Section 13
Elections

This section relates primarily to presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections. Also presented are summary tables on Congressional legislation and on population of voting age.

Official statistics on Federal elections are collected by the Clerk of the House of Representatives and published biennially in Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election and Statistics of the Congressional Election. Congressional Quarterly Inc., Washington, D.C., publishes a special report, Complete Returns of the 19- Elections by Congressional District, in March or April of each odd-numbered year, presenting the results of presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections. Details of both Federal and State election statistics appear also in America Votes, issued biennially by the Governmental Affairs Institute. Data on Federal elections also appear in the Congressional Directory, United States Congress, and in official State documents.

Almost all Federal, State, and local governmental units in the United States conduct elections at various intervals—annual, biennial, quadrennial, or longer-for different types of offices and other purposes. No regular and complete system exists for reporting either the number of elections held or the numbers of votes cast for candidates, except for Federal offices and, in most States, for State offices. The conduct of elections is regulated by State laws or, in some cities and counties, by local charter. An exception is that the United States Constitution prescribes the basis of representation in Congress and the manner of electing the President of the United States, and grants to Congress the right to regulate the times, places, and manner of electing Federal officers. The 24th Amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1964, gave citizens the right to vote in any election for Federal office without payment of tax. The election of the President of the United States is provided for in the Constitution, article II, section 1, through the establishment of an electoral college in each State, for each presidential election. The method of casting the electoral vote was modified in 1804 by the adoption of the 12th Amendment to the Constitution. The number of electors, and therefore of electoral votes, is "equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in Congress." The electors are elected by popular vote in all States. The 22d Amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1951, limits presidential tenure to 2 elective terms of 4 years each, or to 1 elective term for any person who, upon succession to the Presidency, has held the office or acted as President for more than 2 years. The 23d Amendment, adopted in 1961, grants the District of Columbia electors for President and Vice President.

The number of members in the House of Representatives is fixed by the Congress at the time of each apportionment; since 1912, it has remained constant at 435. However, the legislation granting statehood to Alaska and Hawaii allotted 1 Representative to each of those States and, during 1960 to 1962, increased the total of members to 437. The total reverted to 435 after reapportionment following the 1960 Census. The Constitution provides that "Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers . . . ." The Constitution also requires that each State have at least 1 Representative. Members are elected for 2-year terms, all terms covering the same period.

The Senate is composed of 100 members, 2 from each State, who are elected to serve for a term of 6 years. One-third of the Senate is elected every 2 years. Senators were originally chosen by the State legislatures. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1913, prescribed that Senators be elected by popular vote.

Historical statistics.-Tabular headnotes provide cross-references, where applicable, to Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1957. See preface.

FIG. XXII. POPULAR VOTE CAST FOR PRESIDENT, BY MAJOR PARTIES: 1900 to 1964

No. 517. VOTE CAST FOR PRESIDENT, 1900 to 1964, AND FOR REPRESENTATIVES, 1930 To 1966, BY POLITICAL PARTIES

[Beginning 1958, includes Alaska and Hawaii. Includes vote cast for major party candidates endorsed by minor parties. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series Y 27-31 and Y 146-149]

Represents zero.

Includes votes for minor party candidates, independents, unpledged electors, and scattered write-in votes. Includes District of Columbia.

Mainly Progressive in 1912 and 1924, States Rights and Progressive in 1948.

Socialist Labor only.

Includes 4,831,289 votes cast for La Follette, official candidate for the Progressive Party.

See also table 524.

• Workers Party.

Includes minor party votes.

Includes Hawaii figures for July 1959.

Source: 1900-1944, Edgar Eugene Robinson, The Presidential Vote and They Voted for Roosevelt, Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1934 and 1947, respectively. Later data, Governmental Affairs Institute, Washington, D.C., America Votes (copyright); U.S. Congress, Clerk of the House, Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election and Statistics of the Congressional Election. (For some years, figures have been revised by Governmental Affairs Institute.)

No. 518. POPULAR VOTE CAST FOR PresidentIAL ELECTORS, AND PERCENT OF VOTE FOR MAJORITY PARTY, BY STATES: 1940 TO 1956

[In thousands, except percent. D=Democratic, R=Republican. Majority party vote refers to the party vote representing either a majority or a plurality for the victorious party. See also table 517; for current figures, see table 519. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series Y 80-128]

2 Percentages based on figures which exclude votes of minor parties for candidates of major parties. Vote represented a victory for Thurmond (States' Rights Democratic Party) as follows: Alabama, 79.7 percent; Louisiana, 49.1 percent; Mississippi, 87.2 percent; and South Carolina, 72.0 percent.

Source: 1940-44, Edgar Eugene Robinson, They Voted for Roosevelt, Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1947; 1948, Governmental Affairs Institute, Washington, D.C., America Votes (copyright); 1952-56, Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Congressional District Data Book (Districts of the 88th Congress), 1963.

No. 519. POPULAR VOTE CAST FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS, BY POLITICAL PARTIES, BY STATES: 1960 AND 1964

[In thousands, except percent. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series Y 80-128]

ic lican

337 61.1 38.5

69.5

34.1

50.4

43.4

40.8

38.2

32.1

38.8

14.5

48.9

78.8 21.2

49.1

40.5

56.0 43.6

37.9

The 11-man Democratic elector slate consisted of 6" unpledged" electors who subsequently voted for Harry F. Byrd, and 5 "loyalist" electors, who subsequently voted for John F. Kennedy.

2 Democratic electors were not pledged to Johnson: therefore, vote appears in "Other parties."

1 Vote cast for States' Rights Democratic Party.

Vote cast for unpledged Democratic electors who subsequently supported Harry F. Byrd for President. Includes 406,176 Liberal Party votes cast for Democratic candidate for 1960, and 342,432 for 1964.

Source: U.S. Congress, Clerk of the House; Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of Nov. 8,

1960, and Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of Nov. 3, 1964. (In some cases, figures have been revised by Governmental Affairs Institute, Washington, D.C.)