1856 Presidential Election Results
James Buchanan (Democratic) won the 1856 presidential election with 174 of 296 electoral votes, defeating John C. Frémont (Republican, 114) and Millard Fillmore (American (Know Nothing), 8). Buchanan also won the popular vote with 45.3%.
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Results by state
| State | EV | Buchanan | Frémont | Fillmore | Votes cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 9 | 62.1%46,7399 EV | – | 37.9%28,552 | 75,291 |
| Arkansas | 4 | 67.1%21,9104 EV | – | 32.9%10,732 | 32,642 |
| California | 4 | 48.4%53,3424 EV | 18.8%20,704 | 32.8%36,195 | 110,241 |
| Connecticut | 6 | 43.6%35,028 | 53.2%42,7176 EV | 3.3%2,615 | 80,360 |
| Delaware | 3 | 54.9%8,0043 EV | 2.1%310 | 43.0%6,275 | 14,589 |
| Florida | 3 | 56.8%6,3583 EV | – | 43.2%4,833 | 11,191 |
| Georgia | 10 | 57.1%56,58110 EV | – | 42.9%42,439 | 99,020 |
| Iowa | 4 | 40.7%37,568 | 48.8%45,0734 EV | 10.5%9,669 | 92,310 |
| Illinois | 11 | 44.1%105,52811 EV | 40.2%96,275 | 15.7%37,531 | 239,334 |
| Indiana | 13 | 50.4%118,67013 EV | 40.1%94,375 | 9.5%22,356 | 235,401 |
| Kentucky | 12 | 52.5%74,64212 EV | – | 47.5%67,416 | 142,058 |
| Louisiana | 6 | 51.7%22,1646 EV | – | 48.3%20,709 | 42,873 |
| Massachusetts | 13 | 23.5%39,244 | 64.8%108,17213 EV | 11.8%19,626 | 167,042 |
| Maryland | 8 | 45.0%39,123 | 0.3%285 | 54.6%47,4528 EV | 86,860 |
| Maine | 8 | 35.7%39,140 | 61.3%67,2798 EV | 3.0%3,270 | 109,689 |
| Michigan | 6 | 41.5%52,136 | 57.2%71,7626 EV | 1.3%1,660 | 125,558 |
| Missouri | 9 | 54.4%57,9649 EV | – | 45.6%48,522 | 106,486 |
| Mississippi | 7 | 59.4%35,4567 EV | – | 40.6%24,191 | 59,647 |
| North Carolina | 10 | 56.8%48,24310 EV | – | 43.2%36,720 | 84,963 |
| New Hampshire | 5 | 45.7%31,891 | 53.7%37,4735 EV | 0.6%410 | 69,774 |
| New Jersey | 7 | 47.2%46,9437 EV | 28.5%28,338 | 24.3%24,115 | 99,396 |
| New York | 35 | 32.8%195,878 | 46.3%276,00435 EV | 20.9%124,604 | 596,486 |
| Ohio | 23 | 44.2%170,874 | 48.5%187,49723 EV | 7.3%28,121 | 386,492 |
| Pennsylvania | 27 | 50.1%230,77227 EV | 32.1%147,963 | 17.8%82,202 | 460,937 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 33.7%6,680 | 57.9%11,4674 EV | 8.5%1,675 | 19,822 |
| South Carolina | 8 | 8 EV | – | – | — |
| Tennessee | 12 | 52.2%69,70412 EV | – | 47.8%63,878 | 133,582 |
| Texas | 4 | 66.7%31,9954 EV | – | 33.4%16,010 | 48,005 |
| Virginia | 15 | 60.0%90,08315 EV | – | 40.0%60,150 | 150,233 |
| Vermont | 5 | 20.9%10,569 | 78.1%39,5615 EV | 1.1%545 | 50,675 |
| Wisconsin | 5 | 43.9%52,843 | 55.7%67,0905 EV | 0.5%580 | 120,513 |
Popular vote shares are of the votes for the candidates listed in the source. A dash under Votes cast means the state legislature chose the electors. Sources: the National Archives (electoral votes), the American Presidency Project and the Clerk of the House (popular vote).