U.S. Presidential Elections: Every Race by the Numbers
From Washington's unanimous victory to Biden's record turnout — a complete data-driven history of all 60 presidential elections, 1789–2024.
235 Years of American Democracy
From George Washington's unanimous Electoral College victories to the razor-thin margins of the 21st century, American presidential elections tell the story of a nation's evolving democracy. Over 60 elections spanning nearly two and a half centuries, we've witnessed landslides and nail-biters, the rise and fall of political parties, and the gradual expansion of voting rights from a small group of white male property owners to universal adult suffrage.
The numbers reveal fascinating patterns: the average popular vote margin has narrowed from 19.3% in the 1800s to just 7.2% since 2000. Voter turnout has swung wildly, from highs above 80% in the late 1800s to lows near 50% in the 1920s and back to modern peaks above 60%. Five times, the Electoral College winner lost the popular vote — a quirk of our system that has shaped history.
The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected.
— Thomas PaineElectoral College vs. Popular Vote: The Great Divide
Five times in American history, the candidate who won the most votes did not become president. Here's how the Electoral College has diverged from the people's choice.
Elections That Changed Everything
Some elections are mere formalities. Others reshape the nation. These are the contests that defined American democracy, from stunning upsets to historic landslides to constitutional crises.
Biggest Landslide
1936: Roosevelt vs. LandonFDR's 1936 reelection stands as the most dominant performance in modern presidential history. Landon won only Maine and Vermont, prompting the saying "As Maine goes, so goes Vermont." Roosevelt's New Deal coalition delivered 60.8% of the popular vote and 98.5% of electoral votes — a mandate unmatched in the 20th century.
Closest Election
2000: Bush vs. GoreThe election that went to the Supreme Court. Bush lost the popular vote by 543,895 votes but won the presidency by 537 votes in Florida — a margin of 0.009% nationally. After 36 days of recounts, hanging chads, and legal battles, Bush v. Gore handed the White House to the popular vote loser in the most controversial decision since 1876.
Highest Turnout
2020: Biden vs. TrumpCOVID-19, expanded mail voting, and intense polarization drove turnout to its highest level since 1900. Biden's 81.3 million votes set the all-time record, while Trump's 74.2 million would have won any previous election. The 158 million total votes represented the most engaged electorate in over a century.
Electoral College Crisis
1876: Hayes vs. TildenThe Compromise of 1877. Tilden won the popular vote by 254,235 votes, but 20 electoral votes from three Southern states were disputed. A 15-member commission awarded all disputed votes to Hayes, giving him a 185-184 Electoral College victory. In exchange, Republicans agreed to end Reconstruction — a deal that shaped the next century of American race relations.
Popular Vote Record
1984: Reagan vs. Mondale"It's morning again in America." Reagan's 1984 reelection delivered the largest popular vote percentage (58.8%) and margin (18.21 points) since LBJ in 1964. Mondale won only his home state of Minnesota and D.C. — the most geographically concentrated defeat in modern history. Reagan's 54.5 million votes set a record that stood until 1992.
Third-Party Spoiler
1992: Clinton vs. Bush vs. PerotRoss Perot's independent campaign achieved the strongest third-party showing since 1912. His 19.7 million votes (18.91%) came largely at Bush's expense, enabling Clinton to win with just 43% of the popular vote. Perot's focus on the national debt and government reform reshaped political discourse and likely cost Bush reelection.
Democracy is not a spectator sport. It's a participatory event. If we don't participate in it, it ceases to be a democracy.
— Michael MooreVoter Participation Through History
Turnout tells the story of American democracy: the gradual expansion of voting rights, the impact of major crises, and the growing polarization of modern politics.
How Competitive Are Presidential Elections?
The margin of victory in each election reveals periods of political stability and upheaval. Notice how margins have generally narrowed since the 1980s, reflecting increasing polarization.
When Democracy Gets Complicated
Five times in American history, the candidate who won the most votes nationwide did not become president. These "wrong winner" elections expose the tension between direct democracy and the Electoral College system the founders designed.
🔴 Winners Who Lost the Popular Vote
- 1876: Hayes beat Tilden despite losing by 3.0% (254K votes)
- 1888: B. Harrison beat Cleveland despite losing by 0.8% (90K votes)
- 2000: Bush beat Gore despite losing by 0.5% (544K votes)
- 2016: Trump beat Clinton despite losing by 2.1% (2.9M votes)
🔵 The Pattern
- All five "wrong winners" were Republicans
- Concentration in small states vs. large state margins
- Four of five occurred when Democrats won popular vote
- System advantages low-population states (Wyoming: 195K/EV, California: 719K/EV)
Mathematical Reality: It's theoretically possible to win the presidency with just 23% of the national popular vote by winning the smallest 270-EV combination of states by one vote each while losing everywhere else by massive margins. The system is not designed for direct democracy.
The ballot is stronger than the bullet.
