The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-11-22
Popular and Electoral Votes

Popular and Electoral Votes.
1t is not yet known, and will not be ascer-
tanned for some time, which Of the two Presi-
Dental candidates receives the larger share
of the popular vote. Ten or eleven million
votes were cast at the recent election, and
the balance Of parties is SO nearly even that
1t will require the official vote to determine
with reasonable accuracy. 1t is quite GER
tain, however. reckoning the entire vote,
Prohibitionist and Labor with the others,
that General Harrison has fallen consider
ably short of majority of the votes cast.
But this is nothing unusual. With the con-
slant tendency of troublesome third parties
to arise In our politics, 1t becomes largely
matter OF accident whether or not the sue
cessful candidate receives the majority of
the popular vote. Moreover the system of
choosing electors renders 1t quite likely that
the man elected may receive not even plu-
rality OF the popular VOTE jackson In his
first election received plurality of 1922
oven Adams in the popular vote, while his
plurality In the electoral college was 95 In
his second election in 1882 Jackson's plu-
rality over Clay was 1871 In the ,pular
vote. and in the electoral college mounted
up TO ITO. Eleven votes cast that year In the
electoral college for John Floyd Of Virgin ia
and seven thrown for william Writ of Mary
land brings Jackson's actual majority In th g
electoral college down to 152. The figures o 4
the popular vote for these two elections are
only approximately correct, however, because
In 1928 Delaware and South Carolina chose
electors in their legislatures, while In Georgia
there was no opposition whatever to Jackson.
In 1882. likewise, there was no opposition to
jackson in Mississippi, and In South Caro-
lima the electors were again chosen In the
legislature, custom which in fact con-
tinued In that State up to the war Of the Re-
beiiion. In 1886 Van Buren, had a majority
of 57.o27 in the popular vote and of 46 In the
electoral college. But there were electoral
votes cast for three Wing candidates. Over
William Henry Harrison, the most promi-
nent Of these, Van Buren, had plurality of
81. In 1910 came the great Wing landslide.
when William Henry Harrison had majority
OF 174over Van Buren, in the electoral col
lege. But the change In the popular vote
was not great. Harrison's plurality being but
145,9i4 out Of . total Of 2,404, 1lS votes east
for the two leading candidates. In 1874
Folks plurality on the popular vote was but
3s,lS1 over Clay. out OF total vote Of 1885,
305 cast for the two candidates. OF the
whole popular vote, counting the $500 cast
for Birney, Polk had considerably less than
half. Bis majority in the electoral college,
however, was 65. Ia 1S4S Zachary TAYLOR.
Wing, had but Sc majority over Cass in the
electoral, but In the popular vote his plural
ity ran up to 139, 555, but he failed Of ma
1ority because Of the 29i. 1853 votes cast for
Martin Van Buren,, who came up this year
as the convert and candidate Of the anti
slavery men. In 1852 Franklin Pierce had
"a votes In the electoral college to only a
for General Scott. and on the popular vote
Pierce led Scott by 214. 694, and had clear
majority In the country, the anti-slavery
candidate, John p. Hale, receiving but 1885,
S25 votes. In 1856 james Buchanan received
a plurality Of 60 In the electoral college, and
= plurality Of 496, 905 votes over Fremont on
the popular vote. but was q minority candi-
date on account Of the S74.534 old Wings who
voted for Willard Fillmore. In the great DO
lltical revolution Of 1860 Mr.. Lincoln had In
the electoral college 1870 votes to r. each for
Breckinridge. 80 for Bell and II for Doug
lass. But in the popular vote he had but
1886. 452 votes to 2.S13.741 cast for the other
candidates, though he led Douglass, his chief
competitor. by 4sl,295, At Mr.. Lincoln's
next election in 1864 the Southern States ip
rebellion did not vote. Mr.. Lincoln had q
majority Of 19l In an electoral college of 233,
and popular plurality of Al, 426 over Nc
Clellan. In 1868 Grant had n majority of 12A