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Electoral Dispute of 1876

United States history
Also known as: Hayes-Tilden affair, Tilden-Hayes affair

Quick Summary

The U.S. presidential election of 1876 was a highly disputed contest between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. Tilden won the popular vote by over 260,000 votes, and preliminary results showed him leading in electoral votes, needing only one more to win. However, the electoral votes from Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina, totaling 19, were in doubt.123

To resolve the deadlock, Congress established an Electoral Commission. This commission ultimately awarded all disputed votes to Hayes, giving him a narrow 185-184 victory in the Electoral College. This outcome was controversial, with Democrats dubbing Hayes "His Fraudulency". As part of a deal to secure the presidency, Hayes's administration ended the Reconstruction era by withdrawing federal troops from the South.123

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