)
Horace Greeley died after election, and Democratic electors scattered their vote.
(h) There being a dispute over the electoral votes of
Florida,
Louisiana,
Oregon, and
South Carolina, they were referred by Congress to an electoral commission composed of eight Republicans and seven Democrats, which, by a strict party vote, awarded 185 electoral votes to
Hayes and 184 to
Tilden.
(i) Free Democrat.
(j) Free Silver Prohibition party.
(k) In
Massachusetts.
There was also a Native American ticket in that State, which received 184 votes.
(m) Middle-of-the-road, or Anti-fusion People's party.
(n) United Christian party.
(o) Union Reform party.
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