The Evolution of the Electoral College and Key Milestones in Election History
The U.S. presidential election process, governed by the Electoral College, has undergone significant changes since the nation’s first election in 1789. Initially, the candidate with the second-highest vote total became vice president. This system was modified in 1804 with the introduction of separate ballots for president and vice president under the Twelfth Amendment. However, popular vote data was only recorded starting with the 1824 election, making historical comparisons both fascinating and complex.
Election Results, 1789–2016
Note: Election data is taken from the University of California, Santa Barbara American Presidency Project
Election Year: 1789
Winner and Vice President: George Washington, John Adams
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 69
Opponent(s): 34
Candidates
Candidates: George Washington, John Adams
* Although theoretically John Adams could have won, it was widely understood that George Washington was the preferred choice for president; Adams was never expected to win the election.
Election Year: 1792
Winner and Vice President: George Washington, John Adams
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 132
Opponent(s): 77
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican: Aaron Burr, George Clinton, Thomas Jefferson
Federalist Candidates: George Washington, John Adams
Election Year: 1796
Winner and Vice President: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 71
Opponent(s): 68
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican Candidates: Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr
Federalist Candidates: John Adams, Thomas Pinckney
Election Year: 1800
Winner and Vice President: Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 73* Opponent(s): 73
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican Candidates: Aaron Burr, Thomas Jefferson
Federalist Candidates: John Adams, Charles C. Pinckney
* The tie in the Electoral College sent the election to the House of Representatives, where Thomas Jefferson received the most votes.
Election Year: 1804
Winner and Vice President: Thomas Jefferson, George Clinton
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 162
Opponent(s): 14
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican Candidate: Thomas Jefferson
Federalist Candidate: Charles C. Pinckney
Election Year: 1808
Winner and Vice President: James Madison, George Clinton
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 122
Opponent(s): 47
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican Candidate: James Madison
Federalist Candidate: Charles C. Pinckney
Election Year: 1812
Winner and Vice President: James Madison, Elbridge Gerry
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 128
Opponent(s): 89
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican Candidate: James Madison
Federalist Candidate: De Witt Clinton
Election Year: 1816
Winner and Vice President: James Monroe, Daniel D. Tompkins
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 183
Opponent(s): 34
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican Candidate: James Monroe
Federalist Candidate: Rufus King
Election Year: 1820
Winner and Vice President: James Monroe, Daniel D. Tompkins
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 231
Opponent(s): 1
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican Candidate: James Monroe
National Republican Candidate: John Quincy Adams
Election Year: 1824
Winner and Vice President: John Quincy Adams, John C. Calhoun
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 84
Opponent(s): 99 (Jackson), 41 (Crawford), 37 (Clay)
Popular Vote
Winner: 32.0%
Opponent(s): 42.0%
Candidates by Party
Democratic-Republican Candidates: Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford, Henry Clay Coalition Candidate: John Quincy Adams
Election Year: 1828
Winner and Vice President: Andrew Jackson, John C. Calhoun
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 178
Opponent(s): 83
Popular Vote
Winner: 56.1%
Opponent(s): 43.6%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Andrew Jackson
National Republican Candidate: John Quincy Adams
