The Nastiest, Strangest Presidential Elections in US History

History 4 Minutes

(If, like me, you are discouraged by the current political rhetoric, you might be surprised to learn the last few elections have not been the weirdest or nastiest in our history. I stumbled upon this article by Stephanie Pappas that details what were 5 of the nastiest elections in our history in her opinion.  Keep in mind when you read this, it’s dated 2012, so her list may have changed.)

Reading the political news, you’d think this election is the nastiest, most contentious and most important our nation has ever faced. No doubt the outcome matters, but in the annals of American elections, this one barely registers for sheer strangeness.

In fact, electoral politics have always been a down-and-dirty business, starting at least as early as 1800, when our founding fathers proved themselves adept at bitter battles. Other elections have featured nasty accusations, bizarre happenstance and even the death of one of the candidates.

Read on for five of the strangest presidential elections in U.S. history.

1. The very first one, 1788-1789

The first presidential election in our nation’s history was one-of-a-kind in that it was literally no contest. Organized political parties had yet to form, and George Washington ran unopposed. His victory is the only one in the nation’s history to feature 100 percent of the Electoral College vote.

The real question in 1788 was who would become vice president. At the time, this office was awarded to the runner-up in the electoral vote (each elector cast two votes to ensure there would be a runner-up.) Eleven candidates made a play for the vice-presidency, but John Adams came out on top.

2. It’s a tie, 1800

Electoral politics got serious in 1800. Forget the hand-holding peace of George Washington’s first run — political parties were in full swing by this time, and they battled over high-stakes issues (taxes, states’ rights and foreign policy alignments). Thomas Jefferson ran as the Democratic-Republican candidate and John Adams as the Federalist.

At the time, states got to pick their own election days, so voting ran from April to October (and you thought waiting for the West Coast polls to close was frustrating). Because of the complicated “pick two” voting structure in the Electoral College, the election ended up a tie between Jefferson and his vice-presidential pick, Aaron Burr. One South Carolina delegate was supposed to give one of his votes to another candidate, so as to arrange for Jefferson to win and Burr to come in second. The plan somehow went wrong, and both men ended up with 73 electoral votes.

That sent the tie-breaking vote to the House of Representatives, not all of whom were on board with a Jefferson presidency and Burr vice-presidency. Seven tense days of voting followed, but Jefferson finally pulled ahead of Burr. The drama triggered the passage of the 12th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which stipulates that the Electoral College pick the president and vice-president separately, doing away with the runner-up complications.

3. Things get nasty, 1828

Anything involving dueling war veteran Andrew Jackson was liable to get dirty, but the 1828 electoral battle between Jackson and John Quincy Adams took the cake for mudslinging. Jackson had lost out to Adams in 1824 after Speaker of the House Henry Clay cast a tie-breaking vote. When Adams chose Clay as his Secretary of State, Jackson was furious and accused the two of a “corrupt bargain.”

And that was before the 1828 election even got started, when Adams was accused of pimping out an American girl to a Russian Czar. Jackson’s wife, Rachel, was called a “convicted adulteress,” because she had, years earlier, married Jackson before finalizing her divorce to her previous husband. Rachel died after Jackson won the election, but before his inauguration; at her funeral, Jackson blamed his opponents’ bigamy accusations. “May God Almighty forgiver her murderers, as I know she forgave them,” Jackson said. “I never can.”

To round out a rough election, Jackson’s inauguration party (open to the public) turned into a mob scene, with thousands of well-wishers crowding into the White House.

“Ladies fainted, men were seen with bloody noses, and such a scene of confusion took place as is impossible to describe,” wrote Margaret Smith, a Washington socialite who attended the party.

4. Running against a corpse, 1872

In 1872, incumbent Ulysses S. Grant had an easy run for a second term — because his opponent died before the final votes were cast.

Grant had the election in the bag even before his opponent, Horace Greeley, died, however. The incumbent won 286 electoral votes compared with Greeley’s 66 after election day. But on Nov. 29, 1872, before the Electoral College votes were in, Greeley died and his electoral votes were split among other candidates. Greeley remains the only presidential candidate to die before the election was finalized.

5. The hanging chads, 2000

Democrat Al Gore beat Republican George W. Bush in the popular vote in the 2000 election, but the electoral vote was a close, and controversial, call. As election night drew to a close, New Mexico, Oregon and Florida remained too close to call.

