1836 Presidential Election

February 8, 1837 · Jacksonian Democracy · 294 electoral votes, 148 to win

Van Buren, Jackson's designated heir, defeated a Whig strategy of running three regional candidates intended to throw the race to the House. Johnson's vice-presidency was decided by the Senate, the only time that has happened.

Elected

Martin Van Buren

Democratic

Electoral vote

170 of 294

Popular vote

56.0%

764,176 votes

Turnout

56.5%

The result

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Martin Van Buren

Democratic · 56.00% of votes

170

electoral votes

William Henry Harrison

Whig · 36.60% of votes

electoral votes

Daniel Webster

Whig · 2.70% of votes

electoral votes

Willie Person Mangum

Whig · 0.00% of votes

electoral votes

Hugh Lawson White

Whig · 9.70% of votes

—

electoral votes


Martin Van Buren	Democratic	Richard Mentor Johnson	170	764,176	56.00%	15
William Henry Harrison	Whig	Francis Granger	73	549,907	36.60%	7
Daniel Webster	Whig	Francis Granger	14	41,201	2.70%	—
Willie Person Mangum	Whig	John Tyler	11	0	0.00%	—
Hugh Lawson White	Whig	John Tyler	—	146,107	9.70%	2

1,501,391 votes recorded for the candidates listed.

Results by state

Sort by

Alabama

Martin Van Buren · 55.3% · runner-up Hugh Lawson White 44.7%

electoral votes

Arkansas

Martin Van Buren · 64.1% · runner-up Hugh Lawson White 35.9%

electoral votes

Connecticut

Martin Van Buren · 50.7% · runner-up William Henry Harrison 49.4%

electoral votes

Delaware

William Henry Harrison · 53.2% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 46.7%

electoral votes

Georgia

Hugh Lawson White · 51.8% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 48.2%

electoral votes

Illinois

Martin Van Buren · 54.7% · runner-up William Henry Harrison 45.3%

electoral votes

Indiana

William Henry Harrison · 55.6% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 44.5%

electoral votes

Kentucky

William Henry Harrison · 52.6% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 47.4%

electoral votes

Louisiana

Martin Van Buren · 51.7% · runner-up Hugh Lawson White 48.3%

electoral votes

Maine

Martin Van Buren · 58.9% · runner-up William Henry Harrison 38.2%

electoral votes

Maryland

William Henry Harrison · 53.7% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 46.3%

electoral votes

Massachusetts

Martin Van Buren · 44.8%

—

electoral votes


Alabama	Martin Van Buren	55.3%	7	Hugh Lawson White · 44.7%
Arkansas	Martin Van Buren	64.1%	3	Hugh Lawson White · 35.9%
Connecticut	Martin Van Buren	50.7%	8	William Henry Harrison · 49.4%
Delaware	William Henry Harrison	53.2%	3	Martin Van Buren · 46.7%
Georgia	Hugh Lawson White	51.8%	11	Martin Van Buren · 48.2%
Illinois	Martin Van Buren	54.7%	5	William Henry Harrison · 45.3%
Indiana	William Henry Harrison	55.6%	9	Martin Van Buren · 44.5%
Kentucky	William Henry Harrison	52.6%	15	Martin Van Buren · 47.4%
Louisiana	Martin Van Buren	51.7%	5	Hugh Lawson White · 48.3%
Maine	Martin Van Buren	58.9%	10	William Henry Harrison · 38.2%
Maryland	William Henry Harrison	53.7%	10	Martin Van Buren · 46.3%
Massachusetts	Martin Van Buren	44.8%	—	—
Michigan	Martin Van Buren	54.0%	3	William Henry Harrison · 46.0%
Mississippi	Martin Van Buren	51.3%	4	Hugh Lawson White · 48.7%
Missouri	Martin Van Buren	60.0%	4	Hugh Lawson White · 40.0%
New Hampshire	Martin Van Buren	75.0%	7	William Henry Harrison · 25.0%
New Jersey	William Henry Harrison	50.5%	8	Martin Van Buren · 49.5%
New York	Martin Van Buren	54.6%	42	William Henry Harrison · 45.4%
North Carolina	Martin Van Buren	53.1%	15	Hugh Lawson White · 46.9%
Ohio	William Henry Harrison	52.1%	21	Martin Van Buren · 47.9%
Pennsylvania	Martin Van Buren	51.2%	30	William Henry Harrison · 48.8%
Rhode Island	Martin Van Buren	52.2%	4	William Henry Harrison · 47.8%
South Carolina	William Henry Harrison	—	—	—
Tennessee	Hugh Lawson White	57.9%	15	Martin Van Buren · 42.1%
Vermont	William Henry Harrison	59.8%	7	Martin Van Buren · 40.0%
Virginia	Martin Van Buren	56.6%	23	Hugh Lawson White · 43.4%

The Congress it seated

25th Congress

1837–1839

Unified government

Senate

35–17

Democratic control · Democratic–Whig

House

128–100 +14

Democratic control · Democratic–Whig +14 independents