Presidential Elections, 1789–2008
For the original method of electing the president and the vice
president (elections of 1789, 1792, 1796, and 1800), see Article II, Section 1, of
the Constitution. The election of 1804 was the first one in which the
electors voted for president and vice president on separate ballots.
(See Amendment XII to the
Constitution.)
Year |
Presidential candidate |
Party |
Electoral votes |
1789
1
|
George Washington John Adams Scattering Votes not cast |
(no party) (no party) (no party) |
69 34 35 8 |
1792
|
George Washington John Adams George Clinton Thomas Jefferson Aaron Burr Votes not cast |
Federalist Federalist Anti-Federalist Anti-Federalist Anti-Federalist |
132 77 50 4 1 6 |
1796
|
John Adams Thomas Jefferson Thomas Pinckney Aaron Burr Scattering |
Federalist Dem.-Rep. Federalist Dem.-Rep. |
71 68 59 30 48 |
1800
2
|
Thomas Jefferson Aaron Burr John Adams Charles C. Pinckney John Jay |
Dem.-Rep. Dem.-Rep. Federalist Federalist Federalist |
73 73 65 64 1 |
Year |
Presidential candidate |
Party |
Electoral votes |
Vice-presidential candidate |
Party |
Electoral votes |
1804
|
Thomas Jefferson Charles C. Pinckney |
Dem.-Rep. Federalist |
162 14 |
George Clinton Rufus King |
Dem.-Rep. Federalist |
162 14 |
1808
|
James Madison Charles C. Pinckney George Clinton Votes not cast |
Dem.-Rep. Federalist Dem.-Rep. |
122 47 6 1 |
George Clinton Rufus King John Langdon James Madison James Monroe Votes not cast |
Dem.-Rep. Federalist Ind. (no party) Dem.-Rep. Dem.-Rep. |
113 47 9 3 3 1 |
1812
|
James Madison De Witt Clinton Votes not cast |
Dem.-Rep. Federalist |
128 89 1 |
Elbridge Gerry Jared Ingersoll Votes not cast |
Dem.-Rep. Federalist |
131 86 1 |
1816
|
James Monroe Rufus King Votes not cast |
Dem.-Rep. Federalist |
183 34 4 |
Daniel D. Tompkins John E. Howard James Ross John Marshall Robert G. Harper Votes not cast |
Dem.-Rep. Federalist Ind (no party) Federalist Ind. (no party) |
183 22 5 4 3 4 |
1820
|
James Monroe John Quincy Adams Votes not cast |
Dem-Rep Ind. (no party) |
231 1 3 |
Daniel D. Tompkins Richard Stockton Daniel Rodney Richard Rush Robert G. Harper Votes not cast |
Dem.-Rep. Ind. (no party) Ind. (no party) Ind. (no party) Ind. (no party) |
218 8 4 1 1 3 |
1824
3
|
John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson William H. Crawford Henry Clay |
(no party) (no party) (no party) (no party) |
84 99 41 37 |
John C. Calhoun Nathan Sanford Nathaniel Macon Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren Henry Clay Votes not cast |
(no party) (no party) (no party) (no party) (no party) (no party) |
182 30 24 13 9 2 1 |
1828
|
Andrew Jackson John Quincy Adams |
Democratic Natl. Rep. |
178 83 |
John C. Calhoun Richard Rush William Smith |
Democratic Natl. Rep. Democratic |
171 83 7 |
1832
|
Andrew Jackson Henry Clay John Floyd William Wirt Votes not cast |
Democratic Natl. Rep. Ind. (no party) Antimasonic4 |
219 49 11 7 2 |
Martin Van Buren John Sergeant Henry Lee Amos Ellmaker William Wilkins Votes not cast |
Democratic Natl. Rep. Ind. (no party) Antimasonic Ind. (no party) |
189 49 11 7 30 2 |
1836
|
Martin Van Buren William H. Harrison Hugh L. White Daniel Webster W. P. Mangum |
Democratic Whig Whig Whig Ind. (no party) |
170 73 26 14 11 |
Richard M. Johnson5 Francis Granger John Tyler William Smith |
Democratic Whig Whig Ind. (no party) |
147 77 47 23 |
1840
|
William H. Harrison6 Martin Van Buren |
Whig Democratic |
234 60 |
John Tyler Richard M. Johnson L. W. Tazewell James K. Polk |
Whig Democratic Ind. (no party) Democratic |
234 48 11 1 |
1844
|
James K. Polk Henry Clay |
Democratic Whig |
170 105 |
George M. Dallas Theo. Frelinghuysen |
Democratic Whig |
170 105 |
1848
|
Zachary Taylor7 Lewis Cass |
Whig Democratic |
163 127 |
Millard Fillmore William O. Butler |
Whig Democratic |
163 127 |
1852
|
Franklin Pierce Winfield Scott |
Democratic Whig |
254 42 |
