U.S. presidential election, 1836
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The U.S. presidential election of 1836 is predominantly remembered for three reasons:
- It was the last election until 1988 to result in the elevation of an incumbent Vice President to the nation's highest office.
- It was the only race in which a major political party intentionally ran several presidential candidates. The Whigs ran three different candidates in different regions of the country, hoping that each would be popular enough to defeat Democratic standard-bearer Martin Van Buren in their respective areas. The House of Representatives could then decide between the competing Whig candidates. This strategy failed: Van Buren won a majority of the electoral vote and became President.
- This election is the first (and to date only) time in which a Vice Presidential election was thrown into the Senate.
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General election
Results
Virginia's electors refused to vote for Van Buren's running mate, Richard Mentor Johnson, leaving him one vote short of the 148-vote majority required to elect. Under the Twelfth Amendment, the Senate would decide between the top two vote-getters, Johnson and Francis Granger.
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(a) The popular vote figures exclude South Carolina where the Electors were chosen by the state legislature rather than by popular vote.
(b) Template:U.S. popular vote total disclaimer
(c) Mangum received his electoral votes from South Carolina where the Electors were chosen by the state legislatures rather than by popular vote.
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Breakdown by ticket
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Contingent election
The Senate was required to choose which of Richard Johnson and Francis Granger would be the next President of the Senate. Johnson was elected easily in a single ballot.
Electoral college selection
| Method of choosing Electors | State(s) |
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| each Elector appointed by state legislature | South Carolina |
| each Elector chosen by voters statewide | (all other states) |
See also
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