Candidates who won the popular vote but lost the election
Has anyone won the popular vote and lost the presidency?
Yes. It has happened five times. The candidate who drew the most popular votes nationwide still lost in the electoral college in 1824 (Andrew Jackson), 1876 (Samuel Tilden), 1888 (Grover Cleveland), 2000 (Al Gore), and 2016 (Hillary Clinton). The 1824 popular-vote count is partial, because six states still chose their presidential electors through the state legislature rather than at the ballot box.
Five times in U.S. history a candidate has won the national popular vote but lost the presidency: Andrew Jackson (1824), Samuel Tilden (1876), Grover Cleveland (1888), Al Gore (2000) and Hillary Clinton (2016).
| # | Election | Won the popular vote | Took office | Popular-vote margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1824 | Andrew Jackson DR | John Quincy Adams DR | 28,869 |
| 2 | 1876 | Samuel J. Tilden D | Rutherford B. Hayes R | 264,292 |
| 3 | 1888 | Grover Cleveland D | Benjamin Harrison R | 100,456 |
| 4 | 2000 | Al Gore D | George W. Bush R | 543,895 |
| 5 | 2016 | Hillary Clinton D | Donald Trump R | 2,868,686 |
How this ranking is measured
The presidential candidates who won more popular votes nationwide than the eventual winner, yet lost in the electoral college: Andrew Jackson (1824), Samuel Tilden (1876), Grover Cleveland (1888), Al Gore (2000), and Hillary Clinton (2016). The margin shown is how many more popular votes they drew than the president who took office. The 1824 count is partial. Six states chose electors through their legislatures.