The Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides the procedure for electing the president and vice president. It replaced the procedure in Article II, Section 1, Clause 3, under which the Electoral College originally functioned. The amendment was proposed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and was ratified by the requisite three-fourths of state legislatures on June 15, 1804. The new rules took effect for the 1804 presidential election and have governed all subsequent presidential elections.
Presidential elections were first held in the United States from December 15, 1788 to January 7, 1789, under the new Constitution ratified in 1788. George Washington was unanimously elected for the first of his two terms as president and John Adams became the first vice president. This was the only U.S. presidential election that spanned two calendar years without a contingent election and the first national presidential election in American history.
The 1792 presidential election were held in the United States from November 2 to December 5, 1792. Incumbent President George Washington was elected to a second term by a unanimous vote in the electoral college, while John Adams was reelected as vice president. Washington was essentially unopposed, but Adams faced a competitive re-election against Governor George Clinton of New York.
Presidential elections were held in the United States from November 4 to December 7, 1796, when electors throughout the United States cast their ballots. It was the first contested American presidential election, the first presidential election in which political parties played a dominant role, and the only presidential election in which a president and vice president were elected from opposing tickets. Incumbent vice president John Adams of the Federalist Party defeated former secretary of state Thomas Jefferson of the Democratic-Republican Party.
Presidential elections were held in the United States from November 4 to December 7, 1808. The Democratic-Republican candidate James Madison defeated Federalist candidate Charles Cotesworth Pinckney decisively.
Presidential elections were held in the United States from November 1 to December 4, 1816. In the first election following the end of the War of 1812, Democratic-Republican candidate James Monroe defeated Federalist Rufus King. The election was the last in which the Federalist Party fielded a presidential candidate.
Presidential elections were held in the United States from November 1 to December 6, 1820. Taking place at the height of the Era of Good Feelings, the election saw incumbent Democratic-Republican President James Monroe win reelection without a major opponent. It was the third and the most recent United States presidential election in which a presidential candidate ran effectively unopposed. James Monroe's re-election marked the first time in U.S. history that a third consecutive president won a second election.
In the United States, the Electoral College is the group of presidential electors that is formed every four years during the presidential election for the sole purpose of voting for the president and vice president. The process is described in Article Two of the Constitution. The number of electoral votes exercised by each state is equal to that state's congressional delegation which is the number of Senators (two) plus the number of Representatives for that state. Each state appoints electors using legal procedures determined by its legislature. Federal office holders, including senators and representatives, cannot be electors. Additionally, the Twenty-third Amendment granted the federal District of Columbia three electors. A simple majority of electoral votes is required to elect the president and vice president. If no candidate achieves a majority, a contingent election is held by the House of Representatives, to elect the president, and by the Senate, to elect the vice president.
The 1816 United States presidential election in Connecticut took place between November 1 to December 4, 1816, as part of the 1816 United States presidential election. The state legislature chose nine representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
The 1816 United States presidential election in Maryland took place on an unknown date in 1816, as part of the 1816 presidential election. Voters chose eleven representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
The 1820 United States presidential election in Delaware took place between 1 November and 6 December 1820, as part of the 1820 United States presidential election. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
The 1812 United States presidential election in Delaware took place between 30 October and 2 December 1812, as part of the 1812 United States presidential election. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President. Delaware had gained one additional elector compared to the previous election in 1808.
The 1808 United States presidential election in Delaware took place between 4 November and 7 December 1808, as part of the 1808 United States presidential election. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
The 1804 United States presidential election in Delaware took place between 2 November and 5 December 1804, as part of the 1804 United States presidential election. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
The 1800 United States presidential election in Delaware took place between 31 October and 3 December 1800, as part of the 1800 United States presidential election. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
The 1796 United States presidential election in Delaware took place between 4 November and 7 December 1796, as part of the 1796 United States presidential election. Voters chose three representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
The 1816 United States presidential election in New Hampshire took place between 1 November and 4 December 1816, as part of the 1816 United States presidential election. Voters chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
The 1816 United States presidential election in Georgia took place between 1 November and 4 December 1816, as part of the 1816 United States presidential election. The state legislature chose eight representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
The 1816 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place between 1 November and 4 December 1816, as part of the 1816 United States presidential election. Voters chose twelve representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