— Abraham LincolnParty Performance Since 1789
The two-party system wasn't inevitable — it evolved. From the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans to today's Democrats and Republicans, party dominance has shifted with the times.
Timeline: Milestones in American Elections
The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.
— John F. KennedyComplete Election Results: 1789–2024
Every presidential election in American history, with winner, runner-up, popular vote margins, electoral votes, and turnout data. This comprehensive table tells the complete story of American democracy through the numbers.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Popular Margin | Electoral Votes | Turnout % | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1789 | Washington (I) | Adams (F) | Unopposed | 69-34 | 11.6% | First election, unanimous |
| 1792 | Washington (I) | Adams (F) | Unopposed | 132-77 | 6.3% | Last unanimous election |
| 1796 | Adams (F) | Jefferson (DR) | No data | 71-68 | 20.1% | First contested election |
| 1800 | Jefferson (DR) | Adams (F) | No data | 73-65 | 31.6% | House decides Jefferson-Burr tie |
| 1804 | Jefferson (DR) | Pinckney (F) | No data | 162-14 | 23.8% | First election under 12th Amendment |
| 1808 | Madison (DR) | Pinckney (F) | No data | 122-47 | 36.8% | Embargo Act dominates |
| 1812 | Madison (DR) | Clinton (F) | No data | 128-89 | 40.4% | War of 1812 ongoing |
| 1816 | Monroe (DR) | King (F) | No data | 183-34 | 16.7% | Era of Good Feelings begins |
| 1820 | Monroe (DR) | Adams (DR) | Virtually unopposed | 231-1 | 10.1% | Missouri Compromise |
| 1824 | J.Q. Adams (DR) | Jackson (DR) | -10.44% | 84-99 | 26.9% | House picks Adams despite Jackson plurality |
| 1828 | Jackson (D) | Adams (NR) | +12.34% | 178-83 | 57.6% | Jackson's revenge, mass campaigning |
| 1832 | Jackson (D) | Clay (NR) | +16.76% | 219-49 | 55.4% | Anti-Masonic Party emerges |
| 1836 | Van Buren (D) | Harrison (W) | +14.16% | 170-73 | 57.8% | Last VP to win presidency until Bush '88 |
| 1840 | Harrison (W) | Van Buren (D) | +6.06% | 234-60 | 80.2% | "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" |
| 1844 | Polk (D) | Clay (W) | +1.45% | 170-105 | 78.9% | Manifest Destiny mandate |
| 1848 | Taylor (W) | Cass (D) | +4.79% | 163-127 | 72.7% | Free Soil Party wins 10% |
| 1852 | Pierce (D) | Scott (W) | +6.93% | 254-42 | 69.6% | Whig Party collapse |
| 1856 | Buchanan (D) | Frémont (R) | +12.20% | 174-114 | 78.9% | First Republican nominee |
| 1860 | Lincoln (R) | Douglas (D) | +10.09% | 180-12 | 81.2% | 4-way race, secession begins |
| 1864 | Lincoln (R) | McClellan (D) | +10.09% | 212-21 | 73.8% | Civil War ongoing |
| 1868 | Grant (R) | Seymour (D) | +5.32% | 214-80 | 78.1% | Reconstruction politics |
| 1872 | Grant (R) | Greeley (D/LR) | +11.81% | 286-42 | 71.3% | Liberal Republican revolt fails |
| 1876 | Hayes (R) | Tilden (D) | -3.02% | 185-184 | 81.8% | Compromise of 1877, ends Reconstruction |
| 1880 | Garfield (R) | Hancock (D) | +0.09% | 214-155 | 79.4% | Popular vote margin: 7,018 |
| 1884 | Cleveland (D) | Blaine (R) | +0.25% | 219-182 | 77.5% | First Democrat since 1856 |
| 1888 | B. Harrison (R) | Cleveland (D) | -0.83% | 233-168 | 79.3% | Cleveland wins popular vote, loses EC |
| 1892 | Cleveland (D) | Harrison (R) | +3.06% | 277-145 | 74.7% | Populist Party wins 22 EVs |
| 1896 | McKinley (R) | Bryan (D) | +4.27% | 271-176 | 79.3% | First modern campaign |
| 1900 | McKinley (R) | Bryan (D) | +6.13% | 292-155 | 73.2% | Imperialism vs. anti-imperialism |
| 1904 | T. Roosevelt (R) | Parker (D) | +18.83% | 336-140 | 65.2% | Progressive Era begins |
| 1908 | Taft (R) | Bryan (D) | +8.53% | 321-162 | 65.4% | Bryan's third defeat |
| 1912 | Wilson (D) | T. Roosevelt (P) | +14.44% | 435-88 | 58.8% | Bull Moose split gives Wilson victory |
| 1916 | Wilson (D) | Hughes (R) | +3.12% | 277-254 | 61.6% | "He kept us out of war" |
| 1920 | Harding (R) | Cox (D) | +26.17% | 404-127 | 49.2% | First election with women's suffrage |
