1840 Presidential Election

The Log Cabin campaign

October 30 – November 23, 1840 · Jacksonian Democracy · 294 electoral votes, 148 to win

The Whigs beat Van Buren with image politics: log cabins, hard cider and 'Tippecanoe and Tyler Too', on turnout near 80%, the highest of the era. Harrison died a month into office, making Tyler's succession the first test of the vice-presidency.

Elected

William Henry Harrison

Whig

Electoral vote

234 of 294

Popular vote

52.9%

1,275,390 votes

Turnout

80.3%

The result

Sort by

William Henry Harrison

Whig · 52.90% of votes

234

electoral votes

Martin Van Buren

Democratic · 46.80% of votes

electoral votes

James G. Birney

Liberty · 0.31% of votes

—

electoral votes


William Henry Harrison	Whig	John Tyler	234	1,275,390	52.90%	19
Martin Van Buren	Democratic	Richard Mentor Johnson	60	1,128,854	46.80%	7
James G. Birney	Liberty	Thomas Earle	—	7,453	0.31%	—

2,411,697 votes recorded for the candidates listed.

Results by state

Sort by

Alabama

Martin Van Buren · 54.4% · runner-up William Henry Harrison 45.6%

electoral votes

Arkansas

Martin Van Buren · 56.4% · runner-up William Henry Harrison 43.6%

electoral votes

Connecticut

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

electoral votes

Delaware

William Henry Harrison · 55.0% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 44.9%

electoral votes

Georgia

William Henry Harrison · 55.8% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 44.2%

electoral votes

Illinois

Martin Van Buren · 50.9% · runner-up William Henry Harrison 48.9%

electoral votes

Indiana

William Henry Harrison · 55.5% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 44.0%

electoral votes

Kentucky

William Henry Harrison · 64.2% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 35.8%

electoral votes

Louisiana

William Henry Harrison · 59.7% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 40.3%

electoral votes

Maine

William Henry Harrison · 50.2% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 49.8%

electoral votes

Maryland

William Henry Harrison · 53.8% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 46.2%

electoral votes

Massachusetts

William Henry Harrison · 57.4% · runner-up Martin Van Buren 41.3%

electoral votes


Alabama	Martin Van Buren	54.4%	7	William Henry Harrison · 45.6%
Arkansas	Martin Van Buren	56.4%	3	William Henry Harrison · 43.6%
Connecticut	William Henry Harrison	55.6%	8	Martin Van Buren · 44.5%
Delaware	William Henry Harrison	55.0%	3	Martin Van Buren · 44.9%
Georgia	William Henry Harrison	55.8%	11	Martin Van Buren · 44.2%
Illinois	Martin Van Buren	50.9%	5	William Henry Harrison · 48.9%
Indiana	William Henry Harrison	55.5%	9	Martin Van Buren · 44.0%
Kentucky	William Henry Harrison	64.2%	15	Martin Van Buren · 35.8%
Louisiana	William Henry Harrison	59.7%	5	Martin Van Buren · 40.3%
Maine	William Henry Harrison	50.2%	10	Martin Van Buren · 49.8%
Maryland	William Henry Harrison	53.8%	10	Martin Van Buren · 46.2%
Massachusetts	William Henry Harrison	57.4%	14	Martin Van Buren · 41.3%
Michigan	William Henry Harrison	52.1%	3	Martin Van Buren · 47.9%
Mississippi	William Henry Harrison	53.4%	4	Martin Van Buren · 46.6%
Missouri	Martin Van Buren	56.6%	4	William Henry Harrison · 43.4%
New Hampshire	Martin Van Buren	54.7%	7	William Henry Harrison · 43.9%
New Jersey	William Henry Harrison	51.7%	8	Martin Van Buren · 48.2%
New York	William Henry Harrison	51.2%	42	Martin Van Buren · 48.2%
North Carolina	William Henry Harrison	57.7%	15	Martin Van Buren · 42.3%
Ohio	William Henry Harrison	54.3%	21	Martin Van Buren · 45.4%
Pennsylvania	William Henry Harrison	50.1%	30	Martin Van Buren · 49.9%
Rhode Island	William Henry Harrison	60.4%	4	Martin Van Buren · 37.8%
South Carolina	Martin Van Buren	—	11	—
Tennessee	William Henry Harrison	55.7%	15	Martin Van Buren · 44.3%
Vermont	William Henry Harrison	63.9%	7	Martin Van Buren · 35.5%
Virginia	Martin Van Buren	50.7%	23	William Henry Harrison · 49.4%

The Congress it seated

27th Congress

1841–1843

Unified government

Senate

22–29

Whig control · Democratic–Whig

House

98–142 +2

Whig control · Democratic–Whig +2 independents