It would be Florida that determined the winner, but not until the Supreme Court weighed in. For a month, the outcome of the election remained in recount limbo, as Gore’s campaign contested the vote count in several close counties and the Florida and U.S. Supreme Courts engaged in a tug-of-war over whether to halt the recounts or extend their deadlines. Among the challenges faced by the hand counts: determining whether semi-attached scraps of paper, or “hanging chads,” on punch-card ballots should count as votes.

Ultimately, on Dec. 12, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that a statewide recount was unconstitutional, alongside a further decision that the smaller recounts could not go forward. The decision meant the original vote counts stood, giving the election to Bush.

Source: Stephanie Pappas

published November 02, 2012

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Published by pat frederick

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142 thoughts on “The Nastiest, Strangest Presidential Elections in US History”

  3. Citizen817
    November 8, 2022 3:58 pm

    @realDonaldTrump

    ·
    46m
    They are now saying that about 20% of the so-called Voting Machines in Maricopa County are not counting the Votes that have been placed in the Machine. Only Republican areas? WOW! Kari Lake, Blake Masters, and all others are being greatly harmed by this disaster. Can’t let this happen, AGAIN!!! I believe Attorney General Mark Brnovich is on the case, big time. He has a chance to be the biggest hero of them all, and at the same time save our Country from this Cancer from within!!!

    @realDonaldTrump

    ·
    7m
    People of Arizona: Don’t get out of line until you cast your vote. They are trying to steal the election with bad Machines and DELAY. Don’t let it happen!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Freedom ring
    November 8, 2022 3:59 pm

    Trump calls for protests as he says voters in Detroit casting their ballots in person are being told they’ve already voted.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I have to apologize to erbody. I am in a lousy mood. I cannot tolerate cheaters…it pisses me off to no end that the dems are doing this again! it’s clouded my mood, my participation, and my thinking.
    I’m sorry!

    Like

  9. Liked by 1 person

  11. Liked by 1 person

  13. EXCERPT: “Longtime Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre has agreed to drop her defamation lawsuit against former Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz – saying Tuesday that she may have made a “mistake” in identifying him as one of the men she was forced to have sex with. In a stipulation dismissing the Manhattan federal court suit, attorneys for Giuffre and Dershowitz said neither party would be awarded costs or legal fees as part of the settlement.

    “I now recognize I may have made a mistake in identifying Mr. Dershowitz,” Giuffre, 39, said in a statement. “However, I was very young at the time, it was a very stressful and traumatic environment.

    “This litigation has been very stressful and burdensome for me and my family, and we believe it is time to bring it to an end and move on with our lives,” she said.”

    https://nypost.com/2022/11/08/virginia-giuffre-drops-alan-dershowitz-defamation-suit/

    Liked by 1 person

  14. EXCERPT: “Florida is battening down the hatches … again. As the Sunshine State braces for impact from Tropical Storm Nicole, residents have been sandbagging homes, stocking up on supplies and schools have announced closures.

    Over 2 million people were under a hurricane warning and a total of 34 counties were issued a state of emergency as of Tuesday afternoon, with the strengthening system set to make landfall Wednesday — and almost the entire east coast of Florida could feel its effects. With 60-mph sustained winds, weather forecasters said the storm is on course to whip into a Category 1 hurricane by the time it smacks Florida’s eastern coast, and officials are warning residents to take the extremely large storm seriously.

    “I urge all Floridians to be prepared and to listen to announcements from local emergency management officials,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “We will continue to monitor the trajectory and strength of this storm as it moves towards Florida.”

    Central portions of the state, particularly areas along the coast, are preparing for possible storm surges, high winds, rip currents and flash flooding.”

    https://nypost.com/2022/11/08/florida-readies-for-tropical-storm-nicole-to-become-a-hurricane/

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Democrat Enters Konami Code Into Voting Machine, Receives 30 Votes
    Nov 8, 2022 · BabylonBee.com

    PHOENIX, AZ — Radical young voter Lance Bean was awarded thirty votes after expertly entering the “Konami Code” into his electronic voting machine Tuesday. All votes reportedly went to Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs.

    “It gave me thirty votes just like that! It was amazing!” Bean said of his voting experience. “Now I’m the ultimate voter!”

