1820 United States presidential election — 9th quadrennial U.S. presidential election
Monroe's 1820 reelection, nearly unanimous in electoral votes, marked the apex of the Era of Good Feelings and the effective collapse of the Federalist Party.
Key Facts
- Election dates
- November 1 – December 6, 1820
- Faithless electoral votes
- 1 (John Quincy Adams, via William Plumer)
- VP opposition candidates
- 9 different Federalists received electoral votes
- Prior unopposed elections
- Third U.S. presidential election effectively uncontested
- Last Virginian victory
- 6th consecutive presidential win by a Virginian
- Next incumbent reelection
- Wilson–Marshall ticket in 1916
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Federalist Party, already weakened before 1820, suffered a severe loss of popular support following the War of 1812. By 1820 the party was unable to field a presidential candidate, leaving incumbent Democratic-Republican James Monroe with no organized opposition and an unchallenged path to a second term.
Presidential elections were held from November 1 to December 6, 1820, during the Era of Good Feelings. Monroe ran effectively unopposed, carrying every state. All but one electoral vote was cast for Monroe; faithless elector William Plumer cast the sole dissenting vote for Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. Tompkins was reelected vice president by a wide margin over nine scattered Federalist recipients.
Monroe's near-unanimous victory demonstrated the complete dominance of the Democratic-Republican Party and the terminal decline of the Federalists. No post-Twelfth Amendment candidate has since matched his electoral vote share. The election also closed a streak of six consecutive presidential victories by Virginians, and remained the last incumbent-ticket reelection until Woodrow Wilson in 1916.
Political Outcome
James Monroe and Daniel D. Tompkins reelected; Monroe received all but one electoral vote; Federalists failed to field a presidential candidate.
Democratic-Republican dominance with residual Federalist opposition
Effectively single-party rule under Democratic-Republicans; Federalist Party effectively defunct at presidential level