U.S. presidential election, 1824

Summary

The election of 1824 is often considered a realigning election.

Though the Federalist Party was gone, divisions in the Democratic-Republican Party ran deep enough to cause different factions of the party to put their own candidates up for election. As a result of the split within the party, none of the four candidates received the 131 electoral votes necessary for victory.

The victor would be decided by the House of Representatives. William Harris Crawford was considered a compromise choice by many, but he suffered a stroke, setting the stage for a bitter Adams-Jackson rematch four years later. Clay supported Adams for president; then, when Adams won, Clay was appointed Secretary of State in Adams' administration, leading to persistent claims that a "corrupt bargain" had been struck so that Clay would use his influence to secure the election for Adams. However others have argued that ideologically Clay's American System was far closer to Adams' position on tariffs and internal improvements than Jackson's and so it was natural that would-be Clay supporters turned to Adams.

The election also was the first for which popular vote totals were maintained. Also, this was the first election where the president did not win the popular vote. (Or, for that matter, the electoral college.)

Election results

Other elections

For more information

President of the United States, U.S. presidential election, 1824, History of the United States (1776-1865)