Is it true that in the first contested presidential elections, the runner up became the vice president?

Question

If so, then when did this practice end? Today, the VP is elected as the Presidential running mate.

Answer 1

Article Two of the constitution said that the person with a majority in the Electoral College vote would become President and the runner-up would become Vice President.

The Twelfth amendment, ratified in 1804, changed this practice so that the Electoral College voters would cast one vote for the President and another for the Vice President.

Answer 2

True. In the original format, state chose their electors (the dreaded Electoral College) who voted only to elect a president. Highest vote total, of course, won. Second highest total became VP. This became a problem with the emergence of political parties, which put forth candidates for both offices. In 1804 the Republican Party (the forerunner of today's Democrats, thus often called the Democratic-Republican Party in modern parlance) nominated T. Jefferson for president and Aaron Burr for VP. The single ballot in the Electoral College left them tied, and the election was thrown into the House of Representatives. What a mess! Soon thereafter the Constitution was amended to provide for separate votes for pres, and VP.

Answer 3

Yes, Thomas Jefferson was John Adams VP after coming in second. In the next elections, however, Jefferson tied Burr and it was very difficult for the House to decide on a winner. Eventually Jefferson was elected president and Burr became VP. After this, the Constitution was changed so that the VP candidates were seperate from presidential candidates. This happened in 1804.

Answer 4

In the beginning, that was true. The candidate for president and the candidate for vice president ran and were elected individually. That made it possible to elect two people from different parties to be in the #1 and #2 jobs. I'm not sure when the practice ended.

Answer 5

After Washington's two terms, Adams and Jefferson
ran against each other in 1796. Adams won, but
Jefferson received the second most votes and became
vice president.After that, this was made unconstitutional
and never happened again.

Answer 6

Yes it used to be that way. In a way, I would think it would be a good idea to go back to this... maybe the government would have more checks and balances. (Even though the vice president really doesn't have much power.)

Answer 7

That isa true, and I do not know when the practice ended. It is a shame that the parties have grown so polarized .

Answer 8

Yes.
This is easy to look up, and you'll remember the answer better if you d.i.y.

Answer 9

Yes, the first couple were.