The first presidential election in the history of the United States—known as the United States Presidential Election of 1789—did not follow the conventional methods of high-energy, slogan-driven campaigns that characterize modern-day American politics. There were neither fiery debates nor fierce campaign slogans that captured the attention of potential voters such as William Henry Harrison’s “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” and Ulysses S. Grant’s “Let Us Have Peace.” In fact, this first presidential election had an almost complete absence of campaigning, and the prominent advertisements did not promote the election of any particular man.
George Washington—the man who would eventually become the nation’s first president—had expressed a deep reluctance to take on the role. He notably stated that he desired to “liv[e] and d[ie] a private citizen on my own farm” and simply had no “wish which aspires beyond the humble and happy lot of living and dying a private citizen” following the culmination of the American Revolution. Indeed, Washington did not possess any particular motivations to be the first president and lacked significant political aspirations. However, his deep sense of duty to his country compelled him to accept the position without hesitation, despite stating in his inaugural address that “no event could have filled me with greater anxieties” than his appointment as president. In spite of his personal reservations, Washington praised the call to serve his country as one with “veneration and love,” which he displayed routinely while leading the nation through its formative years.
Washington’s path to the presidency was considerably different from modern elections. In fact, the election of 1788-1789 was not a direct vote by the general populace. The president was chosen by a group of electors, who were themselves selected by each state. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 established this process, known as the Electoral College. Initially, the creation of the Electoral College was viewed as a compromise between those who thought Congress should select the president and those who favored election by popular vote. The number of electors for each state was determined by adding together its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. The election lacked the familiar Democratic and Republican political parties, as formal political parties did not begin to take shape until 1794. However, two prominent viewpoints were emerging: one that favored a strong central government (which later became the Federalist Party) and another concerned with government overreach (which eventually formed the Democratic-Republican Party). The Electoral College was designed to be a compromise between these differing perspectives.
Accordingly, the Constitution outlined that each elector must cast two votes: the candidate receiving the most votes was elected president, while the runner-up would assume the role of vice president. In this first presidential election, George Washington received a vote from each of the 69 electors, giving him with the distinction as the only president in U.S. history to be unanimously elected. This selection was not particularly surprising, considering Washington’s popularity as the leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolution.
The contest for recipient of the the second highest vote was much more competitive. Ultimately, John Adams emerged with 34 electoral votes. Notably, several other candidates also received multiple votes, including John Jay with 9 votes, Robert H. Harrison with 6, John Rutledge with 6, John Hancock with 4, George Clinton with 3, Samuel Huntington with 2 and John Milton with 2.
Overall, the first presidential election established the political foundation for the American Republic, establishing the principles of the Electoral College within the Constitution. George Washington’s unanimous election served as a powerful symbol of hope and renewal for the young nation, demonstrating the strong leadership and widespread popularity essential for America’s progress and development.