William R. King William A. Graham |
Democratic Whig |
254 42 |
1856
|
James Buchanan John C. Fremont Millard Fillmore |
Democratic Republican American8 |
174 114 8 |
John C. Breckinridge William L. Dayton A. J. Donelson |
Democratic Republican American8 |
174 114 8 |
1860
|
Abraham Lincoln John C. Breckinridge John Bell Stephen A. Douglas |
Republican Democratic Const. Union Democratic |
180 72 39 12 |
Hannibal Hamlin Joseph Lane Edward Everett H. V. Johnson |
Republican Democratic Const. Union Democratic |
180 72 39 12 |
1864
|
Abraham Lincoln9 George B. McClellan |
Union10 Democratic |
212 21 |
Andrew Johnson G. H. Pendleton |
Union10 Democratic |
212 21 |
1868
|
Ulysses S. Grant Horatio Seymour Votes not counted11 |
Republican Democratic |
214 80 23 |
Schuyler Colfax Francis P. Blair, Jr. Votes not counted11 |
Republican Democratic |
214 80 23 |
NOTE: The Constitution specifies that the president and vice
president be chosen through the votes cast by electors chosen by the
states, rather than by a direct popular vote. At first, some electors
were chosen by state legislatures, but by 1836 all states but South
Carolina chose electors through a statewide popular vote. (S.C. followed
suit in 1860.) Today, all states but Maine and Nebraska have a
winner-take-all system in which all of a given state's electors vote for
the winner of that state's popular vote. While not legally significant,
the number of popular votes given nationwide to each major presidential
candidate are listed here for elections beginning in 1872.
Year |
Presidential candidate |
Party |
Electoral votes |
Popular votes |
Vice-presidential candidate
and party |
1872
|
Ulysses S. Grant Horace Greeley Thomas A. Hendricks B. Gratz Brown Charles J. Jenkins David Davis Votes not counted |
Republican Dem., Liberal Rep. Democratic Dem., Liberal Rep. Democratic Democratic |
286 (12) 42 18 2 1 17 |
3,597,132 2,834,125 |
Henry Wilson—R B. Gratz Brown—D, LR—(47) Scattering—(19) Vote not counted—(14) |
1876
13
|
Rutherford B. Hayes Samuel J. Tilden Peter Cooper |
Republican Democratic Greenback |
185 184 0 |
4,033,768 4,285,992 81,737 |
William A. Wheeler—R Thomas A. Hendricks—D Samuel F. Cary—G |
1880
|
James A. Garfield14 Winfield S. Hancock James B. Weaver |
Republican Democratic Greenback |
214 155 0 |
4,449,053 4,442,035 308,578 |
Chester A. Arthur—R William H. English—D B. J. Chambers—G |
1884
|
Grover Cleveland James G. Blaine Benjamin F. Butler John P. St. John |
Democratic Republican Greenback Prohibition |
219 182 0 0 |
4,911,017 4,848,334 175,370 150,369 |
Thomas A. Hendricks—D John A. Logan—R A. M. West—G William Daniel—P |
1888
|
Benjamin Harrison Grover Cleveland Clinton B. Fisk Alson J. Streeter |
Republican Democratic Prohibition Union Labor |
233 168 0 0 |
5,440,216 5,538,233 249,506 146,935 |
Levi P. Morton—R A. G. Thurman—D John A. Brooks—P Charles E. Cunningham—UL |
1892
|
Grover Cleveland Benjamin Harrison James B. Weaver John Bidwell |
Democratic Republican People's15 Prohibition |
277 145 22 0 |
5,556,918 5,176,108 1,041,028 264,133 |
Adlai E. Stevenson—D Whitelaw Reid—R James G. Field—Peo James B. Cranfill—P |
1896
|
William McKinley William J. Bryan John M. Palmer Joshua Levering |
Republican Dem., People's15 Natl. Dem. Prohibition |
271 176 0 0 |
7,035,638 6,467,946 133,148 132,007 |
Garret A. Hobart—R Arthur Sewall—D—(149) Thomas E. Watson—Peo—(27) Simon B. Buckner—ND Hale Johnson—P |
1900
|
William McKinley16 William J. Bryan Eugene V. Debs |
Republican Dem., People's15 Social Democratic |
292 155 0 |
7,219,530 6,358,071 94,768 |
Theodore Roosevelt—R Adlai E. Stevenson—D, Peo Job Harriman—SD |
1904
|
Theodore Roosevelt Alton B. Parker Eugene V. Debs |
Republican Democratic Socialist |
336 140 0 |
7,628,834 5,084,491 402,400 |
Charles W. Fairbanks—R Henry G. Davis—D Benjamin Hanford—S |
1908
|
William H. Taft William J. Bryan Eugene V. Debs |
