The Election of 1820 is one of the most unusual in American history up to that point, as incumbent James Monroe ran unopposed. With that said, let’s dive into it.
The Era of Good Feelings
As mentioned in the introduction, the election of 1820 is notable for being the third and final time a presidential candidate ran unopposed, as well as the last time a Founding Father sought the presidency. Since the War of 1812, the country had been experiencing a wave of nationalism, a period dubbed ‘The Era of Good Feelings,’ where many Americans were thriving (though this did not extend to Native Americans, slaves, or African Americans in general).
After defeating Rufus King in a landslide victory in the previous election, James Monroe focused on keeping the nation united and making balanced decisions. This approach not only maintained national unity but also prevented the Federalists from mounting any significant opposition. By this time, the Federalist Party was nearly defunct, weakened by the Hartford Convention and previous electoral defeats.
Although the remaining Federalists were unable to nominate a presidential candidate in 1820, they did put forward Richard Stockton of New Jersey as their vice-presidential pick. However, without a strong candidate at the top of the ticket, the Federalists stood no chance. Most Democratic-Republicans were so confident in Monroe’s victory, along with that of his vice president, Daniel D. Tompkins, that many didn’t even attend the nominating caucus. Despite the nationalistic fervor of Monroe’s presidency, a few significant issues heading into the election deserve discussion.
The Panic of 1819 & The Missouri Compromise
The first major issue going into this election was the struggling economy, which had suffered its first financial crisis in 1819, known as “The Panic of 1819.” Land speculation and lax regulation of the Second National Bank of the United States led to inflation, resulting in widespread foreclosures, rising unemployment, and growing public discontent with bankers and elites. While President Monroe and his Secretary of the Treasury, William H. Crawford, eventually managed to resolve the financial crisis, the panic didn’t fully subside until 1821.
The other major issue involved the state of Missouri. Plans were underway to admit Missouri as an official state and count its votes in the 1820 election. However, this sparked controversy, as Missouri was set to enter the Union as a slave state, potentially upsetting the balance between free and slave states. The issue became even more contentious after states like Illinois, Alabama, and Mississippi joined the Union, with the latter two entering as slave states. Ultimately, Missouri was admitted to the Union, but not before a few conditions were met. The area that would become Maine was admitted as a free state, and “The Missouri Compromise” was enacted, establishing a boundary between free and slave territories within the Louisiana Purchase. As you know, the issue of slavery and the balance between free and slave states would play a significant role in future presidential elections. With these matters addressed, let’s look at the results.
The Results
As shown on the map, James Monroe won all 24 states, including Missouri, whose electoral votes were counted. However, there are some peculiarities regarding his victory. First, three electors had died and were not replaced in time, which is why Mississippi had only two electors instead of three, unlike other states.
Second, about 16% of the population, all Federalists, voted for “No Candidate,” and DeWitt Clinton, the Governor of New York and a former presidential candidate in 1812, received 1.8% of the popular vote, even though he wasn’t running.
Finally, as the electoral map shows, Monroe won all but one electoral vote. The lone dissenting vote came from William Plummer, who cast his ballot for then-Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. Some speculated that Plummer did this to preserve George Washington’s record as the only president to win all electoral votes. However, this theory was debunked, as Plummer simply disliked Monroe—perhaps due to the “Virginia Dynasty.” Nonetheless, Monroe secured 80.6% of the popular vote, the third-highest percentage for a candidate since George Washington’s elections in the 1780s and 1790s.
Thus, the election of 1820 marked the continuation of the Era of Good Feelings under James Monroe. However, the partisanship simmering beneath the surface would soon become more apparent in the election of 1824.
