Today in Supreme Court History: February 17, 1801

2/17/1801: House of Representatives breaks tie in Electoral College, and selects Thomas Jefferson as President.

Thomas Jefferson

Comments

[Dan Schiavetta]

And a very unhappy Vice President.

[Cal Cetín]

A burr under Jefferson's saddle.

[Darth Chocolate]

So "Selected, not elected"?

[F.D. Wolf]

The presidential election of 1800 took place between October 3 and December 1. (Congress had not yet legislated a uniform Election Day for all the states). As presidential and vice-presidential votes were not differentiated, the final electoral vote count was Jefferson, 73; Burr, 73; Adams, 65; Pinckney, 64; and Jay, 1. (Note the Federalist electors had the good sense to throw away one vote, in order to prevent exactly what happened from happening, had they won). Also, if not for the three-fifths compromise, which shifted electoral votes to the South, Adams would almost certainly have won.