Republican Democratic Socialist |
321 162 0 |
7,679,006 6,409,106 402,820 |
James S. Sherman—R John W. Kern—D Benjamin Hanford—S |
1912
|
Woodrow Wilson Theodore Roosevelt William H. Taft Eugene V. Debs |
Democratic Progressive Republican Socialist |
435 88 8 0 |
6,286,214 4,126,020 3,483,922 897,011 |
Thomas R. Marshall—D Hiram Johnson—Prog Nicholas M. Butler—R17 Emil Seidel—S |
1916
|
Woodrow Wilson Charles E. Hughes A. L. Benson |
Democratic Republican Socialist |
277 254 0 |
9,129,606 8,538,221 585,113 |
Thomas R. Marshall—D Charles W. Fairbanks—R G. R. Kirkpatrick—S |
1920
|
Warren G. Harding18 James M. Cox Eugene V. Debs |
Republican Democratic Socialist |
404 127 0 |
16,152,200 9,147,353 917,799 |
Calvin Coolidge—R Franklin D. Roosevelt—D Seymour Stedman—S |
1924
|
Calvin Coolidge John W. Davis Robert M. LaFollette |
Republican Democratic Progressive, Socialist |
382 136 13 |
15,725,016 8,385,586 4,822,856 |
Charles G. Dawes—R Charles W. Bryan—D Burton K. Wheeler—Prog, S |
1928
|
Herbert Hoover Alfred E. Smith Norman Thomas |
Republican Democratic Socialist |
444 87 0 |
21,392,190 15,016,443 267,420 |
Charles Curtis—R Joseph T. Robinson—D James H. Maurer—S |
1932
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt Herbert Hoover Norman Thomas |
Democratic Republican Socialist |
472 59 0 |
22,821,857 15,761,841 884,781 |
John N. Garner—D Charles Curtis—R James H. Maurer—S |
1936
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt Alfred M. Landon Norman Thomas |
Democratic Republican Socialist |
523 8 0 |
27,751,597 16,679,583 187,720 |
John N. Garner—D Frank Knox—R George Nelson—S |
1940
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt Wendell L. Willkie Norman Thomas |
Democratic Republican Socialist |
449 82 0 |
27,244,160 22,305,198 99,557 |
Henry A. Wallace—D Charles L. McNary—R Maynard C. Krueger—S |
1944
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt19 Thomas E. Dewey Norman Thomas |
Democratic Republican Socialist |
432 99 0 |
25,602,504 22,006,285 80,518 |
Harry S. Truman—D John W. Bricker—R Darlington Hoopes—S |
1948
|
Harry S. Truman Thomas E. Dewey J. Strom Thurmond Henry A. Wallace Norman Thomas |
Democratic Republican States' Rights Dem. Progressive Socialist |
303 189 39 0 0 |
24,179,345 21,991,291 1,176,125 1,157,326 139,572 |
Alben W. Barkley—D Earl Warren—R Fielding L. Wright—SR Glen Taylor—Prog Tucker P. Smith—S |
1952
|
Dwight D. Eisenhower Adlai E. Stevenson |
Republican Democratic |
442 89 |
33,936,234 27,314,992 |
Richard M. Nixon—R John J. Sparkman—D |
1956
|
Dwight D. Eisenhower Adlai E. Stevenson |
Republican Democratic |
457 7320 |
35,590,472 26,022,752 |
Richard M. Nixon—R Estes Kefauver—D |
1960
|
John F. Kennedy21 Richard M. Nixon |
Democratic Republican |
303 21922 |
34,226,731 34,108,157 |
Lyndon B. Johnson—D Henry Cabot Lodge—R |
1964
|
Lyndon B. Johnson Barry M. Goldwater |
Democratic Republican |
486 52 |
43,129,484 27,178,188 |
Hubert H. Humphrey—D William E. Miller—R |
1968
|
Richard M. Nixon Hubert H. Humphrey George C. Wallace |
Republican Democratic American Independent |
301 191 46 |
31,785,480 31,275,166 9,906,473 |
Spiro T. Agnew—R Edmund S. Muskie—D Curtis F. LeMay—Al |
1972
|
Richard M. Nixon23 George McGovern John G. Schmitz |
Republican Democratic American |
52024 17 0 |
47,169,911 29,170,383 1,099,482 |
Spiro T. Agnew—R Sargent Shriver—D Thomas J. Anderson—A |
1976
|
Jimmy Carter Gerald R. Ford Eugene J. McCarthy |
Democratic Republican Independent |
297 24025 0 |
40,830,763 39,147,973 756,631 |
Walter F. Mondale—D Robert J. Dole—R None |
1980
|
Ronald Reagan Jimmy Carter John B. Anderson |
Republican Democratic Independent |
489 49 0 |
43,899,248 36,481,435 5,719,437 |
George Bush—R Walter F. Mondale—D Patrick J. Lucey—I |
1984
|
Ronald Reagan Walter F. Mondale |
Republican Democratic |
525 13 |
54,455,075 37,577,185 |
George Bush—R Geraldine A. Ferraro—D |
