Candidate
|
Year
|
Party
|
Popular vote
|
Notes
|
Joe Biden
|
2020
|
Democratic
|
81,283,501
|
Winner.
|
Donald Trump
|
2020
|
Republican
|
74,223,975
|
Runner-up (most votes ever received by an incumbent).
|
Barack Obama
|
2008
|
Democratic
|
69,498,516
|
Winner.
|
Barack Obama
|
2012
|
Democratic
|
65,915,795
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Hillary Clinton
|
2016
|
Democratic
|
65,853,514
|
Runner-up. Won the popular vote, but lost the Electoral College.
|
Donald Trump
|
2016
|
Republican
|
62,984,828
|
Winner. Lost the popular vote, but won the Electoral College.
|
George W. Bush
|
2004
|
Republican
|
62,040,610
|
Winner (incumbent). Last Republican candidate to win the popular vote to date (as of 2023).
|
Mitt Romney
|
2012
|
Republican
|
60,933,504
|
Runner-up.
|
John McCain
|
2008
|
Republican
|
59,948,323
|
Runner-up.
|
John Kerry
|
2004
|
Democratic
|
59,028,444
|
Runner-up.
|
Ronald Reagan
|
1984
|
Republican
|
54,455,472
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Al Gore
|
2000
|
Democratic
|
50,999,897
|
Runner-up. Won the popular vote, but lost the Electoral College.
|
George W. Bush
|
2000
|
Republican
|
50,456,002
|
Winner. Lost the popular vote, but won the Electoral College.
|
George H. W. Bush
|
1988
|
Republican
|
48,886,597
|
Winner.
|
Bill Clinton
|
1996
|
Democratic
|
47,401,185
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Richard Nixon
|
1972
|
Republican
|
47,168,710
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Bill Clinton
|
1992
|
Democratic
|
44,909,889
|
Winner.
|
Ronald Reagan
|
1980
|
Republican
|
43,903,230
|
Winner.
|
Lyndon B. Johnson
|
1964
|
Democratic
|
43,127,041
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Michael Dukakis
|
1988
|
Democratic
|
41,809,074
|
Runner-up.
|
Jimmy Carter
|
1976
|
Democratic
|
40,831,881
|
Winner.
|
Bob Dole
|
1996
|
Republican
|
39,197,469
|
Runner-up.
|
Gerald Ford
|
1976
|
Republican
|
39,148,634
|
Runner-up (incumbent).
|
George H. W. Bush
|
1992
|
Republican
|
39,104,550
|
Runner-up (incumbent).
|
Walter Mondale
|
1984
|
Democratic
|
37,577,352
|
Runner-up.
|
Dwight D. Eisenhower
|
1956
|
Republican
|
35,579,180
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Jimmy Carter
|
1980
|
Democratic
|
35,480,115
|
Runner-up (incumbent).
|
John F. Kennedy
|
1960
|
Democratic
|
34,220,984
|
Winner.
|
Richard Nixon
|
1960
|
Republican
|
34,108,157
|
Runner-up.
|
Dwight D. Eisenhower
|
1952
|
Republican
|
34,075,529
|
Winner.
|
Richard Nixon
|
1968
|
Republican
|
31,783,783
|
Winner.
|
Hubert Humphrey
|
1968
|
Democratic
|
31,271,839
|
Runner-up.
|
George McGovern
|
1972
|
Democratic
|
29,173,222
|
Runner-up.
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt
|
1936
|
Democratic
|
27,752,648
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Adlai Stevenson II
|
1952
|
Democratic
|
27,375,090
|
Runner-up.
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt
|
1940
|
Democratic
|
27,313,945
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Barry Goldwater
|
1964
|
Republican
|
27,175,754
|
Runner-up.
|
Adlai Stevenson II
|
1956
|
Democratic
|
26,028,028
|
Runner-up.
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt
|
1944
|
Democratic
|
25,612,916
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Harry S. Truman
|
1948
|
Democratic
|
24,179,347
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt
|
1932
|
Democratic
|
22,821,277
|
Winner.
|
Wendell Willkie
|
1940
|
Republican
|
22,347,744
|
Runner-up.
|
Thomas E. Dewey
|
1944
|
Republican
|
22,017,929
|
Runner-up.
|
Thomas E. Dewey
|
1948
|
Republican
|
21,991,292
|
Runner-up.
|
Herbert Hoover
|
1928
|
Republican
|
21,427,123
|
Winner.
|
Ross Perot
|
1992
|
Independent
|
19,743,821
|
Established the Reform Party. Highest vote total of any third-party or independent candidate and highest vote total of anyone to not win electoral votes.
