1820 Presidential Election

November 1 – December 6, 1820 · The Founding Era · 232 electoral votes, 117 to win

Monroe ran effectively unopposed at the height of the Era of Good Feelings, taking every electoral vote but one. The 16% recorded against him was cast for scattered Federalist electors with no candidate.

Elected

James Monroe

Democratic-Republican

Electoral vote

231 of 232

Popular vote

80.6%

87,343 votes

Turnout

10.1%

The result

EV share
James MonroeDemocratic-RepublicanDaniel D. Tompkins231
87,34380.60%24
John Quincy AdamsDemocratic-RepublicanRichard Rush (Federalist)1
2,2152.04%
No candidateFederalist17,46516.12%
DeWitt ClintonDemocratic-Republican1,8931.75%
Unpledged electorsIndependent1,6581.53%

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

Results by state

AlabamaJames Monroe3
ConnecticutJames Monroe9
DelawareJames Monroe4
GeorgiaJames Monroe8
IllinoisJames Monroe3
IndianaJames Monroe3
KentuckyJames Monroe12
LouisianaJames Monroe3
MaineJames Monroe9
MarylandJames Monroe11
MassachusettsJames Monroe15
MississippiJames Monroe2
MissouriJames Monroe3
New HampshireJames Monroe7
New JerseyJames Monroe8
New YorkJames Monroe29
North CarolinaJames Monroe15
OhioJames Monroe8
PennsylvaniaJames Monroe24
Rhode IslandJames Monroe4
South CarolinaJames Monroe11
TennesseeJames Monroe7
VermontJames Monroe8
VirginiaJames Monroe25

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

The Congress it seated

17th Congress

1821–1823

Unified government

Senate

44–4

Anti-Administration vs Pro-Administration

House

155–32

Anti-Administration vs Pro-Administration