Facts and Trivia
Election history: close calls, records and turning points.
-
Five Presidents Who Won the White House Without Winning the Popular Vote
It has happened five times. Here’s how John Quincy Adams, Rutherford Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, George W. Bush and Donald Trump each won the presidency while losing the popular vote.
-
The Closest Elections in American History
From an electoral tie in 1800 to a six-vote House race in 2020, these are the elections that came down to almost nothing — and what changed because of them.
-
The Midterm Penalty: Why the President’s Party Almost Always Loses Seats
Since World War II, the president’s party has gained House seats in only two midterm elections. A look at the pattern, the exceptions and the theories behind it.