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A History of Contentious Elections: Contentious Elections through the Years

Timeline

1860 - The Vote that Split the Nation. This election is notorious for the staunch divide between Northern and Southern states that brewed following the Dred Scott decision in 1857, among other major events, that would subsequently lead to the secession of the South. In contrast to later elections, this one was composed of four candidates from three different parties; Republican Abraham Lincoln, Democrat John C. Breckinridge, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, and John Bell, who ran on the Constitutional Union ticket. Although he only garnered around 40 percent of the popular vote, Abraham won the 1860 election with 180 electoral votes. Another point to note on the deep sectional divide in the south at the time, Lincoln didn’t win any votes in the states that would eventually form the Confederacy, apart from Virginia. This election is notably one that would shift party loyalties and contribute to the two-party system that we’re familiar with today.

1860 - The Vote that Split the Nation

This election is notorious for the staunch divide between Northern and Southern states that brewed following the Dred Scott decision in 1857, among other major events, that would subsequently lead to the secession of the South.

In contrast to later elections, this one was composed of four candidates from three different parties; Republican Abraham Lincoln, Democrat John C. Breckinridge, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, and John Bell, who ran on the Constitutional Union ticket. Although he only garnered around 40 percent of the popular vote, Abraham won the 1860 election with 180 electoral votes.

Another point to note on the deep sectional divide in the south at the time, Lincoln didn’t win any votes in the states that would eventually form the Confederacy, apart from Virginia. This election is notably one that would shift party loyalties and contribute to the two-party system that we’re familiar with today.

1876 - The Creation of the Electoral Commission. This election involved Samuel Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes. Samuel Tilden led the popular vote by over 250,000 votes, yet he only had 184 electoral votes. Three states ended up being disputed-- Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina. Both men said that they had won in these states, so it came down to a recount. These states equaled 19 electoral votes, which was enough to declare a winner. They looked to the Constitution for assistance but they did not find a solution, and so they turned to Congress. The House of Representative was controlled by the Democrats and the Senate was controlled by Republicans. They started the process of choosing a winner by “creating a bipartisan electoral commission with five representatives, five senators and five Supreme Court justices” (History.com 1876). The commission ended up awarding Hayes all 3 of the states that needed a recount, and this made him the winner by a single electoral vote. The election wasn’t decided until March of 1877.

1876 - The Creation of the Electoral Commission

This election involved Samuel Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes. Samuel Tilden led the popular vote by over 250,000 votes, yet he only had 184 electoral votes. Three states ended up being disputed-- Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina. Both men said that they had won in these states, so it came down to a recount. These states equaled 19 electoral votes, which was enough to declare a winner.

They looked to the Constitution for assistance but they did not find a solution, and so they turned to Congress. The House of Representative was controlled by the Democrats and the Senate was controlled by Republicans. They started the process of choosing a winner by “creating a bipartisan electoral commission with five representatives, five senators and five Supreme Court justices” (History.com 1876).

The commission ended up awarding Hayes all 3 of the states that needed a recount, and this made him the winner by a single electoral vote. The election wasn’t decided until March of 1877.

1912 - One Party too Many. Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party. Theodore Roosevelt received the highest number of votes out of any third party candidate. The Bull Moose Party was “in favour of the direct election of U.S. senators, women’s suffrage, tariff reductions and social reforms” (History.com Third Party Candidates). Roosevelt ran as a third party candidate against Republican William Howard Taft and Democrat Woodrow Wilson. At the time, Roosevelt was considered a progressive or Republican candidate because the parties started to switch ideologies in the years following this election. Due to this, The Bull Moose party and the Republican party ended up splitting votes, and the Democrats won. This allowed Woodrow Wilson to have the most votes since two other parties split the other side’s votes.

1912 - One Party too Many

Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party. Theodore Roosevelt received the highest number of votes out of any third party candidate. The Bull Moose Party was “in favour of the direct election of U.S. senators, women’s suffrage, tariff reductions and social reforms” (History.com Third Party Candidates). Roosevelt ran as a third party candidate against Republican William Howard Taft and Democrat Woodrow Wilson.

At the time, Roosevelt was considered a progressive or Republican candidate because the parties started to switch ideologies in the years following this election. Due to this, The Bull Moose party and the Republican party ended up splitting votes, and the Democrats won. This allowed Woodrow Wilson to have the most votes since two other parties split the other side’s votes.

1960 - The Kick to Modern-Era Politics. This election with JFK and Richard Nixon was the first presidential campaign that had a televised debate. This was at a time when the TV became a household staple. Richard Nixon was the more popular candidate until the televised debate. JFK, a young, handsome, charismatic man took the nation by surprise during the first televised debate. After the debate he became the more popular candidate and eventually became the next President of the United States. The televised debate changed the way the presidential campaign process works, and now televised debates are normalized.

1960 - The Kick to Modern-Era Politics

This election with JFK and Richard Nixon was the first presidential campaign that had a televised debate. This was at a time when the TV became a household staple. Richard Nixon was the more popular candidate until the televised debate.

JFK, a young, handsome, charismatic man took the nation by surprise during the first televised debate. After the debate he became the more popular candidate and eventually became the next President of the United States. The televised debate changed the way the presidential campaign process works, and now televised debates are normalized.

2000 - Hanging Chads. This election with George Bush and Al Gore. There was a bitter battle between the two due to a recount in Florida. This sparked the “hanging chad” controversy. A "chad" in this context refers to the fragments of paper made when hole-punching. A "hanging chad," then, is when the paper circle still hangs from the punched hole on election ballots, making the voter's choice not altogether clear. There were also "pregnant chads," in which there was a dimple in the paper ballot but no puncture. Jeb Bush, George Bush’s brother, was the governor of Florida at the time. This sparked even more controversy. The Supreme Court ended up deciding who won the election.

2000 - Hanging Chads

This election with George Bush and Al Gore. There was a bitter battle between the two due to a recount in Florida. This sparked the “hanging chad” controversy.

A "chad" in this context refers to the fragments of paper made when hole-punching. A "hanging chad," then, is when the paper circle still hangs from the punched hole on election ballots, making the voter's choice not altogether clear. There were also "pregnant chads," in which there was a dimple in the paper ballot but no puncture.

Jeb Bush, George Bush’s brother, was the governor of Florida at the time. This sparked even more controversy. The Supreme Court ended up deciding who won the election.

2016 - Emails, Bots, and the Electoral College. There is evidence to suggest that Russia interfered with this election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Allegations include probing state voter databases, hacking the campaigns of Trump’s competitors (but especially Clinton’s), and spreading fake news and propaganda on social media (TIME Magazine). This led to a very close election with Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote but not the electoral vote. This election was very contentious because both candidates brought up controversial decisions from each other's past. Hillary Clinton raised the issue of sexual assault claims against Trump; and Trump brought up her email scandal. Many people ended up protesting his election during the Women’s March in 2017.

2016 - Emails, Bots, and the Electoral College

There is evidence to suggest that Russia interfered with this election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Allegations include probing state voter databases, hacking the campaigns of Trump’s competitors (but especially Clinton’s), and spreading fake news and propaganda on social media (TIME Magazine). This led to a very close election with Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote but not the electoral vote.

This election was very contentious because both candidates brought up controversial decisions from each other's past. Hillary Clinton raised the issue of sexual assault claims against Trump; and Trump brought up her email scandal. Many people ended up protesting his election during the Women’s March in 2017.