| 1924 | Coolidge (R) | Davis (D) | +25.22% | 382-136 | 48.9% | La Follette wins Wisconsin |
| 1928 | Hoover (R) | Smith (D) | +17.38% | 444-87 | 56.9% | First Catholic nominee (Smith) |
| 1932 | F. Roosevelt (D) | Hoover (R) | +17.76% | 472-59 | 56.9% | New Deal coalition forms |
| 1936 | F. Roosevelt (D) | Landon (R) | +24.26% | 523-8 | 61.0% | Largest landslide in modern history |
| 1940 | F. Roosevelt (D) | Willkie (R) | +9.96% | 449-82 | 62.5% | First 3rd term |
| 1944 | F. Roosevelt (D) | Dewey (R) | +7.50% | 432-99 | 55.9% | Wartime election |
| 1948 | Truman (D) | Dewey (R) | +4.48% | 303-189 | 53.0% | "Dewey Defeats Truman" upset |
| 1952 | Eisenhower (R) | Stevenson (D) | +10.85% | 442-89 | 63.3% | War hero wins decisively |
| 1956 | Eisenhower (R) | Stevenson (D) | +15.40% | 457-73 | 60.6% | "I Like Ike" landslide |
| 1960 | Kennedy (D) | Nixon (R) | +0.17% | 303-219 | 63.8% | First televised debates |
| 1964 | Johnson (D) | Goldwater (R) | +22.58% | 486-52 | 61.4% | Last 20%+ margin |
| 1968 | Nixon (R) | Humphrey (D) | +0.70% | 301-191 | 60.6% | Wallace wins 5 states |
| 1972 | Nixon (R) | McGovern (D) | +23.15% | 520-17 | 55.2% | Watergate scandal brewing |
| 1976 | Carter (D) | Ford (R) | +2.06% | 297-240 | 53.5% | Post-Watergate outsider wins |
| 1980 | Reagan (R) | Carter (D) | +9.74% | 489-49 | 52.6% | Reagan Revolution begins |
| 1984 | Reagan (R) | Mondale (D) | +18.21% | 525-13 | 53.3% | "Morning again in America" |
| 1988 | Bush (R) | Dukakis (D) | +7.72% | 426-111 | 50.1% | Last VP to win since Van Buren |
| 1992 | Clinton (D) | Bush (R) | +5.56% | 370-168 | 55.2% | Perot gets 18.91% |
| 1996 | Clinton (D) | Dole (R) | +8.51% | 379-159 | 49.0% | First Democrat reelected since FDR |
| 2000 | Bush (R) | Gore (D) | -0.51% | 271-266 | 51.3% | Supreme Court decides presidency |
| 2004 | Bush (R) | Kerry (D) | +2.46% | 286-251 | 56.7% | War on Terror dominates |
| 2008 | Obama (D) | McCain (R) | +7.27% | 365-173 | 58.2% | First Black president |
| 2012 | Obama (D) | Romney (R) | +3.86% | 332-206 | 54.9% | Social media campaign |
| 2016 | Trump (R) | Clinton (D) | -2.09% | 304-227 | 55.7% | Rust Belt surprise |
| 2020 | Biden (D) | Trump (R) | +4.45% | 306-232 | 66.6% | Record turnout, mail voting |
| 2024 | Trump (R) | Harris (D) | +1.48% | 312-226 | 64.5% | Trump comeback |
Sources: Popular vote data begins in 1824. Turnout percentages based on Voting Eligible Population (VEP). Electoral vote counts include faithless electors. Party abbreviations: I=Independent, F=Federalist, DR=Democratic-Republican, D=Democratic, R=Republican, W=Whig, NR=National Republican, P=Progressive.
What the Numbers Tell Us About Tomorrow
The data reveals clear trends: elections are getting closer, turnout is rising, and the Electoral College-popular vote divide is widening. Since 2000, the average popular vote margin is just 4.9% — the closest sustained period in American history. Meanwhile, voting technology, demographic shifts, and political polarization continue reshaping the electoral landscape.
The Electoral College Question: With five "wrong winner" elections in U.S. history — and two in just the past 24 years — the gap between democratic will and constitutional mechanics has never been more apparent. Whether by National Popular Vote Interstate Compact or constitutional amendment, pressure continues building for reform of the world's oldest ongoing electoral democracy.
Your vote is your voice. It's your chance to stand up for the issues and the candidates you believe in.
— Barack ObamaSources & Methodology
Election data compiled from the Office of the Federal Register, Federal Election Commission, U.S. Census Bureau, and the American Presidency Project. Turnout percentages calculated using Voting Eligible Population (VEP) data from the United States Elections Project. Historical popular vote data begins in 1824; earlier elections had limited popular voting. Third-party vote shares include all candidates receiving electoral votes or 1%+ of popular vote.