Malcolm Rivera
In the history of the United States, only one independent candidate has ever won a presidential election. George Washington, the first US president, won the election without belonging to any of the major political parties. In the 1792 election, he received all 132 electoral votes, winning each of the fifteen states. In more recent times, independent candidates have struggled to win large shares of the vote. In the 2016 election, more than 7.6 million Americans voted for someone other than the Republican and Democratic candidates, but no independent candidate has won a presidential election since Washington.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Election Type | Presidential |
| Number of Independent Candidates Winning | 1 |
| Names of Winning Candidates | George Washington |
| Year of Victory | 1792 |
| Number of Votes | 132 |
| Type of Votes | Electoral |
| Number of States Won | 15 |
| Names of States Won | All 15 eligible states |
| Names of Political Parties Not Affiliated With | Federalist, Democratic-Republican |
| Other Candidates in the Election | N/A |
| Number of Votes for Other Candidates | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
George Washington, the only independent US president
George Washington, the first US president, is the only independent candidate to win the US presidency. He was also the only person to be unanimously elected to that office. Washington opposed the development of political parties, fearing that partisanship would destroy the country. He famously warned against it in his 1796 Farewell Address:
> "Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally."
Washington stood for public office five times, serving two terms in the Virginia House of Burgesses and two terms as President of the United States. In the 1792 election, he was re-elected president with 132 electoral votes, remaining unopposed.
Washington's legacy is enduring, and he is known as the "Father of His Country." His face appears on the US dollar bill and quarter, and dozens of US schools, towns, counties, as well as the state of Washington and the nation's capital, are named after him.
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Third-party candidates winning more than 5% of the popular vote
No third-party candidate has ever won a US presidential election. However, there have been several occasions where third-party candidates have carried states or split the vote with major party candidates.
The last third-party candidate to win electoral votes was George Wallace in the 1968 election. He won the popular vote in five states, running on a white supremacist and pro-segregationist platform.
In the 1912 election, Theodore Roosevelt was the Progressive Party candidate, challenging the incumbent President Taft for the Republican nomination. Roosevelt proved to be the most popular candidate in the primaries, and he carried six states, winning over 27% of the popular vote. This split in the Republican Party allowed the Democratic nominee, Woodrow Wilson, to win 82% of the electoral votes despite only winning 42% of the popular vote.
In the 1992 election, Independent candidate Ross Perot received almost one-fifth of the popular vote. Although he did not win any electoral votes, he prevented either Clinton or Bush Sr. from winning a majority in any state except Arkansas.
In recent elections, third-party candidates have received less than 5% of the popular vote. In the 2016 election, the Libertarian Party candidate, Gary Johnson, secured just over 3% of the popular vote, while in 2020, the party's candidate, Jo Jorgensen, received just over 1%.
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Candidates winning the electoral vote but losing the popular vote
In the United States, the President is not always the candidate who wins the popular vote. This is due to the Electoral College system, where states are allotted electoral votes based on the number of representatives they have in the House plus their two senators. This means that a candidate can win the election by winning a "majority" of electoral votes, even if they have lost the popular vote.
This has happened on five occasions in US history. The first time was in 1824, when Andrew Jackson won the popular vote but lost to John Quincy Adams, who became president. The second time was in 1876, when Democrat Samuel Tilden beat Rutherford B. Hayes by more than 200,000 votes but lost the electoral vote due to disputed votes in several states. In 1888, Democratic President Grover Cleveland won the popular vote by over 90,000 votes but lost the electoral vote to Benjamin Harrison. In 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote by more than 500,000 votes, but after a recount and a Supreme Court ruling, George W. Bush won the electoral vote and the election. The most recent occurrence was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 2.8 million votes but lost the electoral vote to Donald Trump.
It is worth noting that George Washington, the first US President, can be considered an independent candidate as he did not belong to any major political party. He won the electoral votes of all ten eligible states in the first election and received all 132 electoral votes in 1792, winning each of the fifteen states.
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Independent candidates in local elections
Independent candidates have experienced success in local elections, particularly at the local and state levels. In the United States, for instance, Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota, and Rhode Island have had independent or third-party governors. In the Senate, there have been independent senators who caucus with the Democrats, such as Sanders, King, and Sinema. At the local council level, there is a special Independent group within the Local Government Association to cater to independent members. Several local authorities, such as the City of London Corporation, the Orkney Islands Council, and the Shetland Islands Council, are composed entirely or almost entirely of independent members.
The success of independent candidates in local elections is often attributed to various factors. In some cases, it may be due to a tradition of independent voting in certain regions, such as in Maine. In other instances, it may be because the candidates are well-known and respected local individuals who can connect with the community and play on people's emotional ties to their local area. For example, wrestler-turned-governor Jesse Ventura was elected in Minnesota.
Outside of the United States, there are also examples of independent candidates succeeding in local elections. After the 2022 Taiwanese local elections, Chung Tung-chin became the independent local head of Miaoli County. In Namibia, independent politicians won four seats in the 2020 local and regional elections. In some countries, however, independent politicians are not allowed to run for office. For example, Article 14, §3rd, item V of the 1988 Brazilian Constitution stipulates that party affiliation is a condition for eligibility to run for office.
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Independent candidates in non-US elections
In my search, I could only find references to independent candidates in US elections. However, I can tell you about independent candidates in non-US elections.
Running as an independent candidate is a viable option for those who want to enter politics without the support of a major political party. In many countries, independent candidates have successfully gained elected office at various levels of government, including local, regional, and national elections.
One of the most prominent examples of a successful independent candidate is Emmanuel Macron, the current President of France. Macron ran as an independent candidate in the 2017 French presidential election, founding his own political movement, "En Marche!" or "La République En Marche!" (LREM). Macron's campaign focused on pro-European, progressive, and centrist policies, and he ultimately won the election with a significant majority.
Another example is Nick Xenophon, who was elected as an independent senator for South Australia in the Australian Senate from 2008 to 2017. Xenophon was known for his advocacy on issues such as gambling reform, and his ability to collaborate with both major parties in the Senate.
In the United Kingdom, while the majority of members of parliament (MPs) are affiliated with major parties, there have been notable independent candidates who have been elected to the House of Commons. For instance, a similar case can be found in Dr. Richard Taylor, who served as an independent MP for Wyre Forest from 2001 to 2010 and was known for his strong focus on local issues and constituency work.
These examples demonstrate that independent candidates can be successful in non-US elections, often by offering a unique perspective, appealing to voters who are dissatisfied with the major parties, or focusing on specific issues or local concerns.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, George Washington, the first and two-time US president, was the only independent candidate to win the US presidency. He was not affiliated with any of the major political parties and received all 132 electoral votes in 1792, winning each of the fifteen states.
In 1912, Roosevelt ran as a progressive candidate and won more than 27% of the vote, which is impressive considering the Republican nominee, William Howard Taft, carried only 23%. In 2000, George W. Bush won the election despite losing the popular vote to Al Gore. Green Party candidate Ralph Nader was also on the ballot and won 2,882,897 votes. In 2016, more than 7.6 million Americans voted for someone other than the Republican and Democratic candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Yes, there have been several instances where candidates have won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote. Some examples include John Quincy Adams (1824), Rutherford B. Hayes (1876), Benjamin Harrison (1888), George W. Bush (2000), and Donald Trump (2016).