|
Alf Landon
|
1936
|
Republican
|
16,679,543
|
Runner-up.
|
Warren G. Harding
|
1920
|
Republican
|
16,144,093
|
Winner.
|
Herbert Hoover
|
1932
|
Republican
|
15,761,254
|
Runner-up (incumbent).
|
Calvin Coolidge
|
1924
|
Republican
|
15,723,789
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Al Smith
|
1928
|
Democratic
|
15,015,464
|
Runner-up.
|
George Wallace
|
1968
|
American Independent
|
9,901,118
|
Third-party candidate. Last third-party candidate to receive pledged electoral college votes from any state.
|
James M. Cox
|
1920
|
Democratic
|
9,139,661
|
Runner-up.
|
Woodrow Wilson
|
1916
|
Democratic
|
9,126,868
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Charles Evans Hughes
|
1916
|
Republican
|
8,548,728
|
Runner-up.
|
John W. Davis
|
1924
|
Democratic
|
8,386,242
|
Runner-up.
|
Ross Perot
|
1996
|
Reform
|
8,085,294
|
Third-party candidate.
|
William Howard Taft
|
1908
|
Republican
|
7,678,335
|
Winner.
|
Theodore Roosevelt
|
1904
|
Republican
|
7,630,557
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
William McKinley
|
1900
|
Republican
|
7,228,864
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
William McKinley
|
1896
|
Republican
|
7,112,138
|
Winner.
|
William Jennings Bryan
|
1896
|
Democratic
|
6,509,052
|
Runner-up. Also endorsed by the Populist Party and the Silver Party.
|
William Jennings Bryan
|
1908
|
Democratic
|
6,408,979
|
Runner-up.
|
William Jennings Bryan
|
1900
|
Democratic
|
6,370,932
|
Runner-up.
|
Woodrow Wilson
|
1912
|
Democratic
|
6,296,284
|
Winner.
|
John B. Anderson
|
1980
|
Independent
|
5,719,850
|
Independent candidate.
|
Grover Cleveland
|
1892
|
Democratic
|
5,553,898
|
Winner (former president).
|
Grover Cleveland
|
1888
|
Democratic
|
5,534,488
|
Runner-up (incumbent). Won the popular vote, but lost the Electoral College.
|
Benjamin Harrison
|
1888
|
Republican
|
5,443,633
|
Winner. Lost the popular vote, but won the Electoral College.
|
Benjamin Harrison
|
1892
|
Republican
|
5,176,108
|
Runner-up (incumbent).
|
Alton B. Parker
|
1904
|
Democratic
|
5,083,880
|
Runner-up.
|
Grover Cleveland
|
1884
|
Democratic
|
4,914,482
|
Winner.
|
James G. Blaine
|
1884
|
Republican
|
4,856,905
|
Runner-up.
|
Robert M. La Follette
|
1924
|
Progressive
|
4,831,706
|
Third-party candidate. Also endorsed by the Socialist Party and the Farmer–Labor Party.
|
Gary Johnson
|
2016
|
Libertarian
|
4,489,235
|
Third-party candidate.
|
James A. Garfield
|
1880
|
Republican
|
4,453,337
|
Winner.
|
Winfield Scott Hancock
|
1880
|
Democratic
|
4,444,976
|
Runner-up.
|
Samuel J. Tilden
|
1876
|
Democratic
|
4,288,546
|
Runner-up. Won the popular vote, but lost the Electoral College.
|
Theodore Roosevelt
|
1912
|
Progressive
|
4,122,721
|
Runner-up (former president).
|
Rutherford B. Hayes
|
1876
|
Republican
|
4,034,142
|
Winner. Lost the popular vote, but won the Electoral College.
|
Ulysses S. Grant
|
1872
|
Republican
|
3,597,439
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
William Howard Taft
|
1912
|
Republican
|
3,486,242
|
Third place (incumbent). Only post-Civil War election in which a candidate from one of the two major parties came in third place.
|
Ulysses S. Grant
|
1868
|
Republican
|
3,013,790
|
Winner.
|
Ralph Nader
|
2000
|
Green
|
2,882,955
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Horace Greeley
|
1872
|
Liberal Republican
|
2,834,761
|
Runner-up. Also endorsed by the Democratic Party.
|
Horatio Seymour
|
1868
|
Democratic
|
2,708,744
|
Runner-up.
|
Abraham Lincoln
|
1864
|
National Union
|
2,211,317
|
Winner (incumbent). Lincoln was the only member of the National Union party elected president.
