December 15, 1788 – January 7, 1789 · The Founding Era · 138 electoral votes, 70 to win
Washington was elected unanimously, the only president chosen without opposition, with Adams becoming vice president under the original two-votes-per-elector system. New York, North Carolina and Rhode Island cast no electoral votes, their ratification politics unresolved.
Elected
George Washington
Independent
Electoral vote
69 of 138
Popular vote
100.0%
43,782 votes
Turnout
11.6%
The result
George Washington
Independent · 100.00% of votes
69
electoral votes
John Adams
Federalist
34
electoral votes
John Jay
Federalist
9
electoral votes
Robert H. Harrison
Federalist
6
electoral votes
John Rutledge
Federalist
6
electoral votes
John Hancock
Federalist
4
electoral votes
George Clinton
Anti-Administration
3
electoral votes
Samuel Huntington
Federalist
2
electoral votes
John Milton
Federalist
2
electoral votes
James Armstrong
Federalist
1
electoral votes
Benjamin Lincoln
Federalist
1
electoral votes
Edward Telfair
Federalist
1
electoral votes
EV share
George Washington
Independent
—
69
43,782
100.00%
10
John Adams
Federalist
—
34
—
—
—
John Jay
Federalist
—
9
—
—
—
Robert H. Harrison
Federalist
—
6
—
—
—
John Rutledge
Federalist
—
6
—
—
—
John Hancock
Federalist
—
4
—
—
—
George Clinton
Anti-Administration
—
3
—
—
—
Samuel Huntington
Federalist
—
2
—
—
—
John Milton
Federalist
—
2
—
—
—
James Armstrong
Federalist
—
1
—
—
—
Benjamin Lincoln
Federalist
—
1
—
—
—
Edward Telfair
Federalist
—
1
—
—
—
Before 1824 most electors were chosen by state legislatures, so popular-vote figures cover only a handful of states, and until the 12th Amendment each elector cast two votes, with the runner-up becoming vice president.
Results by state
Connecticut
George Washington
7
electoral votes
Delaware
George Washington
3
electoral votes
Georgia
George Washington
5
electoral votes
Maryland
George Washington
6
electoral votes
Massachusetts
George Washington
10
electoral votes
New Hampshire
George Washington
5
electoral votes
New Jersey
George Washington
6
electoral votes
New York
George Washington
—
electoral votes
North Carolina
George Washington
—
electoral votes
Pennsylvania
George Washington
10
electoral votes
Rhode Island
George Washington
—
electoral votes
South Carolina
George Washington
7
electoral votes
Connecticut
George Washington
—
7
—
Delaware
George Washington
—
3
—
Georgia
George Washington
—
5
—
Maryland
George Washington
—
6
—
Massachusetts
George Washington
—
10
—
New Hampshire
George Washington
—
5
—
New Jersey
George Washington
—
6
—
New York
George Washington
—
—
—
North Carolina
George Washington
—
—
—
Pennsylvania
George Washington
—
10
—
Rhode Island
George Washington
—
—
—
South Carolina
George Washington
—
7
—
Virginia
George Washington
—
10
—
States marked without popular votes chose their electors in the legislature.
The Congress it seated
1th Congress
1789–1791
Unified government
Senate
8–18
Pro-Administration control · Anti-Administration–Pro-Administration
House
28–37
Pro-Administration control · Anti-Administration–Pro-Administration