1808 United States elections explained

Year:1808
Type:Presidential election year
Incumbent President:Thomas Jefferson
(Democratic-Republican)
Next Congress:11th
President Control:Democratic-Republican hold
President Candidate1:James Madison (DR)
Electoral Vote1:122
President Candidate2:Charles C. Pinckney (F)
Electoral Vote2:47
President Map Caption:1808 presidential election results. Green denotes states won by Madison, burnt orange denotes states won by Pinckney. Numbers indicate the number of electoral votes allotted to each state.
Senate Control:Democratic-Republican hold
Senate Seats Contested:12 of 34 seats[1]
Senate Net Change:Federalist +1[2]
House Control:Democratic-Republican hold
House Seats Contested:All 142 voting members
House Net Change:Federalist +22

The 1808 United States elections elected the members of the 11th United States Congress. The election took place during the First Party System. In the aftermath of the Embargo of 1807, the Federalists picked up congressional seats for the first time since their defeat in the 1800 election. However, the Democratic-Republican Party maintained control of the presidency and both houses of Congress.

In the presidential election, Democratic-Republican Secretary of State James Madison easily defeated Federalist Governor Charles Pinckney of South Carolina.[3] Incumbent Vice President George Clinton was re-elected, making him the first vice president to serve under two different presidents.

In the House, Federalists won moderate gains, but Democratic-Republicans continued to dominate the chamber.[4]

In the Senate, Federalists picked up one seat, but Democratic-Republicans retained a dominant majority.[5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Not counting special elections.
  2. Congressional seat gain figures only reflect the results of the regularly-scheduled elections, and do not take special elections into account.
  3. Web site: 1808 Presidential Election. The American Presidency Project. 25 June 2014.
  4. Web site: Party Divisions of the House of Representatives. United States House of Representatives. 25 June 2014.
  5. Web site: Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present. United States Senate. 25 June 2014.