Close elections of our past: Every Vote Counts!

[DabbingSanta]

In close election years, presidents are often determined by several thousand votes in two or three key states.  I'll go over some close election results below.  Feel free to show this to someone the next time they argue their vote doesn't matter!  These are some super small margins that could have changed history.  I've thrown 1876 and 2000 in as well, despite ballot counting issues and legal challenges. Enjoy

2020:

Trump would have tied the electoral college with 42,921 votes in three key states (AZ, GA, and WI).

2016:

Clinton would have won the electoral college with 77,747 votes in three key states (MI, PA, and WI).

2004:

Kerry would have tied the electoral college with 37,550 votes in three key states (IA, NM, and NV).

2000:

Gore would have won the electoral college with 538 votes in Florida.

1976:

Ford would have won the electoral college with 25,581 votes in Mississippi and Ohio.

1960:

Nixon would have prevented Kennedy from winning the electoral college with 18,840 votes in Illinois and Missouri.

Nixon would have won the electoral college outright with 40,932 votes in three key states (IL, MO, and NJ).

1948:

Dewey would have prevented Truman from winning the electoral college with 24,972 votes in California and Ohio.

Dewey would have won the electoral college outright with 58,587 votes in three key states (CA, IL, and OH).

1916:

Hughes would have beat Wilson and won the electoral college with 3,831 votes in California and New Hampshire.

1884:

Blaine would have beat Cleveland and won the electoral college with 1,150 votes in New York.

1876:

Tilden would have beat Hayes and won the electoral college with 890 votes in South Carolina.

[SingingAnalyst]

Thank you for the PSA. I would think that, if anything, more people would like to see their vote tabulated in the precinct totals, even if it doesn't swing an election. But maybe that's the geek in me.

Trivia:

1. There were no Stevenson 1956 - Nixon 1960 states. (There was one Stevenson 1952 - Nixon 1960 state: Kentucky). But flip a few thousand votes in both 1956 and 1960-- and suddenly MO, SC, and TN are Stevenson 1956 - Nixon 1960 states.

2. Speaking of which, Stevenson carried KY by 700 votes in 1952 and Kennedy carried HI by 115 votes in 1960. Gore carried NM by 366 votes in 2000 and Bush, of course, carried FL by 537 votes in 2000. Those are the only post-WWII instances I know of in which a state has been decided by fewer than 1,000 votes.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Kerry would lose in a tied scenario in 2004 though as Republicans controlled the majority of house delegations .

[Mr. Smith]

In close election years, presidents are often determined by several thousand votes in two or three key states.  I'll go over some close election results below.  Feel free to show this to someone the next time they argue their vote doesn't matter!  These are some super small margins that could have changed history.  I've thrown 1876 and 2000 in as well, despite ballot counting issues and legal challenges. Enjoy

2020:

Trump would have tied the electoral college with 42,921 votes in three key states (AZ, GA, and WI).

2016:

Clinton would have won the electoral college with 77,747 votes in three key states (MI, PA, and WI).

2004:

Kerry would have tied the electoral college with 37,550 votes in three key states (IA, NM, and NV).

2000:

Gore would have won the electoral college with 538 votes in Florida.

1976:

Ford would have won the electoral college with 25,581 votes in Mississippi and Ohio.

1960:

Nixon would have prevented Kennedy from winning the electoral college with 18,840 votes in Illinois and Missouri.

Nixon would have won the electoral college outright with 40,932 votes in three key states (IL, MO, and NJ).

1948:

Dewey would have prevented Truman from winning the electoral college with 24,972 votes in California and Ohio.

Dewey would have won the electoral college outright with 58,587 votes in three key states (CA, IL, and OH).

1916:

Hughes would have beat Wilson and won the electoral college with 3,831 votes in California and New Hampshire.

1884:

Harrison would have beat Cleveland and won the electoral college with 1,150 votes in New York.

1876:

Tilden would have beat Hayes and won the electoral college with 890 votes in South Carolina.

Harrison didn't run in 1884. I do think that's the right number Cleveland lost by in 1888 though.

[DabbingSanta]

Harrison didn't run in 1884. I do think that's the right number Cleveland lost by in 1888 though.

Thanks for pointing this out.  New York was the tipping point in both elections. He won by 1100 in 1884 but lost by around 14,000 in 1888.

[Mr. Smith]

Harrison didn't run in 1884. I do think that's the right number Cleveland lost by in 1888 though.

Thanks for pointing this out.  New York was the tipping point in both elections. He won by 1100 in 1884 but lost by around 14,000 in 1888.

I'm considering creating an Archive for everything before 1916 too...though 1860, 1892, and 1912 I'm no sure how to go about...