1988
|
George H. Bush Michael S. Dukakis |
Republican Democratic |
426 11126 |
48,886,097 41,809,074 |
J. Danforth Quayle—R Lloyd Bentsen—D |
1992
|
William J. Clinton George H. Bush H. Ross Perot |
Democratic Republican Independent |
370 168 0 |
44,909,889 39,104,545 19,742,267 |
Albert A. Gore, J.—D J. Danforth Quayle—R James B. Stockdale—I |
1996
|
William J. Clinton Robert J. Dole H. Ross Perot |
Democratic Republican Reform Party27 |
379 159 0 |
47,402,357 39,198,755 8,085,402 |
Albert A. Gore, Jr.—D Jack F. Kemp—R Pat Choate—RP27 |
2000
|
George W. Bush Albert A. Gore Ralph Nader |
Republican Democratic Green Party |
271 26628 0 |
50,456,002 50,999,897 2,882,955 |
Richard B. Cheney—R Joseph I. Lieberman—D Winona LaDuke—GP |
2004
|
George W. Bush John F. Kerry |
Republican Democratic |
286 25129 |
62,028,285 59,028,109 |
Richard B. Cheney—R John Edwards—D |
2008
|
Barack Obama John McCain |
Democratic Republican |
365 173 |
66,862,039 58,319,442 |
Joseph Biden—D Sarah Palin—R |
1. Only 10 states participated in the
election. The New York legislature chose no electors, and North Carolina
and Rhode Island had not yet ratified the Constitution.
2. As Jefferson and Burr were tied, the
House of Representatives chose the president. In a vote by states, 10
votes were cast for Jefferson, 4 for Burr; 2 votes were not cast.
3. As no candidate had an electoral-vote
majority, the House of Representatives chose the president from the
first three. In a vote by states, 13 votes were cast for Adams, 7 for
Jackson, and 4 for Crawford.
4. The Antimasonic Party on Sept. 26,
1831, was the first party to hold a nominating convention to choose
candidates for president and vice president.
5. As Johnson did not have an
electoral-vote majority, the Senate chose him 33–14 over Granger, the
others being legally out of the race.
6. Harrison died April 4, 1841, and Tyler
succeeded him April 6.
7. Taylor died July 9, 1850, and Fillmore
succeeded him July 10.
8. Also known as the Know-Nothing
Party.
9. Lincoln died April 15, 1865, and
Johnson succeeded him the same day.
10. Name adopted by the Republican
National Convention of 1864. Johnson was a War Democrat.
11. 23 Southern electoral votes were
excluded.
12. Greeley died Nov. 29, 1872, before
his 66 electors voted; 63 of Greeley's votes were scattered among four
of the other candidates.
13. Hayes was chosen by a special
electoral commission since initially neither candidate had the requisite
185 electoral votes.
14. Garfield died Sept. 19, 1881, and
Arthur succeeded him Sept. 20.
15. Members of People's Party were called
Populists.
16. McKinley died Sept. 14, 1901, and
Roosevelt succeeded him the same day.
17. James S. Sherman, Republican
candidate for vice president, died Oct. 30, 1912, and the Republican
electoral votes were cast for Butler.
18. Harding died Aug. 2, 1923, and
Coolidge succeeded him Aug. 3.
19. Roosevelt died April 12, 1945, and
Truman succeeded him the same day.
20. One electoral vote from Alabama was
cast for Walter B. Jones.
21. Kennedy died Nov. 22, 1963, and
Johnson succeeded him the same day.
22. Sen. Harry F. Byrd received 15
electoral votes.
23. Nixon resigned Aug. 9, 1974, and
Gerald R. Ford succeeded him the same day.
24. One electoral vote from Virginia was
cast for John Hospers, Libertarian Party.
25. One electoral vote from Washington
was cast for Ronald Reagan.
26. One electoral vote from West Virginia
was cast for Lloyd Bentsen.
27. Perot helped establish the Reform
Party following his defeat in the 1992 election.
28. One elector from the District of
Columbia left her ballot blank to protest the city's lack of
representation in Congress, leaving Gore with 266 electoral votes
instead of 267.
29. One elector from Minnesota cast a
vote for John Edwards.
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education,
Inc. All rights reserved.
|
|