Election Year: 1832
Winner and Vice President: Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 219
Opponent(s): 49 (Clay), 7 (Wirt)
Popular Vote
Winner: 54.2%
Opponent(s): 37.4% (Clay), 7.8% (Wirt)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Andrew Jackson
National Republican Candidate: Henry Clay
Anti-Masonic Candidate: William Wirt
Election Year: 1836
Winner and Vice President: Martin Van Buren, Richard M. Johnson
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 170
Opponent(s): 73 (Harrison), 26 (White), 14 (Webster). 11 (Mangum)
Popular Vote
Winner: 50.8%
Opponent(s): 36.6% (Harrison), 9.7% (White), 2.7% (Webster)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Martin Van Buren
Whig Candidates: William H. Harrison, Hugh White, Daniel Webster
Independent/Whig Candidate: Willie P. Mangum
Election Year: 1840
Winner and Vice President: William H. Harrison, John Tyler
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 234
Opponent(s): 60
Popular Vote
Winner: 52.9%
Opponent(s): 46.8%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Martin Van Buren
Whig Candidate: William H. Harrison
Election Year: 1844
Winner and Vice President: James K. Polk, George M. Dallas
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 170
Opponent(s): 105
Popular Vote
Winner: 49.5%
Opponent(s): 48.1%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: James K. Polk Whig Candidate: Henry Clay
Election Year: 1848
Winner and Vice President: Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 163
Opponent(s): 127 (Cass), 0 (Van Buren)
Popular Vote
Winner: 47.3%
Opponent(s): 42.5% (Cass), 10.1% (Van Buren)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Lewis Cass Whig Candidate: Zachary Taylor
Free Soil Candidate: Martin Van Buren
Election Year: 1852
Winner and Vice President: Franklin Pierce, William R. King
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 254
Opponent(s): 42
Popular Vote
Winner: 50.8%
Opponent(s): 43.9%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Franklin Pierce
Whig Candidate: Winfield Scott
Election Year: 1856
Winner and Vice President: James Buchanan, John C. Breckinridge
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 174
Opponent(s): 114 (Fremont), 8 (Fillmore)
Popular Vote
Winner: 45.3%
Opponent(s): 33.1% (Fremont), 21.6% (Fillmore)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: James Buchanan
Republican Candidate: John C. Fremont
Whig-American Candidate: Millard Fillmore
Election Year: 1860
Winner and Vice President: Abraham Lincoln, Hannibal Hamlin
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 180
Opponent(s): 72 (Breckinridge), 39 (Bell), 12 (Douglas)
Popular Vote
Winner: 39.9%
Opponent(s): 18.1% (Breckinridge), 12.6% (Bell), 29.5% (Douglas)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Stephen A. Douglas Republican Candidate: Abraham Lincoln
Southern Democratic Candidate: John C. Breckinridge Constitutional Union Candidate: John Bell
Election Year: 1864
Winner and Vice President: Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 212
Opponent(s): 21
Popular Vote
Winner: 55.1%
Opponent(s): 44.9%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: George B. McClellan Republican Candidate: Abraham Lincoln
Election Year: 1868
Winner and Vice President: Ulysses S. Grant, Schuyler Colfax
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 214
Opponent(s): 80
Popular Vote
Winner: 52.7%
Opponent(s): 47.3%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Horatio Seymour
Republican Candidate: Ulysses S. Grant
Election Year: 1872
Winner and Vice President: Ulysses S. Grant, Henry Wilson
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 286
Opponent(s): 0
Popular Vote
Winner: 55.6%
Opponent(s): 43.8%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidates: B. Gratz Brown, Horace Greeley, Charles J. Jenkins, David Davis Republican Candidate: Ulysses S. Grant
Independent Democratic Candidate: Thomas A. Hendricks
Note: Horace Greeley was the major Democratic candidate and earned electoral votes, but he died between the election and the Electoral College meeting. Greeley’s votes were subsequently distributed among the other three Democratic candidates.
