Presidential election
1820 presidential election
James Monroe defeated John Quincy Adams, winning 231 of 232 electoral votes.
Results
10.1%
Turnout rate
108.4K
Total votes cast
1.2M
Eligible voters
| State | Electoral votes | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania(PA) | 25 | Democratic-RepublicanMonroe | +100% |
| New York(NY) | 29 | Democratic-RepublicanMonroe | +100% |
| Virginia(VA) | 25 | Democratic-RepublicanMonroe | +100% |
| Massachusetts(MA) | 15 | Democratic-RepublicanMonroe | +100% |
| New Hampshire(NH) | 8 | IndependentAdams | +1% |
Candidates
Party
Democratic-RepublicanRunning mate
Daniel D. Tompkins
Home state
Virginia
Age at election
62
Previous position
5th President of the United States (Incumbent)
Electoral votes
231
All Regions
Monroe
80%
Key events
Missouri Compromise
Resolved slavery extension crisis temporarily
Maine Statehood
Admitted as free state to balance Missouri
Issues & context
Peak of 'Era of Good Feelings.' Federalist Party extinct. Monroe ran virtually unopposed. William Plumer of New Hampshire cast only electoral vote against Monroe, possibly to preserve Washington's unanimous record.
Recovery from Panic of 1819 underway. Westward expansion accelerating. Cotton economy flourishing in South. Manufacturing growing in North.
Monroe universally popular. No organized opposition. Questions about slavery and sectionalism temporarily settled by Missouri Compromise.
Last Virginia Dynasty president. Missouri Compromise delayed Civil War 40 years. End of competitive two-party politics until 1828. Lowest turnout in contested era.
Did you know?
- 1.Only president to run virtually unopposed besides Washington
- 2.One faithless elector preserved Washington's unanimous record
- 3.Lowest voter turnout in American history (10.1%)
- 4.Three electoral votes not cast due to deaths
- 5.'Era of Good Feelings' named during Monroe's 1817 tour