Which presidents lost the popular vote (but won the election)?
Five presidents lost the popular vote, but won the election: John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump.
These five presidents are stuck together in the Unpopular Bond—the next infographic in our Iconic Bonding series. Check it out (and hopefully learn a thing or two along the way)!
A TIME LINE OF EVENTS
1824 ELECTION
Andrew Jackson received the most electoral votes, but not a majority. John Quincy Adams was chosen by the House of Representatives, and Jackson supporters called it a corrupt bargain.
1876 ELECTION
In a disputed election, Rutherford B. Hayes defeated Samuel J. Tilden by one electoral vote.
1888 ELECTION
Benjamin Harrison defeated incumbent Grover Cleveland—only to be defeated by Cleveland in the next election.
2000 ELECTION
George W. Bush defeated Al Gore after the Supreme Court ended a recount.
2020 ELECTION
Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by more than 2.8 million votes, but he won the electoral vote.
WHAT IS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE?
The Constitution established the electoral college system to elect the president and vice president. Today, it takes 270 electoral votes to win a presidential election.
A state’s electoral votes are calculated by adding its number of representatives (depends on population) and its number of senators (all states have two). For example, Hawaii has two representatives and two senators, so it has a total of four electoral votes. At 54 votes, California currently has the most electoral votes.
From the corrupt bargain to the Florida recount, learn about all fifty-nine presidential elections in our colorful and engaging infographic. There’s always something new to learn! Be sure to check out our poster.
Our Book
If you enjoy our infographics, you’ll love our book!
Davis, Kenneth C., and Pedro Martin. Don’t Know Much about the Presidents. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2014.
DeGregorio, William A., and Aaron Jaffe. The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade Books, Inc., 2017.
Kane, Joseph Nathan, and Janet Podell. Facts about the Presidents: A Compilation of Biographical and Historical Information. New York: H.W. Wilson, 2009.
The Adamses were the first father-son duo to be elected President. The Adams family connection to the New World goes way back. In fact, John Adams’sgreat-great-grandparents were among the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth in 1620.
John andJohn Quincyexperienced similar careers: both went to Harvard, both were lawyers, and both were elected to one presidential term.
“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.”
~John Adams, in a letter to Abigail Adams, 1780
George Herbert Walker BushandGeorge Walker Bushwere the second father-son duo to reach the White House. Incidentally, the Bush presidents share some similarities with the Adams presidents.
Both John Adams and George H. W. Bush served as vice presidents before being elected president. John Quincy and George W. both entered the White House under controversy.
John Quincy Adams defeated Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay in the election of 1824 – in what was dubbed “The Corrupt Bargain” by Jackson supporters. In 2000 George W. Bush defeated Al Gore in a presidential election that wasn’t finalized until five weeks after Election Day. Neither John Quincy Adams nor George W. Bush received the majority of the popular vote in their elections. As a matter of fact, the elections of 1824 and 2000 were both decided by outside of the Electoral College. The House of Representatives made the final decision in 1824, and in a five to four vote, the U.S. Supreme Court ended the 2000 election with a George W. Bush victory.
“I had watched Dad climb into the biggest arena and succeed. I wanted to find out if I had what it took to join him.”
~George W. Bush, Decision Points, 2010
Grandfather & Grandson
The Harrison family name was etched in American history books when Benjamin Harrison V signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Founding Father Harrison had a son named William Henry, who eventually became a war hero, a president (for thirty days), and the origin of a presidential legend. William Henry’s grandson, Benjamin would also reach the White House when he was elected in 1888.
The election of 1840 was truly a national campaign with slogans, songs, and even nicknames. William Henry Harrison, or “Old Tippecanoe,” ran as an everyman candidate who was born in a log cabin. However, Harrison’s beginnings were far from modest. The Harrison family had been a wealthy Virginia family from the beginning of the nation.
As the grandson of a president and the great-grandson of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Harrisonbrought a distinguished name into the White House. However, most historians agree that his one term as president didn’t shine nearly as brightly as his family name.
Cousins
James MadisonandZachary Taylorwere second cousins. James Madison was a devoted student of history, law, and politics. As a an influential Founder, he played a leading role in framing the Constitution and introducing the Bill of Rights.
Zachary Taylor, on the other hand, was a military hero who arguably knew little about government, law, or politics when he was elected. How about that? The Father of the Constitution and the president who was a first-time voter at his own election are related.
The Roosevelts were fifth cousins. Teddy was the uncle of Eleanor. In fact, when Franklin and Eleanor married, Teddy gave the bride away. Teddy’s signature can be seen on Franklin and Eleanor’s marriage certificate below.
Genealogists have determined that FDR is related – by blood or marriage – to a total of eleven presidents: George Washington, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, James Madison, Zachary Taylor, William Henry Harrison, Benjamin Harrison, Martin Van Buren, Ulysses S. Grant, and William Howard Taft.
“It is a good thing to keep the name in the family.”
~Teddy Roosevelt to a reporter at the Franklin Roosevelt-Eleanor Roosevelt wedding, 1905
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