Election Year: 1876
Winner and Vice President: Rutherford B. Hayes, William A. Wheeler
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 185
Opponent(s): 184
Popular Vote
Winner: 48.0%
Opponent(s): 51.0%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Samuel J. Tilden
Republican Candidate: Rutherford B. Hayes
Election Year: 1880
Winner and Vice President: James Garfield, Chester A. Arthur
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 214
Opponent(s): 155
Popular Vote
Winner: 48.3%
Opponent(s): 48.2%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Winfield S. Hancock
Republican Candidate: James Garfield
Election Year: 1884
Winner and Vice President: Grover Cleveland, Thomas A. Hendricks
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 219
Opponent(s): 182
Popular Vote
Winner: 48.9%
Opponent(s): 48.2%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Grover Cleveland
Republican Candidate: James G. Blaine
Election Year: 1888
Winner and Vice President: Benjamin Harrison, Levi P. Morton
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 233
Opponent(s): 168
Popular Vote
Winner: 47.8%
Opponent(s): 48.6%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Grover Cleveland
Republican Candidate: Benjamin Harrison
Election Year: 1892
Winner and Vice President: Grover Cleveland, Adlai E. Stevenson
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 277
Opponent(s): 145 (Harrison), 22 (Weaver)
Popular Vote
Winner: 46.0%
Opponent(s): 43.0% (Harrison), 8.5% (Weaver)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Grover Cleveland Republican Candidate: Benjamin Harrison People’s (Populist) Candidate: James B. Weaver
Election Year: 1896
Winner and Vice President: William McKinley, Garret A. Hobart
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 271
Opponent(s): 176
Popular Vote
Winner: 51.1%
Opponent(s): 45.8%
Candidates by Party
Republican Candidate: William McKinley
Democratic-Populist Candidate: William J. Bryan
Election Year: 1900
Winner and Vice President: William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 292
Opponent(s): 155
Popular Vote
Winner: 51.7%
Opponent(s): 45.5%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: William J. Bryan
Republican Candidate: William McKinley
Election Year: 1904
Winner and Vice President: Theodore Roosevelt, Charles W. Fairbanks
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 336
Opponent(s): 140
Popular Vote
Winner: 56.4%
Opponent(s): 37.6%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Alton B. Parker
Republican Candidate: Theodore Roosevelt
Election Year: 1908
Winner and Vice President: William H. Taft, James S. Sherman
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 321
Opponent(s): 162
Popular Vote
Winner: 51.6%
Opponent(s): 43.0%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: William J. Bryan
Republican Candidate: William H. Taft
Election Year: 1912
Winner and Vice President: Woodrow Wilson, Thomas R. Marshall
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 435
Opponent(s): 88 (Roosevelt), 8 (Taft)
Popular Vote
Winner: 41.8%
Opponent(s): 27.4% (Roosevelt), 23.2% (Taft)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Woodrow Wilson
Republican Candidate: William H. Taft
Progressive Candidate: Theodore Roosevelt
Election Year: 1916
Winner and Vice President: Woodrow Wilson, Thomas R. Marshall
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 277
Opponent(s): 254
Popular Vote
Winner: 49.2%
Opponent(s): 46.1%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Woodrow Wilson
Republican Candidate: Charles E. Hughes
Election Year: 1920
Winner and Vice President: Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 404
Opponent(s): 127
Popular Vote
Winner: 60.3%
Opponent(s): 34.1%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: James M. Cox
Republican Candidate: Warren G. Harding
Election Year: 1924
Winner and Vice President: Calvin Coolidge, Charles G. Dawes
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 382
Opponent(s): 136 (Davis), 13 (LaFollette)
Popular Vote
Winner: 54.0%
Opponent(s): 28.8% (Davis), 16.6% (LaFollette)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: John W. Davis
Republican Candidate: Calvin Coolidge Progressive Candidate: Robert M. LaFollette
Election Year: 1928
Winner and Vice President: Herbert C. Hoover, Charles Curtis
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 444
Opponent(s): 87
Popular Vote
Winner: 58.2%
Opponent(s): 40.8%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Alfred E. Smith
Republican Candidate: Herbert C. Hoover
Election Year: 1932
Winner and Vice President: Franklin D. Roosevelt, John N. Garner
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 472
Opponent(s): 59
Popular Vote
Winner: 57.4%
Opponent(s): 39.6%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Republican Candidate: Herbert C. Hoover
Election Year: 1936
Winner and Vice President: Franklin D. Roosevelt, John N. Garner
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 523
Opponent(s): 8
