What was the first state to hold a popular vote for presidential electors?

[A18]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._presidential_election%2C_1824

"The election also was the first for which popular vote totals were maintained."

What does that mean? Was a popular vote held in any state before 1824?

[Napoleon XIV]

All it means is that they kept a record of the Popular Vote Results.

[A18]

So there was a popular vote before then, but we don't have any record of it?

[KEmperor]

So there was a popular vote before then, but we don't have any record of it?

Probably in at least some of the states.  You could probably find out if you really look for info.

[Erc]

1820 was uncontested, so nobody cares.

So if any states had passed legislation before 1816...then I suppose so.

[Erc]

http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a2_1_2-3s6.html

General summary:
1789:

All states chose electors through the legislature (and they all voted for GW anyway, so it doesn't really matter)

1792:

Maryland, Pennsylvania, and NH had a direct popular vote for their electors.
Virginia divided the state into 21 districts, each of which elected one elector.  (Somehow, they all voted the same way).
Massachusetts divided its state into four districts, two of which elected 5 electors each, and two of which elected 3 electors each.
North Carolina, under time pressure, divided the state into 4 districts and had state legislators from each of the 4 districts meet on the 25th of November to select the three electors for their district.
The other 9 states had legislatures choose the electors directly.

1796:
PA, NH:  Direct popular vote of electors (general ticket)
VA, NC, MD:  Election by district
MA:  Election by Congrssional District, Legislature selects the two at-large electors (and any electors in a district where no elector received a majority)
TN:  The Tennessee Legislature divided the state into three districts (one for each elector), and appointed electors in each electoral district to choose an elector.  (Yes, electors choosing electors.  Confusing, ain't it?)
The Rest:  Selection by the legislature

1800:
VA, RI, and "four other states":  popular vote
TN:  continued its "electors for electors" system
MA, PA, and the rest:  Selected by the Legislature.

Specific state histories:

KY:  by-district method from (?) through 1820, general ticket thereafter
TN, MD:  by-district method from (?) through 1828, general ticket thereafter
IN:  appointed, 1816, 1820.   By district, 1824, 1828.  General ticket thereafter.
IL:  By district, 1820, 1824.  General ticket thereafter.
ME:  by district:  1820, 1824, 1828.  General ticket thereafter.
MA:  1789:  Appointed.  1792:  Weird district (see above).  1796:  by CD's w/ 2 at large (see above).  1800:  Appointed.  1804:  General-ticket.  1808:  Appointed.  1812:  By Districts.  1816:  Appointed.  1820:  By district.  General ticket thereafter.
NY:  Appointed, 1789-1824.  1828:  Each district chooses its electors, which select the electors for the entire state.  General Ticket thereafter.

1812:  NC, VT, NJ directly appointed

[jimrtex]

http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a2_1_2-3s6.html

General summary:
1789:

All states chose electors through the legislature (and they all voted for GW anyway, so it doesn't really matter)

Your source doesn't say anything about the first election.

Congressional Quarterly has a book with presidential results from 1789, that indicates that there has a popular vote element in the selection of a majority of electors in every election but one (and it wasn't 1789).  There was somewhat of an early trend switching towards state leglislature selection, counteracted by western states that were more open to elections.  Around 1820 the trend was clear the other way, and the 1824 election completely collapsed the resistence.

[jimrtex]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._presidential_election%2C_1824

"The election also was the first for which popular vote totals were maintained."

What does that mean? Was a popular vote held in any state before 1824?

The Jackson forces wanted to promote the idea that the the 1824 election was stolen, so they probably made a special effort to compile results.

The only early elections that were particlulary close were 1796 and 1800, so the popular vote totals weren't that important.  And voters may have been actually choosing electors rather than candidates.

There was a research project to compile popular vote totals back to 1824 (it is by a university consortium).  I believe this is the primary source for publications such as CQ and the World Almanac.

The consortium later compiled results back to 1789.  But I have never been able to get access to these (you have to be associated with one of the universities).

In addition, people who are opposed to the electoral college are willing to believe that the early US was neither democratic or a republic, and the idea that people weren't permitted to participate in the selection of the president until 1824, and then were ignored fits their agenda.

[Schmitz in 1972]

http://www.thegreenpapers.com/Hx/ElectoralCollege.html

This is a VERY good article about the early days of the electoral college. And while you're at it, check out the rest of the website as well.

[rbt48]

Actually, South Carolina didn't have electors chosen by popular vote until 1868.  And newly admitted Colorado had the state legislature choose its electors in the 1876 election.

Also, keep in mind that in the early elections by popular vote, only men who owned property we accorded the right to vote.  There was no secret ballot in most states.  Voters would appear before election officials and publicly state for whom they voted.

[minionofmidas]

Actually, South Carolina didn't have electors chosen by popular vote until 1868.  And newly admitted Colorado had the state legislature choose its electors in the 1876 election.

Also, keep in mind that in the early elections by popular vote, only men who owned property we accorded the right to vote. 

Differs, but mostly that wasn't the case in post-1774 America anymore.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

True. The very idea of a secret ballot didn't exist before the mid-19th century. Of course, since a large proportion of the voters were illiterate, and there were no printers large enough to make prefabricated ballots anyways, it couldn't have been otherways.

I remember reading somewhere that "only Maryland chose its electors by popular vote in 1789."

[A18]

Is there any way to get popular vote totals for these elections?

[jimrtex]

Also, keep in mind that in the early elections by popular vote, only men who owned property we accorded the right to vote.  There was no secret ballot in most states.  Voters would appear before election officials and publicly state for whom they voted.

These were the only people permitted to vote for representatives, legislatures, and delegates to the constitutional ratifying conventions.

Clearly the "modern" practice of secret ballots compromises the results and enables vote fraud.

[minionofmidas]

Also, keep in mind that in the early elections by popular vote, only men who owned property we accorded the right to vote.  There was no secret ballot in most states.  Voters would appear before election officials and publicly state for whom they voted.

These were the only people permitted to vote for representatives, legislatures, and delegates to the constitutional ratifying conventions.

Clearly the "modern" practice of secret ballots compromises the results and enables vote fraud.

Election officials, of course, meant the local squirarchy. A ballot that isn't secret is a ballot that isn't free. Saddam Hussein had himself reelected by non-secret ballot.