    According to sources, the Konami Code is a well-known video game “cheat” that is used in a number of titles to give gamers an edge in their gameplay. Now it’s being utilized to “power up” democracy, says County Supervisor Kagemasa Kōzuki.

    “It’s not cheating because anyone can use the code — if they’re cool enough,” said Kōzuki.

    Republican leadership has argued that being allowed to vote more than once in an election just because you have the foresight to push a bunch of random buttons is a clear sign that the election is rigged. “You’re not going to be satisfied with your voting experience if you cheat the system like this,” said gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake. “It’s way more radical if you win the election with the single vote you’re given.”

    The code was first publicized in a “Tips ‘n Tricks” section of The Atlantic. “Conservatives don’t read that magazine,” said a fiery Lake. “This isn’t fair!”
    ————
    Fox News Calls Arizona For Stacey Abrams
    Nov 8, 2022 · BabylonBee.com

    PHOENIX, AZ — In a shocking turn of events, data analysts at Fox News have called the gubernatorial race in Arizona for Stacey Abrams.

    “Yes, we are aware that Stacey Abrams isn’t even running in Arizona, but we have top analysts working on this and the data does not lie,” said Fox News polling expert Arnon Mishkin. “Stacey Abrams is your new governor. The election is over. You can all go home now. Goodnight!”

    Poll workers were reporting pandemonium at several key voting locations as voting machines mysteriously stopped working, but the chaos immediately subsided after they announced that Abrams had won so there was no need to vote.

    “Whew! I thought I was going to have to wait in line all day for them to fix the machines, but then Fox News called the election! What a relief!” said one local voter who asked not to be named. “Thanks, Fox News!”

    At publishing time, Fox had also revealed that Joe Biden had been elected governor of Georgia.
    ————
    NPR Revealed To Be Just One White Woman In New Hampshire Who Does All The Voices
    Nov 8, 2022 · BabylonBee.com

    MANCHESTER, NH – An investigation has revealed that National Public Radio (NPR), a state-funded nonprofit media organization in the United States, consists of just one white woman, Karen Atkinson, who does all the voices on NPR’s radio shows and podcasts.

    “I can’t believe it’s all been the same person,” said avid NPR listener Karen McDonald. “It’s like finding out wrestling isn’t real. My morning commute will never be the same.”

    A multiyear effort by a group of investigative journalists from all over the world revealed that Karen Atkinson, a 49-year-old knitting blogger, podcaster, and radio host, has been the voice of every personality in NPR production for the last 20 years. Atkinson also teaches Gender Studies and Fat Studies at Wellesley College.

    “I always thought all the voices sounded the same,” said NPR listener Karen Owens. “That nasally, sort of mousy, high-pitched monotone. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised it’s all the same person. But I do feel a bit misled.”

    Jeremiah Patterson, the head of the group of investigative journalists that discovered Karen’s identity, spoke to the media on Tuesday. “We first grew suspicious when we noticed that everyone on NPR sounds the exact same and thinks the exact same.”

    An NPR spokesperson declined to comment. Atkinson is expected to remain in her role.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. BREAKING: Maricopa County says that they have “identified the solution” for tabulator issues.

    “County technicians have changed the printer settings, which seems to have resolved this issue.” pic.twitter.com/QvA3UCrEqQ

    — Cameron Arcand (@cameron_arcand) November 8, 2022

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Fellow American,

    These POWERFUL BILLBOARDS just went up ALL OVER ARIZONA!

    Turning Point Action is BLASTING Joe Biden’s insane gas prices and the Left’s failed SOCIALIST agenda to educate THOUSANDS of swing-state voters. We’re pulling out ALL THE STOPS to educate voters — and get them to the polls — in the FINAL SPRINT to Election Day. Please make your MOST GENEROUS RIGHT NOW to help me reach and educate EVEN MORE battleground state voters with the TRUTH. Thanks to a generous donor, EVERY DOLLAR you give by Election Day will be DOUBLED, up to $500,000.

    — Charlie Kirk, Turning Point Action

    Liked by 1 person

  25. WHOA

    bflyjesusgrl 🍊 😎NUCLEAR MAGA😎
    bflyjesusgrl 🍊 😎NUCLEAR MAGA😎Online
    Coyote
    November 8, 2022 18:25

    Gregg Phillips

    @greggphillips
    ·
    39m

    CRITICAL:

    The people in Allegheny County, PA should know that your leaders sold you and America out to China.

