On this date (November 6) in 1860 Abraham Lincoln is elected 16th president of the United States, with 39.8% of the vote defeating John Breckenridge, John Bell, and Stephen Douglas. Douglas was 2nd with 29.5% of the popular vote.
Lincoln was 2nd at the 1st ballot of the Republican party convention, which required 3 ballots before he was party nominee.
Lincoln garnered 180 out of 303 electoral votes to win in 1860.
In 1864 at the Republican nominating convention Lincoln garnered 480 votes, and U.S. Grant 22, on the 1st ballot, and then on the 2nd ballot it was Lincoln unanimously.
In 1864 Lincoln garnered 55% of the popular vote vs. George McClellan with 45%, and the Electoral College was 212 - 21. I would guess there were not as many states in 1864, as in 1860.
Just think that in the 5-months after the 1864 election in which 45% voted against Lincoln events would move Lincoln to become our country's most beloved president, and yet 60.2% of the voters in 1860 supported another candidate, and 45% in 1864 supported another candidate, and that 45% doesn't include the nonvoters in the secessionist states.
Abraham Lincoln who led such a difficult life in the presidency was such an iconic president.
