1789 Presidential Election

George Washington [F]69 of 69 electoral votes
69
Electoral votes — George Washington
34
Electoral votes — John Adams
35
Needed for a majority

Electoral College record, as published by the National Archives

Electoral Votes by State

President
George Washington [F]
Main Opponent
John Adams [F]
Electoral Vote
Winner: 69 · Main Opponent: 34 · Total/Majority: 69/35
Votes for Others
John Jay (9), Robert H. Harrison (6), John Rutledge (6), John Hancock (4), George Clinton (3), Samuel Huntington (2), John Milton (2), James Armstrong (1), Benjamin Lincoln (1), Edward Telfair (1)
Vice President
John Adams
Notes

For all intents and purposes, Washington was unopposed for election as President. Under the system then in place, votes for Vice President were not differentiated from votes for President.

Electoral votes by state

Name of candidateCTDEGAMDMANHNJPASCVATotal
George Washington, Esq735610561071069
John Adams, Esq5---10518-534
Samuel Huntington, Esq2---------2
John Jay, Esq-3----5--19
John Hancock, Esq-------2114
Robert H. Harrison, Esq---6------6
George Clinton, Esq---------33
John Rutledge, Esq--------6-6
John Milton, Esq--2-------2
James Armstrong, Esq--1-------1
Edward Telfair, Esq--1-------1
Benjamin Lincoln, Esq--1-------1
Total electoral vote735610561071069

Official records

National Archives — Office of the Federal Register

Provenance

Electoral College record
https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/1789
Archived copy: nara/1789/electoral-college-1789.html
Retrieved Tue, 06 Oct 2026 19:29:44 GMT
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License
Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)