Popular Vote
Winner: 60.8%
Opponent(s): 36.5%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Republican Candidate: Alfred M. Landon
Election Year: 1940
Winner and Vice President: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Henry A. Wallace
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 449
Opponent(s): 82
Popular Vote
Winner: 54.7%
Opponent(s): 44.8%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Republican Candidate: Wendell L. Wilkie
Election Year: 1944
Winner and Vice President: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 432
Opponent(s): 99
Popular Vote
Winner: 53.4%
Opponent(s): 45.9%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Republican Candidate: Thomas E. Dewey
Election Year: 1948
Winner and Vice President: Harry S. Truman, Alben W. Barkley
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 303
Opponent(s): 189 (Dewey), 39 (Thurmond)
Popular Vote
Winner: 49.5%
Opponent(s): 45.1% (Dewey), 2.4% (Thurmond)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Harry S. Truman
Republican Candidate: Thomas E. Dewey
States’ Rights (Dixiecrat) Candidate: Strom Thurmond
Election Year: 1952
Winner and Vice President: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard M. Nixon
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 442
Opponent(s): 89
Popular Vote
Winner: 54.9%
Opponent(s): 44.4%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Adlai Stevenson
Republican Candidate: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Election Year: 1956
Winner and Vice President: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard M. Nixon
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 457
Opponent(s): 73
Popular Vote
Winner: 57.4%
Opponent(s): 42.0%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Adlai Stevenson
Republican Candidate: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Election Year: 1960
Winner and Vice President: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 303
Opponent(s): 219
Popular Vote
Winner: 49.7%
Opponent(s): 49.5%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: John F. Kennedy
Republican Candidate: Richard M. Nixon Independent Candidate: Harry F. Byrd
Election Year: 1964
Winner and Vice President: Lyndon B. Johnson, Hubert H. Humphrey
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 486
Opponent(s): 52
Popular Vote
Winner: 61.1%
Opponent(s): 38.5%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Lyndon B. Johnson
Republican Candidate: Barry M. Goldwater
Election Year: 1968
Winner and Vice President: Richard M. Nixon, Spiro T. Agnew
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 301
Opponent(s): 191 (Humphrey), 46 (Wallace)
Popular Vote
Winner: 43.4%
Opponent(s): 42.7% (Humphrey), 13.5% (Wallace)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Hubert H. Humphrey
Republican Candidate: Richard M. Nixon
American Independent Candidate: George C. Wallace
Election Year: 1972
Winner and Vice President: Richard M. Nixon, Spiro T. Agnew
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 520
Opponent(s): 17
Popular Vote
Winner: 60.7%
Opponent(s): 37.5%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: George S. McGovern
Republican Candidate: Richard M. Nixon Libertarian Candidate: Joseph Hospers
Election Year: 1976
Winner and Vice President: Jimmy Carter, Walter F. Mondale
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 297
Opponent(s): 240
Popular Vote
Winner: 50.1%
Opponent(s): 48.0%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Jimmy Carter
Republican Candidate: Gerald R. Ford
Election Year: 1980
Winner and Vice President: Ronald Reagan, George Bush
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 489
Opponent(s): 49 (Carter), 0 (Anderson)
Popular Vote
Winner: 50.7%
Opponent(s): 41.0% (Carter), 6.6% (Anderson)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Jimmy Carter
Republican Candidate: Ronald Reagan
National Union Candidate: John B. Anderson
Election Year: 1984
Winner and Vice President: Ronald Reagan, George Bush
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 525
Opponent(s): 13
Popular Vote
Winner: 58.8%
Opponent(s): 40.6%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Walter F. Mondale
Republican Candidate: Ronald Reagan
Election Year: 1988
Winner and Vice President: George Bush, James Danforth Quayle
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 426
Opponent(s): 111
Popular Vote
Winner: 53.4%
Opponent(s): 45.6%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Michael S. Dukakis
Republican Candidate: George Bush
Election Year: 1992
Winner and Vice President: William J. Clinton, Albert Gore Jr.
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 370
Opponent(s): 168 (Bush), 0 (Perot)
Popular Vote
Winner: 43.0%
Opponent(s): 37.4% (Bush), 18.9% (Perot)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: William J. Clinton
Republican Candidate: George Bush
Independent Candidate: H. Ross Perot
Election Year: 1996
Winner and Vice President: William J. Clinton, Albert Gore Jr.
