U.S. presidential election, 1888

Summary

Held on November 6, 1888, incumbent President Grover Cleveland received the greatest number of popular votes, but Republican challenger Benjamin Harrison's 233 electoral votes topped Cleveland's 168 to win the election. This marked the first time since the controversial election of 1876 that a President-elect failed to win the popular vote; the feat would not be repeated until the controversial election of 2000.

Republican convention

At the Republican National Convention, Ohio's Benjamin Harrison won nomination receiving 544 delegate votes, defeating John Sherman (who received 249 delegates), Russell A. Alger (142) and Walter Q. Gresham (123). New York politician and financier Levi Morton was the party's Vice Presidential choice, receiving 592 delegate votes to beat William Walter Phelps (119 delegates) and William O. Bradley (103).

Democratic convention

Grover Cleveland was unanimously renominated for President at the Democratic National Convention. Ohio's Allen G. Thurman was chosen as the party's Vice Presidential nominee by a large margin, garnering 684 delegate votes to Isaac P. Gray's 101 and John C. Black's 36.

Other parties

The Prohibition Party ticket of Clinton B. Fisk and John Brooks captured nearly a quarter million popular votes as the prohibition movement gained steam. Another group, the Union Labor Party, was formed with Alson J. Streeter as their nominee. The Union Labor Party garnered nearly 150,000 popular votes, but failed to gain widespread national support.

Election results

See also

• President of the United States
• U.S. presidential election
• 1888
• History of the United States (1865-1918)
• Other close U.S. presidential elections: 1800, 1844, 1876, 1884, 1916, 1960, 1968, 1976, 2000, 2004

Other elections