FairVote - Third Parties Earn Votes

Third Party Elections

Election Years in which a third party candidate walked away with any amount of Electoral votes

1912
1924
1948
1960
1968
1956, 1972, 1976, 1988

1912

Candidate: Teddy Roosevelt

Party: Progressive

Popular Vote: 4,119,207 (27.4%)

Electoral Votes: 88

States: Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Washington, Pennsylvania, California (split)

*Roosevelt actually beat Democratic candidate William Howard Taft in the Electoral College;
Taft received only 8 votes

1924

Candidate: Robert Marion LaFollette

Party: Progressive

Popular Vote: 4,822,856 (16.6%)

Electoral Votes: 13

States: Wisconsin

1948

Candidate: Strom Thurmond

Party: Dixiecrat

Popular Vote: 1,176,125 (2.4%)

Electoral Votes: 39

States: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee (split)

1960

Candidate: Harry Flood Byrd

Byrd

Party: Democrat

Popular Vote: 116,248 (0.2%)

Electoral Votes: 15

States: Mississippi, Alabama (split), Oklahoma (split)

1968

Candidate: George Corley Wallace

Wallace

Party: American Independent

Popular Vote: 9,446,167 (12.9%)

Electoral Votes: 46

States: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina (split)

1956, 1972, 1976, 1988

*In each of these elections, a candidate got a single (1) electoral vote:

Walter Burgwyn Jones in 1956

John Hospers in 1972

Ronald Reagan in 1976

Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr. in 1988



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	Third Party Elections Election Years in which a third party candidate walked away with any amount of Electoral votes 1912 1924 1948 1960 1968 1956, 1972, 1976, 1988 1912 Candidate: Teddy Roosevelt Party: Progressive Popular Vote: 4,119,207 (27.4%) Electoral Votes: 88 States: Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Washington, Pennsylvania, California (split) Roosevelt actually beat Democratic candidate William Howard Taft in the Electoral College; Taft received only 8 votes Back to Top 1924 Candidate: Robert Marion LaFollette Party: Progressive Popular Vote: 4,822,856 (16.6%) Electoral Votes: 13 States: Wisconsin Back to Top 1948 Candidate: Strom Thurmond Party: Dixiecrat Popular Vote: 1,176,125 (2.4%) Electoral Votes: 39 States: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee (split) Back to Top 1960 Candidate: Harry Flood Byrd Party: Democrat Popular Vote: 116,248 (0.2%) Electoral Votes: 15 States: Mississippi, Alabama (split), Oklahoma (split) Back to Top 1968 Candidate: George Corley Wallace Party: American Independent Popular Vote: 9,446,167 (12.9%) Electoral Votes: 46 States: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina (split) Back to Top 1956, 1972, 1976, 1988 In each of these elections, a candidate got a single (1) electoral vote: Walter Burgwyn Jones in 1956 John Hospers in 1972 Ronald Reagan in 1976 Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr. in 1988 Back to Top Controversial Elections Electoral College Table of Contents	January 1st 2001 The time is ripe for real electoral reform. Why not try democracy in America? The Hightower Lowdown Major article about electoral reform with sections advocating instant runoff voting and proportional representation December 17th 2000 Prof. Guinier writes on Florida and Proportional Representation San Jose Mercury News 2000 presidential elections revealed the problem of american democracy, which can be solved in various way, one of them being proportional voting. December 8th 2000 Formula for a Fair Count Grist The plurality voting in US violates basic rules of fair and democratic elections, when despite receiving more of the popular vote, the candidate still loses. December 4th 2000 The Nation Covers Electoral Reform The Nation After the 2000 election, The Nation runs several articles criticizing poor voting technology, the Electoral College, the two-party system, and single-member districts. November 16th 2000 Stand and be counted Baltimore Sun Presidential elections in 2000 were the great opportunity for Center and Democracy to take the message about instant runoff voting (IRS) to the general public. [ Previous ] [ Next ]