Rutherford B. Hayes and William A. Wheeler are the winners of the election and became President and Vice President of the United States.
Turnout: 82.6% ▲ 10.5%
| Nominee | Rutherford B. Hayes.png) | Samuel J. Tilden.png) |
|---|---|---|
| Party | Republican | Democratic |
| Home State | Ohio | New York |
| Running Mate | William A. Wheeler | Thomas A. Hendricks |
| Electoral Vote | 185 | 184 |
| Popular Vote | 4,034,142 | 4,286,808 |
| Percentage | 49.72% | 49.55% |
Issues surrounding the election
Four states in the election, Florida, Louisiana, Oregon, and South Carolina and returned disputed slates of electors, with both parties claiming the other of committing fraud that would change the outcomes of the election, and an estimated 150 Black Republicans were murdered.
Democratic intimidation
In some of the southern states, Democrats pressured Republican voters, notably Black ones, to either not vote or vote Democrat. In one such example, they even faked ballots by putting Lincoln on the Democrat side of the ballot so Black Republicans would vote Democrat.
Any one of Samuel J. Tilden’s disputes being resolved would have him win while Rutherford B. Hayes’ would have to win all of his to win the election.
To resolve the disputes, Congress passed the Electoral Commission Act, establishing a commission of 15 members, 5 from the House, 5 from the Senate, and 4 pre-specified Supreme Court Justices with an additional one Supreme Court Justice chosen by the other 4 already here. Initially the 5th Supreme Court Justice chosen was very independent, but left the commission before they voted on anything to join the Illinois Senate, so the new Justice appointed to the commission was Republican, making the commission majority Republican. This caused the commission to vote on party lines, making Hayes the President of the United States.
Notes
Notes:
- Morning of election day Samuel J. Tilden had 184 electoral votes but needed 185 to win.
- Worries that Democrats in the south intimidated black Republicans from voting and even tricked some by voting Democrat by putting Lincoln on the ballot as a Democrat.
- Republicans were still in control of Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina for reconstruction.
- Initial results showed Tilden wining Florida and Louisiana, Hayes narrowly winning South Carolina, which would’ve given Tilden the election victory.
- Republicans in charge of the three states throw out thousands of ballots for Tilden, making Hayes win the states, along with doing the same for the governor races in the three states.
- Each democratic candidate disputed the results and setup their own rival government to declare Tilden as their electors.
- The Florida Supreme Court overturned the election board and said the democrat won the election for governor.
- Oregon elector had a public office, so the governor got new elector to replace him, which would vote opposite of the original elector.
- However, the old elector stopped holding a public office before the electors met to vote for president.
- Congress met on December 6th to figure it all out
- Congress would make a electoral commission to settle the disputes with 15 members.
- 5 from the House
- 5 from the Senate
- 4 pre-specified Supreme Court Justices and one Supreme Court Justice chosen by the other 4 already here.
- The Justice chosen was an independent but then was offered a role in the Senate, so they LEFT THEIR ROLE IN THE COMMITTEE. This caused a Republican Justice to be chosen and therefore the committee had a majority of Republicans
- The Committee voted for Hayes on every issue of election fraud
- This caused Democrats to filibuster the election claiming fraud in Vermont, which was never made before.
- Republicans made a deal with the Democrats known as the Compromise of 1877, which was that the federal government would leave the south and end reconstruction in exchange for Hayes being president.