|
Jo Jorgensen
|
2020
|
Libertarian
|
1,865,724
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Abraham Lincoln
|
1860
|
Republican
|
1,855,993
|
Winner. Lincoln was the first member of the Republican party elected president.[a]
|
James Buchanan
|
1856
|
Democratic
|
1,835,140
|
Winner.
|
George B. McClellan
|
1864
|
Democratic
|
1,812,807
|
Runner-up.
|
Franklin Pierce
|
1852
|
Democratic
|
1,605,943
|
Winner.
|
Jill Stein
|
2016
|
Green
|
1,457,226
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Winfield Scott
|
1852
|
Whig
|
1,386,942
|
Runner-up.
|
Stephen A. Douglas
|
1860
|
Northern Democratic
|
1,380,202
|
Runner-up.[a]
|
Zachary Taylor
|
1848
|
Whig
|
1,360,235
|
Winner. Taylor was the last member of the Whig party elected president.
|
John C. Frémont
|
1856
|
Republican
|
1,342,345
|
Runner-up.
|
James K. Polk
|
1844
|
Democratic
|
1,339,570
|
Winner.
|
Henry Clay
|
1844
|
Whig
|
1,300,004
|
Runner-up.
|
Gary Johnson
|
2012
|
Libertarian
|
1,275,971
|
Third-party candidate.
|
William Henry Harrison
|
1840
|
Whig
|
1,275,583
|
Winner. Harrison was the first member of the Whig party elected president.
|
Lewis Cass
|
1848
|
Democratic
|
1,223,460
|
Runner-up.
|
Strom Thurmond
|
1948
|
Dixiecrat
|
1,175,930
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Henry A. Wallace
|
1948
|
Progressive
|
1,157,328
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Martin Van Buren
|
1840
|
Democratic
|
1,128,854
|
Runner-up (incumbent).
|
John G. Schmitz
|
1972
|
American Independent
|
1,100,868
|
Independent candidate.
|
James B. Weaver
|
1892
|
Populist
|
1,041,028
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Ed Clark
|
1980
|
Libertarian
|
921,128
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Eugene V. Debs
|
1920
|
Socialist
|
913,693
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Eugene V. Debs
|
1912
|
Socialist
|
901,551
|
Third-party candidate.
|
William Lemke
|
1936
|
Union
|
892,378
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Norman Thomas
|
1932
|
Socialist
|
884,885
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Millard Fillmore
|
1856
|
American
|
873,053
|
Third-party candidate. Also endorsed by the Whig Party.
|
John C. Breckinridge
|
1860
|
Southern Democratic
|
848,019
|
Party split.[a]
|
Martin Van Buren
|
1836
|
Democratic
|
763,291
|
Winner.
|
Eugene McCarthy
|
1976
|
Independent
|
740,460
|
Independent candidate.
|
Ralph Nader
|
2008
|
Independent
|
739,034
|
Independent candidate.
|
Evan McMullin
|
2016
|
Independent
|
732,273
|
Independent candidate.
|
Andrew Jackson
|
1832
|
Democratic
|
702,735
|
Winner (incumbent).
|
Ralph Nader
|
1996
|
Green
|
685,297
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Andrew Jackson
|
1828
|
Democratic
|
642,806
|
Winner. Jackson was the first member of the Democratic party elected president.
|
John Bell
|
1860
|
Constitutional Union
|
590,901
|
Party split.[a]
|
Allan L. Benson
|
1916
|
Socialist
|
590,524
|
Third-party candidate.
|
William Henry Harrison
|
1836
|
Whig
|
550,816
|
Runner-up.
|
Bob Barr
|
2008
|
Libertarian
|
523,715
|
Third-party candidate.
|
John Quincy Adams
|
1828
|
National Republican
|
500,897
|
Runner-up (incumbent).
|
Harry Browne
|
1996
|
Libertarian
|
485,759
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Henry Clay
|
1832
|
National Republican
|
484,205
|
Runner-up.
|
Jill Stein
|
2012
|
Green
|
469,627
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Ralph Nader
|
2004
|
Independent
|
465,151
|
Independent candidate. Also endorsed by the Reform Party.
|
Pat Buchanan
|
2000
|
Reform
|
448,895
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Ron Paul
|
1988
|
Libertarian
|
431,750
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Eugene V. Debs
|
1908
|
Socialist
|
420,852
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Howie Hawkins
|
2020
|
Green
|
405,035
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Eugene V. Debs
|
1904
|
Socialist
|
402,810
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Michael Badnarik
|
2004
|
Libertarian
|
397,265
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Harry Browne
|
2000
|
Libertarian
|
384,431
|
Third-party candidate.
