The Closest Presidential Elections in American History

Every four years, Americans elect their president. Sometimes the vote is close (re: 2000) and sometimes not so close (re: 2008). Every now and then, the result is so close that the winner cannot be determined for weeks or even months. Let's take a look at five of the closest contests in our electoral history. Keep in mind that this is a subjective list, and is based entirely on my own opinion.

Note 1: Michael Sheppard of Michigan State University has done some great work on American presidential elections. Check it out here.

Note 2: this article only includes elections since 1840.

Close Call #5: 1916

Winner: Woodrow Wilson (incumbent Democrat)
Loser: Charles Evans Hughes (Republican)
Popular Vote Tally: 49.2% to 46.2%
Electoral Vote Tally: 277 to 254

The dominant issue in 1916 was World War I, which was already raging in Europe. While most Americans supported the British and French over Germany, they also preferred that the United States stay out of the war entirely. President Woodrow Wilson agreed with the American people, and supported the continued neutrality of the U.S. Wilson's slogan during the campaign was, "He kept us out of war."

The Republican candidate was Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes, who was a political moderate and the only member of the Supreme Court to ever be nominated for president by a major party. While he did not support going to war, he did call for the country to take bigger steps in preparation for battle.

The election was close from beginning to end. On election night, it looked as though Hughes had won, as he did very well in the eastern states, where polls closed first. However, in the end it all came down to California; the winner of that west coast state would take the White House. Wilson won the state by just 0.3%, and he was awarded with a second term as president.

Just months after the election, Wilson had to abandon neutrality when Germany began attacking American merchant ships. America's entry into the war ultimately brought it to a successful conclusion for the Allies. However, Wilson suffered a stroke during his second term, and he ended up leaving the White House as a very unpopular man.

Close Call #4: 1844

Winner: James K. Polk (Democrat)
Loser: Henry Clay (Whig)
Popular Vote Tally: 49.5% to 48.1%
Electoral Vote Tally: 170 to 105

When the election of 1844 began, James Polk was a little-know former Congressman from Tennessee, while Henry Clay was a household name. Clay had twice run for president and lost, and he was the unquestioned leader of the Whig party. Polk, by contrast, had been out of politics for 3 years and was not considered a serious candidate for the White House.

When the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, former president Martin Van Buren, could not secure the required 2/3 vote of the delegates, the party turned to Polk. Today, Polk would be considered a foreign policy "hawk", as he supported the immediate annexation of Texas into the Union and a strong stance against Great Britain in a border dispute in the Oregon Territory.

Clay, the longtime statesman, was less agressive. He initially opposed the annexation of Texas and wanted to compromise with Britain. In 1844, the spirit of manifest destiny was rampant, and the people wanted to take Texas. In response, Clay backed down and wavered on his annexation stance.

On election day, the results proved to be extremely close. Clay ended up losing the state of New York by just 5,000 votes, mostly because of a third party candidate who vehemently opposed the annexation of Texas due to the expansion of slavery that would follow it. If Clay had remained opposed to the annexation, he might have won the state, which would have handed him the election as well.

Close Call #3: 1876

Winner: Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican)
Loser: Samuel Tilden (Democrat)
Popular Vote Tally: 47.9% to 51%
Electoral Vote Tally: 185 to 184

In the aftermath of the controversial election of 2000, we heard a lot about 1876. It was very similar to 2000 in that the winner of the popular vote did not win the election. In addition, the contest of 1876 was ultimately decided by a panel of administrators rather than by the people, much like how the Supreme Court decided the election of 2000.

When the votes had been counted after the election of 1876, Tilden had a significant lead of 250,000 popular votes. However, an incredible number of problems immediately popped up. It was claimed that thousands of people in Southern states were threatened with violence if they voted for the Republican candidate. Several states had problems getting their results certified, and the governor of Oregon tried to replace one of the state's electors for no good reason.

There were so many problems that Congress ultimately appointed a 15-man commission to decide the election. Since there were 8 Republicans and 7 Democrats on the commission, the result was a foregone conclusion. Hayes was elected.

Close Call #2: 1884

Winner: Grover Cleveland (Democrat)
Loser: James G. Blaine (Republican)
Popular Vote Tally: 48.5% to 48.2%
Electoral Vote Tally: 219 to 182

We often think that modern campaigns are dirtier than ever. One look at the election of 1884, however, tells us that is far from the case. Personal attacks defined this contest, which was ultimately decided by the thinnest of margins.

The Republican candidate, former Senator James G. Blaine, was known as a corrupt politician who had sold favors while he was in Congress. His Democratic opponents - and even some Republicans who did not like him - made sure the entire country was made well aware of his clouded past.

Grover Cleveland, the governor of New York and Democratic candidate, was not immune to attacks himself. Midway through the campaign, it was reported that Cleveland had father an illegitimate child with his mistress. The child was said to be in an orphanage and the mother was said to be in an asylum. The governor shocked the whole country when he admitted that he had had an affair and that he had taken responsibility for the child.

Still, the result of the election was not assured until the final week. It was then that a Blaine supporter made a controversial statement that derided Roman Catholics, which angered many New York voters. In the end, Cleveland ended up winning the state (and the election) by a very narrow margin.

If just 575 New York voters had switched their votes from Cleveland to Blaine, the result would have been different.

Close Call #1: 2000

Winner: George W. Bush (Republican)
Loser: Al Gore (Democrat)
Popular Vote Tally: 47.9% to 48.4%
Electoral Vote Tally: 271 to 266

By 2000, America had not seen a close election in decades, but this campaign brought a whole new meaning to the term "close". Just as in 1876, the winner of the popular vote ended up losing the contest, again under controversial circumstances.

George W. Bush was the governor of Texas and son of former President George H.W. Bush. His main campaign pledge was to bring honor and honesty back to the White House after the scandal-ridden years of the Clinton administration. He also called for a new, more compassionate kind of conservatism, which emphasized educational reform.

His opponent was Clinton's Vice President, Al Gore. Gore tried hard to distance himself from his predecessor and his liberal past. He campaigned as a political centrist who could be tough in foreign affairs. Though the Clinton and Gore team was still popular, Gore suffered from a lack of charsima and a stiff personality.

After election night, there was still no way to know who had won. Though Gore held a 500,000 vote lead, the tally in Florida was too close to call. The winner of that state would win the election, and only about 500 votes seperated the two contenders. After more than a month of lawsuits, bickering, recounts, and threats, the Supreme Court was brought in to settle the fight. The five conservative justices voted to stop the recounts in Florida, which ended the election and gave the victory to Bush.

Despite going into office with less than a majority of the vote, he governed as if he had a firm mandate from the American people. His legacy is yet to be determined.