President John Adams was facing
re-election on tougher ground than his election. He had been
controversial. His support of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which
were his attempt to silence political opposition, had been met with
resistance. Adams even used these acts against Jefferson's campaign! People were skeptical about motivating the new army
to war against France after the French Revolution. The Federalists
were also divided between supporting John Adams and Alexander
Hamilton. Into the gap stepped the Democratic-Republican opposition
through Thomas Jefferson. After a slew of personal attacks between
the candidates in their 1800 rematch, Jefferson prevailed. However,
he did tie Aaron Burr in the electoral vote.
Due to the tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, the House of
Representatives elected Jefferson on the 36th ballot! This only
happened after Alexander Hamilton, an old rival of Jefferson,
decided that he didn't trust Aaron Burr to be President. He
convinced some Congressmen not to vote, which broke the deadlock in
favor of Jefferson. The twelfth
amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified as a result
to compel the President and Vice-President to be elected on tickets,
rather than than the original system, where every elector voted for
two candidates and the first place winner was President and the
second place winner was Vice-President.
|
UNITED STATES |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
45,467 |
61 |
73 |
Aaron Burr |
-- |
-- |
73 |
John Adams* |
29,621 |
39 |
65 |
Charles Pinckney |
-- |
-- |
64 |
John Jay |
-- |
-- |
1 |
The House of
Representatives voted 10-5 on the 36th ballot to elect Thomas
Jefferson as President of the United States. Aaron Burr became
Vice-President. |
CONNECTICUT |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
John Adams*
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
9 |
DELAWARE |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
John Adams*
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
3 |
GEORGIA |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
4 |
KENTUCKY |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
119 |
100 |
4 |
MARYLAND |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
10,638 |
51 |
5 |
John Adams* |
10,068 |
49 |
5 |
MASSACHUSETTS |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
John Adams*
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
16 |
NEW HAMPSHIRE |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
John Adams*
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
6 |
NEW JERSEY |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
John Adams*
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
7 |
NEW YORK |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
12 |
NORTH CAROLINA |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
11,593 |
51 |
8 |
John Adams* |
11,025 |
49 |
4 |
PENNSYLVANIA |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
8 |
John Adams* |
No Popular Vote |
-- |
7 |
RHODE ISLAND |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson |
2,159 |
48 |
0 |
John Adams*
|
2,353 |
52 |
4 |
SOUTH CAROLINA |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
8 |
TENNESSEE |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
No Data |
-- |
3 |
VERMONT |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
John Adams*
|
No Popular Vote |
-- |
4 |
VIRGINIA |
VOTES |
PERCENT |
ELECTORAL VOTE |
Thomas Jefferson
|
21,002 |
77 |
21 |
John Adams* |
6,175 |
23 |
0 |
|