How many electoral votes did John Adams win by?

Answer 1

Federalist Party candidate John Adams won the 1796 presidential election defeating Democratic-Republican Party candidate Thomas Jefferson. According to the prevailing rules of electoral college voting at that time, electors cast votes for two persons. Electors could not distinguish between their presidential and vice-presidential choices until the passage of the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1804. In 1796, the recipient of the most electoral votes would become president and the runner-up vice-president. In the 1796 presidential election there was a total of 136 electoral votes thereby requiring a majority of 69 votes to win the presidential election. John Adams was elected president with 71 electoral votes. Thomas Jefferson finished second with 68 electoral votes. Others receiving votes included Thomas Pinckney, Aaron Burr, Samuel Adams, O. Ellsworth, George Clinton, John Jay, James Iredell, S. Johnston, George Washington, John Henry, and Charles C. Pinckney. Jefferson received the second highest number of electoral votes and was elected vice president according to the prevailing rules of electoral college voting at that time.