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1788 Election

George Washington. (Photo by Todd DeFeo/The DeFeo Groupe)

The United States presidential election of 1788-89 was the first presidential election held under the new constitution. It occurred from Dec. 15, 1788, to Jan. 7, 1789. George Washington was unanimously elected the first president, and John Adams became the first vice president. This was the first national presidential election in American history and the only one that spanned two calendar years without a contingent election.

George Washington, President; John Adams, Vice President

Name of candidate Total
George Washington, Esq 69
John Adams, Esq 34
Samuel Huntington, Esq 2
John Jay, Esq 9
John Hancock, Esq 4
Robert H. Harrison, Esq 6
George Clinton, Esq 3
John Rutledge, Esq 6
John Milton, Esq 2
James Armstrong, Esq 1
Edward Telfair, Esq 1
Benjamin Lincoln, Esq 1
Total electoral vote 69

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About Sightseers’ Delight 596 Articles
Sightseers’ Delight started publishing in June 2016. The site, published by The DeFeo Groupe, collects and curates content about places where historical events large and small happened. The site builds off the legacy of The Travel Trolley, which launched in June 2009. The site aimed to be a virtual version of the trolley tours offered in so many cities.