|
James B. Weaver
|
1880
|
Greenback
|
308,649
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Martin Van Buren
|
1848
|
Free Soil
|
291,501
|
Third-party candidate (former president).
|
Andre Marrou
|
1992
|
Libertarian
|
290,087
|
Third-party candidate.
|
John Bidwell
|
1892
|
Prohibition
|
270,879
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Norman Thomas
|
1928
|
Socialist
|
267,478
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Parley P. Christensen
|
1920
|
Farmer–Labor
|
265,398
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Silas C. Swallow
|
1904
|
Prohibition
|
259,102
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Eugene W. Chafin
|
1908
|
Prohibition
|
254,087
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Clinton B. Fisk
|
1888
|
Prohibition
|
249,819
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Barry Commoner
|
1980
|
Citizens
|
233,052
|
Third-party candidate.
|
David Bergland
|
1984
|
Libertarian
|
228,111
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Frank Hanly
|
1916
|
Prohibition
|
221,302
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Lenora Fulani
|
1988
|
New Alliance
|
217,221
|
Third-party candidate.
|
John G. Woolley
|
1900
|
Prohibition
|
210,864
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Eugene W. Chafin
|
1912
|
Prohibition
|
208,156
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Darrell Castle
|
2016
|
Constitution
|
203,091
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Chuck Baldwin
|
2008
|
Constitution
|
199,750
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Aaron S. Watkins
|
1920
|
Prohibition
|
188,787
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Norman Thomas
|
1936
|
Socialist
|
187,910
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Howard Phillips
|
1996
|
Taxpayers
|
184,656
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Roger MacBride
|
1976
|
Libertarian
|
172,557
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Lester Maddox
|
1976
|
American Independent
|
170,274
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Cynthia McKinney
|
2008
|
Green
|
161,797
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Thomas J. Anderson
|
1976
|
American
|
158,271
|
Third-party candidate.
|
John P. Hale
|
1852
|
Free Soil
|
155,210
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Andrew Jackson
|
1824
|
Democratic-Republican
|
151,271
|
Runner-up. Won the popular vote and received the most electoral votes, but lost the electoral college majority and contingent election.[b]
|
John St. John
|
1884
|
Prohibition
|
147,482
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Alson Streeter
|
1888
|
Union Labor
|
146,602
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Hugh Lawson White
|
1836
|
Whig
|
146,109
|
The Whig Party fielded two different presidential tickets in different parts of the country.
|
Michael Peroutka
|
2004
|
Constitution
|
143,630
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Vincent Hallinan
|
1952
|
Progressive
|
140,746
|
Third-party candidate.
|
James Madison
|
1812
|
Democratic-Republican
|
140,431
|
Winner (incumbent). A limited number of states counted the popular vote.
|
Norman Thomas
|
1948
|
Socialist
|
139,569
|
Third-party candidate.
|
John M. Palmer
|
1896
|
National Democratic
|
134,645
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Benjamin Butler
|
1884
|
Anti-Monopoly
|
134,294
|
Third-party candidate. Also endorsed by the Greenback Party.
|
DeWitt Clinton
|
1812
|
Democratic-Republican
|
132,781
|
Runner-up. Also endorsed by much of the Federalist Party. A limited number of states counted the popular vote.
|
Joshua Levering
|
1896
|
Prohibition
|
131,312
|
Third-party candidate.
|
James Madison
|
1808
|
Democratic-Republican
|
124,732
|
Winner. A limited number of states counted the popular vote.
|
David Cobb
|
2004
|
Green
|
119,859
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Norman Thomas
|
1940
|
Socialist
|
116,599
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Thomas E. Watson
|
1904
|
Populist
|
114,070
|
Third-party candidate.
|
John Hagelin
|
1996
|
Natural Law
|
113,670
|
Third-party candidate.
|
John Quincy Adams
|
1824
|
Democratic-Republican
|
113,142
|
Winner. Lost the popular vote and electoral college, but won the contingent election. Adams was the last member of the Democratic-Republican party elected president and the only member of the National Republican party elected president.[b]
|
T. Coleman Andrews
|
1956
|
States' Rights
|
108,956
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Bo Gritz
|
1992
|
Populist
|
106,152
|
Third-party candidate.
|
Thomas Jefferson
|
1804
|
Democratic-Republican
|
104,110
|
Winner (incumbent). A limited number of states counted the popular vote.
|
Claude A. Watson
|
1948
|
Prohibition
|
103,708
|
Third-party candidate.
|
William Z. Foster
|
1932
|
Communist
|
103,307
|
Third-party candidate.
|
William Wirt
|
1832
|
Anti-Masonic
|
100,715
|
Third-party candidate.
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