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 379
Opponent(s): 159 (Dole), 0 (Perot)
Popular Vote
Winner: 49.2%
Opponent(s): 40.7% (Dole), 8.4% (Perot)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: William J. Clinton
Republican Candidate: Bob Dole
Independent Candidate: H. Ross Perot
Election Year: 2000
Winner and Vice President: George W. Bush, Dick Cheney
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 271
Opponent(s): 266 (Gore), 0 (Nader)
Popular Vote
Winner: 47.9%
Opponent(s): 48.4% (Gore), 2.7% (Nader)
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Albert Gore Jr.
Republican Candidate: George W. Bush
Green Party Candidate: Ralph Nader
Election Year: 2004
Winner and Vice President: George W. Bush, Dick Cheney
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 286
Opponent(s): 251
Popular Vote
Winner: 50.7%
Opponent(s): 48.3%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: John F. Kerry
Republican Candidate: George W. Bush
Election Year: 2008
Winner and Vice President: Barack Obama, Joe Biden
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 365
Opponent(s): 173
Popular Vote
Winner: 52.9%
Opponent(s): 45.7%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Barack Obama
Republican Candidate: John McCain
Election Year: 2012
Winner and Vice President: Barack Obama, Joe Biden
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 332
Opponent(s): 206
Popular Vote
Winner: 51.1%
Opponent(s): 47.2%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Barack Obama
Republican Candidate: Mitt Romney
Election Year: 2016
Winner and Vice President: Donald Trump, Mike Pence
Electoral College Votes
Winner: 304
Opponent(s): 227
Popular Vote
Winner: 46.1%
Opponent(s): 48.2%
Candidates by Party
Democratic Candidate: Hillary Clinton
Republican Candidate: Donald Trump
The summary of U.S. presidential election results from 1789 to 1924 reveals key insights into the evolving nature of American electoral politics. Several patterns and transitions emerge from this dataset:
Early Dominance by Founding Figures: George Washington’s elections in 1789 and 1792 were exceptional due to his unanimous support, reflecting his symbolic leadership role. His uncontested popularity set a precedent for non-partisan leadership during the nation’s infancy. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson later emerged as primary leaders of competing ideologies, marking the rise of organized political parties.
Emergence of Political Parties: The early years saw the formation of distinct factions, such as the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. From 1796 onwards, elections became competitive between these groups. Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party gained dominance after his victory in 1800, further emphasizing the country’s transition to partisan politics.
Electoral College vs. Popular Vote: As early as 1824, conflicts arose between electoral college results and the popular vote, notably when John Quincy Adams won despite losing the popular vote to Andrew Jackson. Similar discrepancies occurred in later elections, reflecting tensions between the two systems, particularly in close contests like 1876 (Rutherford Hayes) and 1888 (Benjamin Harrison).
Fracturing of Political Power: Elections in 1824, 1836, and 1912 illustrate the fracturing of political power into multiple factions or third parties, leading to highly fragmented results. For example, the 1824 election featured four candidates from the Democratic-Republican Party, resulting in a decision by the House of Representatives.
Civil War and Reconstruction: The elections surrounding the Civil War (1860–1868) marked significant shifts, with Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 victory being a major cause of southern secession. His re-election in 1864, despite the ongoing war, demonstrated the North’s commitment to his leadership. The Reconstruction era brought significant changes in voter demographics and the political landscape.
Rise of Populism and Third Parties: The late 19th century saw the rise of populist movements, as reflected in elections like 1892, where James Weaver from the People’s Party garnered a substantial portion of the vote. However, third parties typically struggled to break the dominance of the Democratic and Republican parties.
Shifts in Electoral Landslides: Throughout this period, large electoral vote margins occurred sporadically, as seen with Warren G. Harding’s landslide in 1920. Such victories often coincided with national crises or dissatisfaction with the incumbent party.
In conclusion, U.S. electoral history from 1789 to 1924 reveals the gradual institutionalization of political parties, recurring conflicts between the popular vote and the electoral college, and the impact of external factors such as war and economic instability on election outcomes. The persistent dominance of the two-party system, despite occasional third-party challenges, underscores a key feature of American political development during this period.
