Since 1824, when john quincy adams was elected president by the house of representatives when no candidate had a majority in the electoral college adams leading opponent, andrew jackson, had greater popular and electoral vote totals, the electoralcollege system has many times permitted a president to be chosen without a majority of the. For present purposes, i take the official illinois and texas results to be correct. Electoral college united states britannica encyclopedia britannica. In fact, the voting public has become so aware of the use and abuse of parliamentary procedure that the democratic base might demand that their senators kill the filibuster.
A statistical history of the american presidential elections. The 23rd amendment provides an additional three electors to the district of columbia. Popular vote better than electoral college, stanford. Johnson d crushes arizona senator barry goldwater r with 60 percent of the popular vote and 90 percent of the electoral vote. One minnesota electoral vote was cast for john edwards. Donald trump set for one of the smallest electoral college. The list currently consists of candidates who ran for partisan office, although a number of individuals who identify themselves with the libertarian party have been elected to nonpartisan offices, such as municipal offices. To view maps and results from all prior presidential elections on a single page, see. In the election of 1824, only 18 of the 24 states held a popular vote, but by the election of 1828, 22 of the 24 states held a popular vote. The larger the electoral college, the more likely that it will correctly reflect the popular vote. Electoral vote count of the 1880 presidential election. Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators and representatives to which the state may be entitled in the congress. In most states the names of the candidates for elector are not even.
It is sorted to display elections by their presidential term year of election, name, margin by percentage in popular vote, popular vote, margin in popular vote by number, and the runner up in the electoral college. This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Electoral maps based on 2018 results november 7th, 2018, 12. List of united states presidential elections by electoral college. The table below is a list of united states presidential elections ordered by margin of victory in the electoral college vote. This page links to the results of those historical elections, including a larger map, results and synopsis of the race. North carolina would not ratify the constitution narrative until november 1789 and rhode island until 1790. Democrats managed to defeat trump in 2020, decisively in the popular vote but only narrowly in the electoral collegevulnerable to charges even then that it was an archaic institution. Why the us uses the electoral college in presidential. President in the general november presidential elections from 1789 through 2016. This book examines the history and function of the electoral college, the mechanism by which the president of the united states is chosen. An interactive version of each map is also available, letting you change history. Aug 28, 2018 only on five occasions has a president won the electoral college while losing the popular vote. Dec 19, 2016 donald trump is on course to receive one of the lowest vote totals in history when the us electoral college meets today to formally elect the next president.
When he seeks his first full term, in 1964, president lyndon b. Discover librarianselected research resources on u. Discover librarianselected research resources on electoral college from the. Through 2016, there have been 58 presidential elections. List of united states presidential candidates by number of. Popular vote totals were not retained until the election of 1824.
The new edition of this popular guide provides a short history of contested elections, including a fresh essay on the 2000 election. Nothing was more to be desired than that every practicable obstacle should be opposed to cabal. However, the popular vote is not used to determine who is elected as the nations president or vice president. The electoral college was established in 1788 by article ii of the us constitution, which also established the executive branch of the us government, and was revised by the twelfth amendment ratified june 15, 1804, the fourteenth amendment ratified july 1868, and the twentythird amendment ratified mar. The electoral college has been divisive since day one history. The story of the electoral college is also one of slaveryan institution.
Hayes in 1876, benjamin harrison in 1888, george w. What will the history books say about this impeachment. Your vote matters to the electoral vote total bustle. Donald trump is on course to receive one of the lowest vote totals in history when the us electoral college meets today to formally elect the next president. Typically, when presidential candidates win the popular vote in a.
In the case of the 2000 election, for all house sizes less than 492, the electoral college goes to bush. United states presidential election results britannica. The electoral college is a body of electors established by the united states constitution, which forms every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president of the united states. Feb 24, 2020 since 1824, when john quincy adams was elected president by the house of representatives when no candidate had a majority in the electoral college adams leading opponent, andrew jackson, had greater popular and electoral vote totals, the electoralcollege system has many times permitted a president to be chosen without a majority of the. Presidential election history 2020 presidential election. How young americans made democracy social, politics personal, and voting popular in the nineteenth century by jon grinspan university of north carolina press, 2016. List of books and articles about electoral college online research. For a different perspective, take a look at our same since electoral maps, which track the increasing. The difference was less than 1% of the total, but the popular vote totals added up in clevelands favor. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding and other candidates. The larger the electoral college, the more likely it will reflect the outcome of the popular vote.
