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

EV share
William Henry HarrisonWhigJohn Tyler234
1,275,39052.90%19
Martin Van BurenDemocraticRichard Mentor Johnson60
1,128,85446.80%7
James G. BirneyLibertyThomas Earle7,4530.31%

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

Results by state

AlabamaMartin Van Buren54.4%7William Henry Harrison · 45.6%
ArkansasMartin Van Buren56.4%3William Henry Harrison · 43.6%
ConnecticutWilliam Henry Harrison55.6%8Martin Van Buren · 44.5%
DelawareWilliam Henry Harrison55.0%3Martin Van Buren · 44.9%
GeorgiaWilliam Henry Harrison55.8%11Martin Van Buren · 44.2%
IllinoisMartin Van Buren50.9%5William Henry Harrison · 48.9%
IndianaWilliam Henry Harrison55.5%9Martin Van Buren · 44.0%
KentuckyWilliam Henry Harrison64.2%15Martin Van Buren · 35.8%
LouisianaWilliam Henry Harrison59.7%5Martin Van Buren · 40.3%
MaineWilliam Henry Harrison50.2%10Martin Van Buren · 49.8%
MarylandWilliam Henry Harrison53.8%10Martin Van Buren · 46.2%
MassachusettsWilliam Henry Harrison57.4%14Martin Van Buren · 41.3%
MichiganWilliam Henry Harrison52.1%3Martin Van Buren · 47.9%
MississippiWilliam Henry Harrison53.4%4Martin Van Buren · 46.6%
MissouriMartin Van Buren56.6%4William Henry Harrison · 43.4%
New HampshireMartin Van Buren54.7%7William Henry Harrison · 43.9%
New JerseyWilliam Henry Harrison51.7%8Martin Van Buren · 48.2%
New YorkWilliam Henry Harrison51.2%42Martin Van Buren · 48.2%
North CarolinaWilliam Henry Harrison57.7%15Martin Van Buren · 42.3%
OhioWilliam Henry Harrison54.3%21Martin Van Buren · 45.4%
PennsylvaniaWilliam Henry Harrison50.1%30Martin Van Buren · 49.9%
Rhode IslandWilliam Henry Harrison60.4%4Martin Van Buren · 37.8%
South CarolinaMartin Van Buren11
TennesseeWilliam Henry Harrison55.7%15Martin Van Buren · 44.3%
VermontWilliam Henry Harrison63.9%7Martin Van Buren · 35.5%
VirginiaMartin Van Buren50.7%23William Henry Harrison · 49.4%

The Congress it seated

27th Congress

1841–1843

Unified government

Senate

22–29

Democratic vs Whig

House

98–142

Democratic vs Whig · 2 others