Most boring presidential election?

[Redban]

For all you babies out there, 2012 was a lot less interesting than 2004.  2012 is about on par with 1996, which is generally considered by the Forum to be a real snoozer.

2004 is interesting for a whole host of reason.  Firstly, it was really, really close with the outcome coming down to a single state and a few thousand votes.  Compared to the real nail-bitter that was 2000, 2004 doesn't seem all that close, but looking at it objectively its one of the closest elections in American history. 

Additionally, 2004 will probably go down as the last "old school" presidential election.  Traditional media controlled the stream of information available to the American public (no Facebook or YouTube or Twitter quite yet) for probably the last time, issues surrounding Vietnam were still relevant, the Democratic nominees were two white men (a Massachusetts liberal and a Southerner, no less).  It really does seem like the end of an era.

Fittingly, because George W. Bush might truly be the last Republican President, as even he himself noted recently.

At the very least, 2004 will be the last time anyone won on the backs of white voters alone (unless Trump gets an amazing comeback). From now, all candidates need something from non-whites.

[SWE]

By default, a lot of elections before 1900 have to be at the top of the list for most boring. 

Why? That's when the campaigns got really nasty.

[Breton Racer]

1996 everybody knew what was going to happen

1920-28, 1956, and 1984 were all very boring and all were uneventful.

[twenty42]

As a Republican, the 2016 election cycle has been pretty boring and depressing for the most part.

[Vosem]

For all you babies out there, 2012 was a lot less interesting than 2004.  2012 is about on par with 1996, which is generally considered by the Forum to be a real snoozer.

2004 is interesting for a whole host of reason.  Firstly, it was really, really close with the outcome coming down to a single state and a few thousand votes.  Compared to the real nail-bitter that was 2000, 2004 doesn't seem all that close, but looking at it objectively its one of the closest elections in American history. 

Additionally, 2004 will probably go down as the last "old school" presidential election.  Traditional media controlled the stream of information available to the American public (no Facebook or YouTube or Twitter quite yet) for probably the last time, issues surrounding Vietnam were still relevant, the Democratic nominees were two white men (a Massachusetts liberal and a Southerner, no less).  It really does seem like the end of an era.

Fittingly, because George W. Bush might truly be the last Republican President, as even he himself noted recently.

At the very least, 2004 will be the last time anyone won on the backs of white voters alone (unless Trump gets an amazing comeback). From now, all candidates need something from non-whites.

Bush didn't win on the backs of white voters alone, though. He got 44% of Hispanics, and was stronger with blacks and Asians than either McCain or Romney. It certainly was the end of an era in other ways, though.

[Mr. Smith]

Ever: 1880

My lifetime: 1996

Since Political Awareness: 2004

2012 had the question of whether America could elect a black guy twice for office, Romney was the first Mormon to run, with hindsight the Convention spots are hilarious. Also I voted for the first time in this one.

[Pyro]

1820 by default.
In modern era, probably '96.

[Sedona]

By default, a lot of elections before 1900 have to be at the top of the list for most boring. 

Why? That's when the campaigns got really nasty.

I think a lot of the 19th century elections are very interesting to read about now, but they would have been very boring to live through, considering how most candidates didn't actually campaign, and most people did not have access to media to the degree they would in the 20th century.

[Senator-elect Spark]

2004

[BaldEagle1991]

2000.

2004 was interesting to me cause that was a huge election built on the backs of Iraq and 9/11.