Notable Elections

Election of 1800

Who won: Thomas Jefferson - Democratic-Republican Significance: The first peaceful transfer of power in US history, from Federalists to Democratic-Republicans.

Election of 1824

Who won: John Quincy Adams - Democratic-Republican Significance: Jackson won by a popular vote but lost in the electoral college, leading to accusations of a corrupt bargain where Adams had a deal with Henry Clay to win the election in exchange for his government position once he gained the presidency.

Election of 1828

Who won: Andrew Jackson - Democratic Significance: A two-party system formed and there was a shift in political power from the elite to the common man, as his victory in the election led to “Jacksonian Democracy.”

Election of 1860

Who won: Abraham Lincoln - Republican

Significance: His victory highlighted the deep divisions of the country and waning Southern influence in politics, ultimately setting the stage for civil war as the South threatened secession as a result.

Election of 1876

Who won: Rutherford B. Hayes - Republican

Significance: It was a highly disputed election where the Compromise of 1877 was created to make Hayes president in exchange for him ending Reconstruction, leading to the regression in the civil rights reforms for African Americans.

Election of 1896

Who won: President McKinley - Republican

Significance: His efforts led to the economic revival of the nation during the Gilded Age along with the prioritization of industrialization, leading to the demise of the Populist Party that supported agrarian interests.

Election of 1912

Who won: Woodrow Wilson - Democratic

Significance: His presidency led to the peak of the Progressive Era where reforms were made to address industrialization's challenges, allowing for a shift towards more government intervention in economic and social issues.

Election of 1932

Who won: Franklin Roosevelt - Democratic

Significance: The New Deal began under Roosevelt's campaign with expanded government power towards relief, recovery, and reform after the Great Depression.

Election of 1960

Who won: John F. Kennedy - Democratic

Significance: It was the first-ever televised election, influencing Kennedy's victory. He sparked a new era of American politics that focused more on the civil rights movement and the New Frontier.

Election of 1968

Who won: Richard Nixon - Republican

Significance: The social unrest from the peak of the Vietnam War influenced his victory along with his goals focused on vietnamization and an imperial presidency. In addition, it ended Democratic leadership and shifted towards Republicans.

Election of 1980

Who won: Ronald Reagan - Republican

Significance: A presidency led through reaganomics to solve the struggling economy, ending New Deal policies to have a more aggressive foreign policy. His victory also signaled a conservative shift in politics.

Election of 2000

Who won: George W. Bush - Republican

Significance: The election is significant for Bush v. Gore case that led to Bush’s victory after the Supreme court overruled Florida’s Supreme Court, remembered as the closest election in history.