1944 United States presidential election — 40th quadrennial U.S. presidential election
Roosevelt won an unprecedented fourth presidential term during World War II, though he died less than three months later, elevating Harry Truman to the presidency.
Key Facts
- Election Date
- November 7, 1944
- Popular Vote Margin
- 7.5 percentage points
- Terms Won by Roosevelt
- 4 (unprecedented)
- VP Replaced
- Henry A. Wallace replaced by Harry S. Truman
- Roosevelt's Death
- Less than 3 months into fourth term
- Republican Candidate
- Thomas E. Dewey, Governor of New York
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
With World War II ongoing and the United States and Allies performing well, incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt remained broadly popular. Despite concerns about his declining health, Roosevelt faced minimal opposition within the Democratic Party and secured the nomination. The convention replaced Vice President Henry Wallace with Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri, anticipating that ill health might prevent Roosevelt from completing a fourth term.
On November 7, 1944, American voters chose between the Democratic ticket of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman and the Republican ticket of Thomas E. Dewey and John W. Bricker. Roosevelt won by a 7.5 percentage point margin in the popular vote and by a substantial margin in the Electoral College, securing an unprecedented fourth consecutive presidential term despite this being his narrowest victory across his four elections.
Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, less than three months into his fourth term, and was succeeded by Vice President Harry S. Truman, who oversaw the end of World War II. The election also established a historic precedent: no major party candidate would again be nominated for three or more consecutive elections until Donald Trump in 2024. Roosevelt's decision to replace Wallace with Truman proved consequential for the subsequent Cold War era.
Political Outcome
Democratic ticket of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman won with a 7.5-point popular vote margin and a wide Electoral College victory, granting Roosevelt an unprecedented fourth term.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, President; Henry A. Wallace, Vice President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, President (fourth term); Harry S. Truman, Vice President