Looking Back...First US Presidential Election, Part 1

2016 is a very decisive year being an election year for the 45th President of the United States. Let's step back in time to the United States presidential election of 1789, which was the first presidential election in the United States of America. This election was much, much different from the elections of today. It took place following the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788 whereby "We the people..." became solidified.

This Day in History: January 7, 1789

George Washington
en.wikipedia.org

No lengthy election season. No primaries. No campaign rallies. No endless advertisements. No debates. No long lines on election day. No worry about who will win.  Essentially George Washington didn't even have an opponent!

With the recent adoption of the constitution, voters cast their ballots on this day, January 7, 1789 for state electors, thus the beginning of the Electoral College. On February 4th, 1789 George Washington is unanimously elected to be the first President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College. It was of no surprise that George Washington received the most votes with John Adams coming in second. Washington was the Virginia landowner who had led the patriotic forces in the war against the British. He was sworn into office in New York on April 30, 1789.

for the rest of the story...