25 Elections held between 1900-1999.
13 Won by Republicans.
12 Won by Democrats.
18 Times an incumbent has run for re-election.
13 Times an incumbent has won. (Losing incumbents were William Taft, Herbert Hoover, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush.)
13,490,686 Fewest number of votes cast in a general election (1904).
101,129,216 Largest number of votes cast in a general election (1992).
49 Most states carried by the winning candidate—Richard Nixon (1972) and Ronald Reagan (1984).
525 Most electoral votes received by a winning candidate— Ronald Reagan (1984).
98.5% Highest percentage of available electoral votes received by a candidate— Franklin Roosevelt (1936).
202 Total electoral votes received by candidates representing third parties, or not officially on the ballot.
- 86 Theodore Roosevelt, Progressive (1912)
- 46 George Wallace, American Independence (1968)
- 39 Strom Thurmond, Dixiecrat (1948)
- 15 Harry Byrd (1960)
- 13 Robert La Follette, Progressive (1924)
- 1 Walter Jones (1956)
- 1 John Hospers, Libertarian (1972)
- 1 Ronald Reagan (1976)
61.8% Highest percentage of popular vote received by a winning candidate—Richard Nixon (1972).
41.9% Lowest percentage of popular vote received by a winning candidate—Woodrow Wilson (1912).
118,574 Votes separating John Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960, the closest election of the 20th century.
44 Number of days the presidential inauguration was moved back upon ratification of the 20th Amendment in 1937. The date changed from March 4 to January 20 because 20th-century technology allowed faster processing of election results.
35 words Length of the oath of office.
3 Presidents who took the oath on the same Bible George Washington used in his 1789 ceremony—Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush.
55° Warmest Inauguration Day temperature, recorded for both Woodrow Wilson (1913) and Ronald Reagan (1981).
7° Coldest Inauguration Day temperature, at the beginning of Ronald Reagan’s second term (1985). The temperature resulted in the cancellation of outdoor ceremonies.
1.77 Inches of rain recorded during Franklin Roosevelt’s second inauguration (1937), the wettest on record.
5,433 words Longest inaugural address, delivered by William Taft (1909).
559 words Shortest inaugural address, delivered by Franklin Roosevelt (1945).
20 minutes Longest prayer at an inauguration, delivered by Richard Cardinal Cushing at the swearing in of John Kennedy (1961).
40 minutes Time it took for Jimmy Carter to walk the parade route from the Capitol to the White House after his swearing-in ceremony (1977).
25 Total number of inaugural balls Bill Clinton attended in 1993 and 1997, the most of any president.
1 President William Taft’s unique distinction of being the only man to be sworn into office as well as to administer the inaugural oath. Taft served as president from 1909-13. In 1925, as chief justice of the United States he swore in Calvin Coolidge
*Note: Data from February 2005
