1844  1848 Presidential Election Returns  1852

In 1848, incumbent President James K. Polk had achieved everything he wanted to do as President. He chose not to seek re-election. Democrats nominated former Michigan Governor and Senator Lewis Cass to take his place. The Whigs nominated Zachary Taylor, who did not completely believe in Whig principles, but was a hero of the Mexican-American War. He was reluctant to run, but he accepted the nomination. He had never even voted for a President himself! The Free Soil Party, which was formed to prevent slavery in new U.S. territories, decided to nominate former President Martin Van Buren. The Wilmot Proviso was a major issue of the campaign. It had almost passed before and it would have prohibited slavery in new territories. Cass opposed the Proviso, wanting to leave the decision to the people of new territories. Van Buren wholeheartedly supported the Proviso. Taylor didn't comment on the Proviso, but owned 100 slaves! The war hero status of Zachary Taylor led to the last Whig victory in a Presidential election. Taylor failed to win a majority of the popular vote, but was elected in the Electoral College. Had Van Buren not split the Democratic vote in New York, Lewis Cass might have won! UNITED STATES VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Taylor/Fillmore 1,386,418 47 163 Cass/Butler + 1,222,353 42 127 Van Buren/Adams 291,501 10 0 Smith/Foote 2,545 0 0 All Other Candidates 285 0 0 ALABAMA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 31,173 51 9 Taylor/Fillmore 30,482 49 0 ARKANSAS VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 9,301 55 3 Taylor/Fillmore 7,587 45 0 CONNECTICUT VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 27,051 43 0 Taylor/Fillmore 30,318 49 6 Van Buren/Adams 5,005 8 0 DELAWARE VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 5,910 48 0 Taylor/Fillmore 6,440 52 3 FLORIDA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 3,083 43 0 Taylor/Fillmore 4,120 57 3 GEORGIA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 44,785 49 0 Taylor/Fillmore 47,532 51 10 ILLINOIS VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 55,952 45 9 Taylor/Fillmore 52,853 42 0 Van Buren/Adams 15,702 13 0 INDIANA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 74,745 49 12 Taylor/Fillmore 69,907 46 0 Van Buren/Adams 8,100 5 0 IOWA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 11,238 50 4 Taylor/Fillmore 9,930 45 0 Van Buren/Adams 1,103 5 0 KENTUCKY VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 49,720 43 0 Taylor/Fillmore 67,145 57 12 LOUISIANA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 15,379 45 0 Taylor/Fillmore 18,487 55 6 MAINE VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 40,195 46 9 Taylor/Fillmore 35,273 40 0 Van Buren/Adams 12,157 14 0 MARYLAND VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 37,702 52 8 Taylor/Fillmore 34,528 48 0 MASSACHUSETTS VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 35,281 26 0 Taylor/Fillmore 61,072 45 12 Van Buren/Adams 38,333 28 0 MICHIGAN VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 30,742 47 5 Taylor/Fillmore 23,947 37 0 Van Buren/Adams 10,393 16 0 MISSISSIPPI VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 26,545 51 6 Taylor/Fillmore 25,911 49 0 MISSOURI VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 32,671 45 0 Taylor/Fillmore 40,077 55 7 NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 27,763 55 6 Taylor/Fillmore 14,781 30 0 Van Buren/Adams 7,560 15 0 NEW JERSEY VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 36,901 47 0 Taylor/Fillmore 40,015 51 7 NEW YORK VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 114,319 25 0 Taylor/Fillmore 218,583 48 36 Van Buren/Adams 120,497 26 0 NORTH CAROLINA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 35,772 45 0 Taylor/Fillmore 44,054 55 11 OHIO VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 154,773 47 23 Taylor/Fillmore 138,359 42 0 Van Buren/Adams 35,347 11 0 PENNSYLVANIA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 171,976 47 0 Taylor/Fillmore 185,313 50 26 RHODE ISLAND VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 3,646 33 0 Taylor/Fillmore 6,779 61 4 Van Buren/Adams 730 7 0 SOUTH CAROLINA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + No Popular Vote -- 9 TENNESSEE VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 58,142 47 0 Taylor/Fillmore 64,321 53 13 TEXAS VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 10,668 70 4 Taylor/Fillmore 4,509 30 0 VERMONT VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 10,948 23 0 Taylor/Fillmore 23,132 48 6 Van Buren/Adams 13,837 29 0 VIRGINIA VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 46,739 51 17 Taylor/Fillmore 45,265 49 0 WISCONSIN VOTES PERCENT ELECTORAL VOTE Cass/Butler + 15,001 38 4 Taylor/Fillmore 13,747 35 0 Van Buren/Adams 10,418 27 0 SYMBOLS KEY Whig Democrat Other Free Soil Winner American (Know Nothing) * Incumbent + Incumbent Party