    More than that, we have irrefutable evidence that the entire PA voter registration file is living on a server in China.

    And, machine serial numbers, ballot bundle numbers, and …

    They didn’t steal it. They gave it to the CCP and PLA.

    This is why we were put in prison. The had to silence us.

    We will not sit down. We will not shut up.
    for freedom,

    gp

    #PatriotGames @truethevote

    Liked by 1 person

  26. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

  34. Metro Detroit Ground Report

    Went in the early phase of after work rush. Our precinct was busy, but not excessively so. All “booths” were filled & I was second in line. Before I got to a booth maybe a half dozen voters came in behind me. I had roughly the 700th ballot & was roughly the 300th voter (which seems higher than usual) for our precinct?

    There were several people passing out materials outside (more subdued than times past), mostly running for local school board. The major table w/ more monied candidates was actually camped out on an adjacent block so didn’t get much traffic. After voting I lingered near the candidates & passed out some Pro-Life flyers w/ info on Prop 3. It took quite a while to get people to take them & none of the young mothers with kids in tow accepted one. 2 elderly men I approached said they already knew how they would vote on 3 & they were voting for it–unrestricted abortion & more…sigh…

    So when I was done voting the elderly lady at the voting machine helped me ensure that my paper ballot was successfully counted. She was pleasant & unmasked as were nearly all of the scores of people I eye-witnessed today. Once my ballot was accepted I asked her about what kind of voting machine it was & she said it was Dominion, which could clearly be seen on the side facing the door though I’d never noticed that before.

    Well that got me making multiple remarks about election integrity, voter fraud, 2020 & Trump’s massive landslide victory, & how could we trust that our votes were going to be accurately counted This Time? She said that our Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson was responsible for us having Dominion machines & that we should “take it up with her” (she was being most polite & even perhaps sympathetic & sharing at least some of the viewpoints I was claiming loud enough to be heard in that maybe 20×20 room). The gentleman behind me began making similar statements to mine about the voter fraud & the unreliability of Dominion. I didn’t look at the faces in the room to see if they were in agreement or disgusted by what they’d heard.

    I conversed for a bit w/ one of the school board candidates after voting. He has a chemistry background & I raised some of the issues I was aware of from special ed advocacy. He gave decent info on school board meetings & how the public can participate, get info on meetings, & get written responses to questions.

    While we were conversing a couple different men came up to him to challenge him on the “tranny” issue (I’d also talked briefly about it with him previously). He was reassuring that that particular issue wasn’t really happening in our community. The one man challenged him directly with “what do You feel about it?” & he admitted he was not in support of it.

    Another man who had talked w/ the candidate about school issues & the “tranny” thing ended up discussing several other things with me. He was concerned, yet hopeful, that This Time the electoral fraud would be reined in–I’m not that optimistic yet. By the end of the conversation he said he thought we were “twins” in our thinking. He worked for some company that deals with Medicare & even had a large campaign size button on his tie “Ask Me About Medicare”. He came across as a regular guy, not a hard-core conservative. Salt of the earth, decent American.

    This man was hopeful that Republicans would take the House & the Senate This Time. I pointed out how R’s should Already be controlling the Senate w/ John James stolen victory & likely that Senator in Georgia & possibly the House given the Trump coattails. Also we discussed Trump’s massive 2020 landslide & the fact that Biden had neither won nor was he in charge.- We touched base on doings in Arizona, Maricopa County, & Kari Lake who I said could very well be our future President!

    I witnessed a young woman drive up with an “absentee ballot” in a sealed envelope & inquired if she could turn it in at the polling place (if she was there well within the margin of voting why not vote in person?). The school board candidate told her that she could turn it in at City Hall & that someone should be there to receive the ballot at least until 8pm, which is when polls officially close, I think.

    My community, based on the sample of voters I saw today, was primarily white with some black, some hispanic, & some arabic/muslim people congenially mixed in. I saw no upheavals & probably generated the most controversy myself in the Dominion discussion…

    I HOPE my vote counts this time in Michigan but not holding my breath.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. sorry Valerie…I am not wordpress savvy like wolf is…i wouldn’t know what to suggest…
      I log in to my wordpress account and then it seems i can post on any of the wp blogs i normally post to…sorry…

      Liked by 1 person

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