List of united states presidential elections by popular vote. United states presidential election of 1896 united. It features allnew essays arguing for and against the electoral college, as well as appendixes that are updated and expanded to include electoral college and popular vote totals from past presidential elections. Prior to the election of 1824, most states did not have a popular vote. They could run the numbers as well as anyone, and realized. Bennetts book on the electoral college is the best book on this subject in. Washington took the oath of office on april 30, 1789 in new york city, the site of the capital for the next 18 months. Ultimately, the electoral college contributed to ending slavery, since abraham lincoln, having earned only 39. In defense of the electoral college national affairs. A ridingbyriding map of the vote justin trudeaus liberals will form a minority government despite the fact. List of united states presidential elections by popular. Fewer states chose electors by direct popular vote in the earliest elections, and reliable popularvote totals are hard to come by. Each state has as many electors in the electoral college as it has representatives and senators in the. Figures are from the federal election commission, 2004 official presidential election results, feb.
Top 10 historic midterm elections history smithsonian. That 45187 landslide in the electoral college, built on eightpoint wins in 48 states, would also be a popularvote defeat, with 50. Electoral college is the popular name for the system used to elect the president and vice president of the united states. Creating a fair electoral process in the united states dennis f. The debate over the continued use of the electoral college resurfaced during the 2016 presidential election, when donald trump lost the general election to hillary clinton by over 2.
Popular vote better than electoral college, stanford scholars say. According to article ii, section 1, clause 2 of the. List of united states presidential elections by popular vote margin. List of united states presidential elections by electoral. These are, first, determination of the president by faithless electors who ignore the popular vote in their states, and, second, choice of the president in the house of representatives, which is. Electoral college foes continue push to make popular vote. United states presidential election of 1896, american presidential election held on november 3, 1896, in which republican william mckinley defeated democratpopulist william jennings bryan. Individual year pages include candidates, parties, popular and electoral vote totals, maps, charts, and voter turnout 19322016. The electoral vote results are counted and certified by a joint session of congress, held on january 6 of the year succeeding the election. Individual year pages include candidates, parties, popular and electoral vote totals. Popular myths about popular voteelectoral college splits. This book is very interesting to see all the statistics around the presidential races. Electoral and popular vote totals based on data from the office of the clerk of the u.
Electoral college fast facts us house of representatives. Since 1824, when john quincy adams was elected president by the house of representatives when no candidate had a majority in the electoral college adams leading opponent, andrew jackson, had greater popular and electoral vote totals, the electoral college system has many times permitted a president to be chosen without a majority of the. Electoral vote and popular vote by state for presidential elections from 1789 to 1960. Bennett treats a timely, important, and complex topic with consummate skill, and his analysis of the electoral colleges history and contemporary functioning is. The presidential campaign of 1896 was one of the most exciting in american history. Realclearpolitics presidential election comparing 2016 vs. Electoral history of the libertarian party united states. Only on five occasions has a president won the electoral college while losing the popular vote. For all house sizes greater than 654, gore would have been elected president for house sizes between 492 and 654, a troubling scenario is created. Treasury secretary alexander hamilton wrote in federalist paper no.
Taming the electoral college explores poorly understood aspects of the electoral college, including two possibilities in particular that could pose the most serious danger for american democracy. This is a list detailing the electoral history of the libertarian party in the united states, sorted by office. These are, first, determination of the president by faithless electors who ignore the popular vote in their states, and, second, choice of the. According to article ii, section 1, clause 2 of the constitution, each state legislature determines the manner by which its states electors are chosen. We do know that three elections in this period were close enough. No, the relationship between popular vote and electoral vote is a nonlinear function. In a united states presidential election, the popular vote is the total number or percentage of. Presidential election of 2004, electoral and popular vote summary. View a map, results and history from each of the 58 prior u. The table below is a list of united states presidential elections by popular vote margin.
268 984 490 821 46 1448 1075 298 584 1257 1035 142 760 14 1259 1037 175 963 1471 1128 809 544 1074 32 1274 220 401 104 1052 1264 1039 1308 653 1402