1812 United States presidential election — 7th quadrennial U.S. presidential election
The 1812 U.S. presidential election was the first held during a major American war, with Madison narrowly defeating a cross-party coalition challenger.
Key Facts
- Election dates
- October 30 – December 2, 1812
- Madison popular vote
- 50.4%
- Clinton popular vote
- 47.6%
- Clinton's running mate
- Federalist Jared Ingersoll of Pennsylvania
- First election during major war
- War of 1812 ongoing at time of election
- Narrowest re-election margin until
- 2004 presidential election
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Northern Democratic-Republicans had grown dissatisfied with Southern dominance of their party. After the U.S. declared war on Britain in June 1812, DeWitt Clinton sought to build an anti-war coalition of dissident Democratic-Republicans and Federalists. The Federalist Party, declining to formally nominate its own candidate, tacitly backed Clinton in hopes of defeating Madison.
Voting was held from October 30 to December 2, 1812, while the War of 1812 was underway. Incumbent President James Madison ran as the official Democratic-Republican nominee after a congressional caucus renomination. Clinton, backed by New York's Democratic-Republican caucus and informal Federalist support, carried New England and three Mid-Atlantic states, but Madison won Pennsylvania and dominated the South.
Madison was re-elected with 50.4 percent of the popular vote, the narrowest margin for a victorious re-elected president until 2004. Clinton's cross-party coalition ultimately failed to unseat Madison, and the Federalist Party's strategy of backing an unofficial candidate proved unsuccessful, leaving the Democratic-Republicans firmly in control of the executive branch during wartime.
Political Outcome
James Madison re-elected president with 50.4% of the popular vote, defeating DeWitt Clinton's Federalist-backed coalition.
Incumbent Democratic-Republican administration of James Madison
Madison retained the presidency for a second term