The Presidency That Took 36 BALLOTS… (1800) #Shorts
Pack: 40 - The Presidency That Took 36 BALLOTS… (1800)
The election of 1800 ended in a tie, and not between rivals: between running mates. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr each had 73 electoral votes, and the House of Representatives needed 36 ballots to choose between them. The story in the original electoral tally and the record.
- Jefferson 73, Burr 73: electors then cast two votes each, with no separate vote for vice president (National Archives).
- The House voted by state, nine of sixteen needed, starting February 11, 1801; 35 ballots produced no winner (U.S. House, Office of the Historian).
- On the 36th ballot, February 17, 1801, Delaware's lone representative, James A. Bayard, turned in a blank ballot (Delaware Public Archives).
- Jefferson won ten states to four, with two states making no choice (National Archives).
- The 12th Amendment, passed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and ratified June 15, 1804, gave president and vice president separate electoral votes (National Archives).
Jefferson or Burr: who would you have picked? Tell us in the comments. Full story in our documentary, The Full History of Voting in America.
Quick answers
What is “The Presidency That Took 36 BALLOTS… (1800)” about?
The election of 1800 ended in a tie, and not between rivals: between running mates. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr each had 73 electoral votes, and the House of Representatives needed 36 ballots to choose between them. The story in the original electoral tally and the record.
What are the key facts?
Jefferson 73, Burr 73: electors then cast two votes each, with no separate vote for vice president (National Archives). The House voted by state, nine of sixteen needed, starting February 11, 1801; 35 ballots produced no winner (U.S. House, Office of the Historian).
What sources is this Short based on?
It cites National Archives, Electoral College results, 1800; National Archives, Prologue blog, "The Election of 1800"; U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Historian, "Electoral College"; Delaware Public Archives, "The Presidential Election of 1800: A Delawarean Makes the Difference"; and 1 more. Links are in the Sources list below.
Sources
- National Archives, Electoral College results, 1800
- National Archives, Prologue blog, "The Election of 1800"
- U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Historian, "Electoral College"
- Delaware Public Archives, "The Presidential Election of 1800: A Delawarean Makes the Difference"
- National Archives, The Constitution: Amendments 11-27
Images
- Tally of Electoral Votes for the 1800 Presidential Election, February 11, 1801, National Archives — U.S. Senate — Public domain —
- Thomas Jefferson, 1800, White House — Rembrandt Peale — Public domain —
- A view of the Capitol of Washington before it was burnt down by the British, c. 1800, Library of Congress — William Russell Birch — Public domain —
- Aaron Burr, 1802 (background) — John Vanderlyn — Public domain —
- James A. Bayard, engraving c. 1815, New York Public Library — Goodman & Piggot after Wertmüller — Public domain —
- Twelfth Amendment, enrolled joint resolution, National Archives — U.S. Congress — Public domain —
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