1812 Presidential Election

October 30 – December 2, 1812 · The Founding Era · 217 electoral votes, 109 to win

The first wartime presidential election: Madison held off DeWitt Clinton, backed by an unusual fusion of Federalists and dissident Republicans, in the closest contest between 1800 and 1824.

Elected

James Madison

Democratic-Republican

Electoral vote

128 of 217

Popular vote

50.4%

140,431 votes

Turnout

40.4%

The result

James Madison
Democratic-Republican · 50.40% of votes
128
electoral votes
DeWitt Clinton
Democratic-Republican · 47.60% of votes
89
electoral votes
Rufus King
Federalist · 2.00% of votes
—
electoral votes

Before 1824 most electors were chosen by state legislatures, so popular-vote figures cover only a handful of states.

Results by state

Connecticut
DeWitt Clinton
9
electoral votes
Delaware
DeWitt Clinton
4
electoral votes
Georgia
James Madison
8
electoral votes
Kentucky
James Madison
12
electoral votes
Louisiana
James Madison
3
electoral votes
Maryland
James Madison
5 Clinton · 6 Madison
electoral votes
Massachusetts
DeWitt Clinton
22
electoral votes
New Hampshire
DeWitt Clinton
8
electoral votes
New Jersey
DeWitt Clinton
8
electoral votes
New York
DeWitt Clinton
29
electoral votes
North Carolina
James Madison
15
electoral votes
Ohio
James Madison
7
electoral votes

States marked without popular votes chose their electors in the legislature.

The Congress it seated

13th Congress

1813–1815

Unified government

Senate

28–8

Anti-Administration control · Anti-Administration–Pro-Administration

House

114–68

Anti-Administration control · Anti-Administration–Pro-Administration