Urho Kekkonen was elected by the electoral college on the third ballot with 151 of 300 votes, against Karl August Fagerholm's 149. Elector turnout 73.4%; the largest list was the Candidature of Urho Kekkonen, with 88 electors.
President before
Juho Kusti Paasikivi
National Coalition Party
Elected President
Urho Kekkonen
Agrarian League
Decided by
151 of 300
third ballot
Elector turnout
73.4%
the popular vote that chose the college
Every ballot
Votes of the 300 electors. An absolute majority wins on the first two ballots; a third ballot is a straight choice between the top two.
Urho Kekkonen
Agrarian League · 50.3%
151
third ballot
Karl August Fagerholm
Social Democratic Party · 49.7%
149
third ballot
Juho Kusti Paasikivi
National Coalition Party
—
third ballot
Sakari Tuomioja
Liberal League
—
third ballot
Eino Kilpi
Finnish People's Democratic League
—
third ballot
Ralf Törngren
Swedish People's Party
—
third ballot
Eero Rydman
People's Party
—
third ballot
Urho Kekkonen
Agrarian League
8829.3%
10234.0%
15150.3%
Karl August Fagerholm
Social Democratic Party
7224.0%
11438.0%
14949.7%
Juho Kusti Paasikivi
National Coalition Party
—
8428.0%
—
Sakari Tuomioja
Liberal League
5719.0%
—
—
Eino Kilpi
Finnish People's Democratic League
5618.7%
—
—
Ralf Törngren
Swedish People's Party
206.7%
—
—
Eero Rydman
People's Party
72.3%
—
—
Who filled the college
The popular vote for electors, list by list, and the electors each list won. Lists running together under one candidate are shown with their alliance.