The election of 1796 was America’s first contested presidential election. With George Washington’s retirement, the electorate split into two camps. Under the original rules of the Constitution, the top vote getter, John Adams, a Federalist, was declared President and the second highest, Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican, was named Vice President.

In the first Presidential election, the Electoral College met on February 4, 1789, and unanimously selected George Washington as President. The second highest vote getter was John Adams, thus becoming America’s first Vice President.