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1864 United States presidential election

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1864 United States presidential election
← 1860 November 8, 1864 1868 →
234 members[a] (+17 invalidated)[b] of the Electoral College
118 electoral votes needed to win
Turnout73.8%[3] Decrease 7.4 pp
 
Nominee Abraham Lincoln George B. McClellan
Party National Union Democratic
Home state Illinois New Jersey
Running mate Andrew Johnson George H. Pendleton
Electoral vote 212 (+17 invalidated)[a][b] 21
States carried 22 (+2 invalidated) 3
Popular vote 2,218,388 1,812,807
Percentage 55.02% 44.96%
Presidential election results map. Red states were won by Lincoln/Johnson, Blue states were won by McClellan/Pendleton, and Brown (Confederate) states did not vote. Union supporters in the Confederate states of Louisiana and Tennessee attempted, but were not allowed, to vote.[2] Numbers show electoral votes cast by each state.
President before election

Abraham Lincoln
Republican

 Elected President

Abraham Lincoln
National Union

The 1864 United States presidential election was on November 8, 1864. It was the 20th election in the history of the United States. President Abraham Lincoln was the National Union Party candidate. Union Army general George B. McClellan was the Democratic Party candidate. Lincoln won the election with 212 electoral votes. McClellan got just 21 electoral votes.

The election happened during the American Civil War. Lincoln and McClellan both promised to win the war if elected. The candidates had very different opinions on slavery. Lincoln promised to end slavery in the United States, while McClellan did not support ending slavery.[4]

Lincoln thought he would lose the election at first. Some National Union Party supporters thought the party should choose a different candidate. Many people were tired of the war after three years of fighting. Democrats made racist attacks on Lincoln and blamed him for fighting so long to end slavery. Democratic writers called Lincoln an "ape" and a "widow-maker" who cared more about African Americans than ending the war.[4]

The Union Army won a victory in the Atlanta Campaign a short time before the election. Many voters felt Lincoln was responsible for this victory. While McClellan supported the war, other Democrats called the war a "failure." The different opinions in the Democratic Party made McClellan seem like a weak leader. Lincoln won a landslide victory on Election Day. 53% of civilians and 78% of soldiers voted for Lincoln. Many historians share the opinion that voters rewarded Lincoln for leading the Union to victory in the war.[4]

Lincoln was the first president to win two elections since Andrew Jackson.[4] He was the first president to be chosen twice by his party since Martin Van Buren, who ran in 1836 and 1840.[5][6][7]

Candidates

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National Union Party

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1864 National Union Party candidates
Abraham Lincoln Andrew Johnson
for President for Vice President
16th
President of the United States
(1861–1865)		 Military Governor of Tennessee
(1862–1865)

Presidential

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  • Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States from Illinois (1861-1865) (Presidential candidate)
  • Ulysses S. Grant, commanding general of the Union Army from Ohio (1864-1869) (1868 GOP Nominee) (Becomes POTUS in 1869) (Did not want to run)

Vice presidential

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Democratic Party

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1864 Democratic Party candidates
George B. McClellan George H. Pendleton
for President for Vice President
4th
Commanding General of the Union Army
(1861–1862)		 U.S. Representative
from Ohio's 1st congressional district
(1857–1865)

Presidential

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Vice presidential

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Notes

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  1. 1 2 One National Union Party elector from Nevada was not able to vote.[1]
  2. 1 2 Union supporters in the Confederate states of Louisiana and Tennessee attempted, but were not allowed, to vote.[2]

References

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  1. ↑ Rocha, Guy. "Nevada Myths". Nevada State Library and Archives. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 Donald, David Herbert; Baker, Jean Harvey; Holt, Michael F. (2001). The Civil War and Reconstruction. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 427. ISBN 9780393974270.
  3. ↑ "Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections". The American Presidency Project. UC Santa Barbara.
  4. 1 2 3 4 McPherson, James M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Oxford University. pp. 716, 771–72.
  5. ↑ Haynes, Stan M. (2014-05-26). "Lincoln's Renomination 150 Years Ago Broke a Trend". History News Network. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  6. ↑ Greenspan, Jesse (2014-11-06). "How Abraham Lincoln Won Re-Election During the Civil War". HISTORY. Retrieved 2025-09-24.
  7. ↑ HISTORY.com, Editors (2009-11-13). "Abraham Lincoln reelected | November 8, 1864". HISTORY. Retrieved 2025-09-24. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
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