1796 U.S. presidential election

The election of 1796 was the first presidential contest without George Washington and the first fought between organized parties. Vice President John Adams led the Federalists, while Thomas Jefferson was the choice of the Democratic-Republicans. Electors voted on December 7, 1796, and Adams won 71 votes to Jefferson's 68. Federalist Thomas Pinckney took 59 and Republican Aaron Burr 30. Because the Constitution gave the vice presidency to the runner-up, Jefferson, the leader of the opposition, became Adams's vice president.¹²

Washington's Farewell Address, published in September 1796, warned against parties just as they hardened. The divide traced back to Hamilton's financial program and widened over the French Revolution: Federalists leaned toward Britain and had backed the 1795 Jay Treaty, which Republicans attacked as a surrender to British interests, while Republicans sympathized with France. Some Federalist electors withheld votes from Pinckney so he could not overtake Adams, which is why the result split. A president and vice president from rival parties proved unworkable, and both parties began running coordinated tickets.²