Overview of the Popular Vote
Presidential Electors, chosen on 11/3/1868, cast the electoral vote on 12/2/1868. Ulysses Grant, the Republican nominee, won 26 states with 214 electoral votes, and his Democratic opponent, Horatio Seymour, won eight states with 80 electoral votes.
All states chose Presidential Electors by the General Ticket (at large) except for Florida, where they were appointed by the legislature.
Casting the vote
All Presidential Electors cast their votes faithfully. The only event of note in the casting of the electoral vote came in Georgia. There, the Governor called the Electors into session on the wrong day; they gathered there on the 7th rather than the 2d.
Counting the Vote
When Congress assembled in joint session on 2/10/1869 to count the electoral vote, several states were challenged. The certificate of vote from Louisiana was sealed with the likeness of a pelican; as soon as it was broken, a Tennessee Representative objected to its being read. The House voted 136-63 to count Louisiana's vote, and the Senate concurred.
The vote of Nevada was found to be "too informal" but was not challenged.
Georgia was the second state to be challenged. Congress had already decided two days earlier not to challenge Georgia's vote on the basis of the Electors meeting on the wrong day. The House voted 41-150 to reject Georgia's vote. In the Senate, the objection was ruled out of order, and the Senate ret
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Overview of the Popular Vote
Presidential Electors, chosen on 11/3/1868, cast the electoral vote on 12/2/1868. Ulysses Grant, the Republican nominee, won 26 states with 214 electoral votes, and his Democratic opponent, Horatio Seymour, won eight states with 80 electoral votes.
All states chose Presidential Electors by the General Ticket (at large) except for Florida, where they were appointed by the legislature.
Casting the vote
All Presidential Electors cast their votes faithfully. The only event of note in the casting of the electoral vote came in Georgia. There, the Governor called the Electors into session on the wrong day; they gathered there on the 7th rather than the 2d.
Counting the Vote
When Congress assembled in joint session on 2/10/1869 to count the electoral vote, several states were challenged. The certificate of vote from Louisiana was sealed with the likeness of a pelican; as soon as it was broken, a Tennessee Representative objected to its being read. The House voted 136-63 to count Louisiana's vote, and the Senate concurred.
The vote of Nevada was found to be "too informal" but was not challenged.
Georgia was the second state to be challenged. Congress had already decided two days earlier not to challenge Georgia's vote on the basis of the Electors meeting on the wrong day. The House voted 41-150 to reject Georgia's vote. In the Senate, the objection was ruled out of order, and the Senate returned to the House chamber without taking any action. When the proceedings began again, Benjamin F. Butler objected, insisting that Georgia be thrown out. Several members of Congress asked for recognition, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate lost control of the body. Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the House, asked the House Sergeant-At-Arms to arrest anyone else interrupting the proceedings, and the situation cooled off.
Benjamin Wade declared Grant and Colfax elected, and the Senate adjourned to its own chamber.
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214 (72.79%)