And
By the Smallest of Margins...
- In 1800 - Thomas Jefferson was elected President by one vote in the
House of Representatives after a tie in the electoral
college.
- In 1824 - Andrew Jackson won the
presidential popular vote but lost by one vote in the House of
Representatives to John Quincy Adams after an electoral college
dead-lock.
- In 1845 - The U.S. Senate passed the
convention annexing Texas by two votes (27/25).
- In 1846 - President Polk's request for a
Declaration of War against Mexico passed by one vote.
- In 1867 - The Alaska purchase was
ratified in the Senate by two votes: 37-2, paving the way for future statehood.
- In 1868 - President Andrew Johnson was
Impeached but not convicted because the Senate was one vote shy of the
necessary two thirds required.
- In 1876 - Samuel Tilden won the presidential
popular vote but came up one electoral vote shy and lost to Rutherford
B. Hayes.
- In 1941 - Congress amended the
active-service component of the Selective Service Act from one year to
two-and-a-half years by one vote, 203 to 202.
- In 1948 - A Texas Convention voted for Lyndon B.
Johnson over ex-Governor Coke Steven in a contested Senatorial election.
- In 1962 - Governors of Maine, Rhode
Island and North Dakota were elected by an average of one vote per
precinct.
- In 1989 - A
Lansing, Michigan School District millage proposition failed when the
final recount produced a tie vote 5,147 for, and 5,147 against.
On the original vote count, votes against the proposition were ten
more than those in favor. The result meant that the school
district had to reduce its budget by $2.5 million.
- In 1994 - 1.1 votes per precinct in
Alaska elected Tony Knowles as Governor and Fran Ulmer as Lt. Governor
out of 216,668 votes cast in the General Election.
- In 1994 - Republican
Randall Luthi and Independent Larry Call tied for a seat in the
Wyoming House of Representatives from the Jackson Hole area with 1,941
votes each. A recount produced the same result. Mr. Luthi
was finally declared the winner when, in a drawing before the State
Canvassing Board, a pingpong ball bearing his name was pulled from the
cowboy hat of Democratic Governor Mike Sullivan.
- In 1997 - Vermont
State representative Sydney Nixon was seated as an apparent one vote
winner, 570 to 569. Mr. Nixon resigned when the State
House determined, after a recount, that he had actually lost to his
opponent Robert Emond 572 to 571.
- In 1997 - Dakota
Democrat John McIntyre led Republican Hal Wick 4,195 to 4,191 for the
second seat in Legislative District 12 on election night. A
subsequent recount showed Wick the winner at 4,192 to 4,191. The
State Supreme Court however, ruled that one ballot counted for Wick
was invalid due to an overvote. This left the race a tie.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the State Legislature voted
to seat Wick 46 to 20.
- In 2000 -
The Presidential election was decided by an extremely narrow margin.
George W. Bush won the state of Florida by just 537 votes, making him
the next President of the United States. Close to 6 million voters
went to the polls in Florida. It might not have been by one vote,
but certainly every vote counted.
-
In 2002 - In Nevada, Republican Dolores "Dee" Honeycutt and Democrat
R.J. Gillum, who tied 107-107 for an open seat on the Esmeralda County
Commission, each pulled a jack, but Gillum's spade beat Honeycutt's
diamond. (CLICK for MORE
NEVADA INFO).
-
In 2006 - Connecticut's 2nd U.S. Congressional seat was won by Joe
Courtney with 121,252 votes to Rob Simmons' 121,158; a difference of only
94 votes.
In 2008 - Stockton, California: The Stockton Unified School Trustee Area
No. 3 seat was won by one vote. Jose Morales received 2,302 votes while
Anthony Silva received 2,301. - In 2008 -
Minnesota voters cast 2.9 million votes in their US Senate race that
eventually was decided by 312 votes (1/1000th of one %)
- In 2010 - In Nevada, ties happen more
often than might be thought in counties with smaller populations. By
statute, candidates 'draw lots' to determine a winner. Decks of cards
are predominately used, with aces high and jokers removed. Suits
can also be ranked and even unopened decks can be randomly chosen. The Douglas
County Kingsbury GID contest resulted in a tie for the third board seat,
with
Natalie Yanish and Robert McDowell both receiving 373 votes. Yanish
won the seat in a card draw by drawing an ace (SEE
STORY).
>> The Eureka
County Clerk-Treasurer contest wound up in a 374-374 tie.
Incumbent Jackie Berg drew an eight of hearts which prevailed when
challenger Carri Wright drew the three of hearts.
>> In Nye County,
the
Primary contest for County Commissioner District IV was determined by a
queen of clubs after a dead heat occurred with
both Butch Borasky and Carl Moore receiving 381 votes.
>> In the Lincoln
County Primary, the District Attorney race was decided by only 3 votes.
- In 2012 -------
More Links to History at Work:
The Declaration of Independence
United States Constitution
The Bill of Rights
The Federalist Papers
Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address
The Gettysburg Address
The Magna Carta
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