Democratic-Republican candidate James Madison decisively defeated Federalist candidate Charles Cotesworth Pinckney in the 1808 United States presidential election. The sixth quadrennial presidential election was held from Friday, Nov. 4, to Wednesday, Dec. 7.
Madison was the Secretary of State since President Thomas Jefferson took office in 1801. Jefferson did not run for a third term and instead supported Madison, who was also from Virginia
Vice President George Clinton and former Ambassador James Monroe were other contenders for the Democratic-Republican nomination. While Madison won the nomination, Clinton was the vice-presidential candidate.
The Federalists picked Pinckney, the party’s nominee in 1804; he ran with Rufus King. Despite the unpopularity of the Embargo Act of 1807, Madison won most of the electoral votes outside New England, where the Federalists were stronger. Clinton received six electoral votes for the presidency from his home state of New York.
This election was the first of two instances in American history where a new president was selected while the incumbent vice president won re-election. The other instance was in 1828.
James Madison, President; George Clinton, Vice President
| For President: | Total |
|---|---|
| James Madison, of Virginia | 122 |
| George Clinton, of New York | 6 |
| Charles C. Pinckney, of South Carolina | 47 |
| For Vice-President: | Total |
| George Clinton, of New York | 113 |
| James Madison, of Virginia | 3 |
| James Monroe, of Virginia | 3 |
| John Langdon, of New Hampshire | 9 |
| Rufus King, of New York | 47 |
| Total electoral vote | 175 |
