Historical Election Disputes:
[The United States]
“Motivated Forgetting” refers to the unconscious or conscious act of forgetting information that conflicts with one’s beliefs or perceptions.
In the televised debate between Vice Presidential candidates J.D. Vance and Tim Walz on October 1, 2024, CBS moderators gave Walz a chance to reopen the debate over whether Trump had good reason to dispute the 2020 Presidential election results. This is tolerated by viewers because Democrats and their media capitalize on the fact that voters have short memories, generally trust the media to tell them what is true, and what is not, and they have little or no ability to detect or defend against gaslighting.
While the media portrays Trump’s concern for election integrity as unique to Trump, disputes over election results have occurred throughout American history, illustrating the challenges of maintaining electoral legitimacy in a diverse and increasingly polarized country. From our founding to the present, the U.S. has struggled with ensuring fair elections.
Some disputes claim fraud, others challenge election procedures, outcomes, or even the legitimacy of the electoral process itself. Here’s a historical account of high-profile instances where political candidates have disputed election results in the United States:
1. The Jefferson vs. Adams Election (1800)
The election of 1800 is one of the earliest and most significant disputed elections in U.S. history. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams faced off in a deeply divided nation. Jefferson and his supporters believed the Federalists had manipulated the voting process in some states. The election ended in a tie between Jefferson and his running mate Aaron Burr, leading to a contingent election in the House of Representatives. Although it was a procedural issue rather than a fraud dispute, the bitterness of the contest led to the passage of the 12th Amendment, which changed how the Electoral College worked to avoid future problems.
2. The “Corrupt Bargain” (1824)
The presidential election of 1824 was another controversial election. Andrew Jackson won a plurality of both the popular vote and electoral vote but did not secure a majority, forcing the election into the House of Representatives. John Quincy Adams was selected as president by the House, and Jackson’s supporters claimed a “corrupt bargain” had been made between Adams and Henry Clay (who became Secretary of State under Adams) to secure the presidency. Jackson spent the next four years campaigning against what he viewed as an illegitimate result, and he successfully won the presidency in 1828.
3. Hayes vs. Tilden (1876)
The election of 1876 between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden is one of the most disputed elections in American history. Tilden won the popular vote and had 184 electoral votes to Hayes’s 165, but 20 electoral votes from four states were disputed due to allegations of voter fraud and intimidation. A special electoral commission was created to resolve the dispute, and Hayes was eventually declared the winner after a backroom deal known as the Compromise of 1877, where Democrats conceded the presidency in exchange for the end of Reconstruction.
4. Nixon vs. Kennedy (1960)
The 1960 election between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy is another example where the losing candidate considered disputing the results. Nixon lost to Kennedy by a narrow margin, and there were allegations of voter fraud, particularly in Illinois and Texas. Nixon’s supporters urged him to challenge the results, but Nixon ultimately decided not to pursue a recount or legal action, reasoning that such a challenge would undermine the country’s stability during the Cold War.
5. Lyndon B. Johnson’s Senate Race (1948)
Johnson’s victory in the Texas Senate race was highly contested, with allegations of ballot-stuffing. The term “Landslide Lyndon” was coined sarcastically, referencing his narrow 87-vote victory.
6. Illinois Governor’s Race (1982)
The Illinois gubernatorial race between Adlai Stevenson III and James Thompson was disputed after Thompson won by just 5,000 votes. Stevenson challenged the results, but a recount confirmed Thompson’s victory.
7. Bush vs. Gore (2000)
The most famous modern election dispute occurred in 2000 between George W. Bush and Al Gore. The election hinged on Florida, where the margin of victory was razor-thin, and recounts were initiated. Gore initially conceded but then retracted his concession after it became clear that the vote was too close to call. After a month-long legal battle over the recounts, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in *Bush v. Gore* to stop the recount, effectively awarding Florida’s electoral votes and the presidency to George W. Bush. Gore conceded after the ruling, but he and the liberal media continued to question the legitimacy of the election.
8. Ohio Recount (2004)
After the 2004 election between George W. Bush and John Kerry, concerns were raised about irregularities in Ohio. While Kerry did not dispute the results, Green Party candidate David Cobb and Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik initiated a recount, which upheld Bush’s victory.
9. Trump vs. Clinton (2016)
In 2016, Donald Trump won the election. Although Clinton conceded the day after the election, she and the liberal media fabricated elaborate stories of collusion between Trump and Russia’s President Putin. Several Democratic lawmakers objected to the certification of the electoral votes in January 2017.
10. Abrams vs. Kemp (2018)
In the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, Stacey Abrams refused to concede after losing to Brian Kemp, citing voter suppression as the cause of her defeat. Abrams and the liberal media pointed to voter roll maintenance, arguing this disproportionately affected minority and low-income voters. However, maintaining voter rolls is a necessary and legal election integrity process under Georgia law to ensure that only eligible voters cast ballots.
Critics of Abrams argue that her disregard for legitimate election security concerns, raises suspicion over her actual mission. As she frames the election in terms of disenfranchisement without addressing the importance of voter roll maintenance, or ID verification, the narrative shifts from ensuring a fair election to her disregard for election integrity — indicating that her focus is solely on political advantage rather than transparency and fairness of the electoral process.
[Worldwide]
Here we have several notable examples of disputed elections or contested leadership transitions from antiquity to present times, outside of the United States:
1. The Roman Republic (63 BCE, Concordia ordinum)
In the Roman Republic, elections for magistrates were often highly contested, and bribery, corruption, and manipulation were rampant, particularly in the later years of the Republic. One of the most famous disputed elections occurred in 63 BCE, during the consular election between Gaius Julius Caesar and Marcus Licinius Crassus. Though Caesar was ultimately successful, many elections in this era were marred by bribery, manipulation, and outright violence. The most significant disputed election during this period involved Lucius Sergius Catilina (Catiline), who, after losing the consulship to Cicero, conspired to overthrow the Republic in what became known as the Catilinarian Conspiracy.
2. The Trial and Execution of Socrates (399 BCE)
While not an election, the trial of Socrates involved a highly disputed political process. Socrates was charged with impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens, but his trial was rooted in the political tensions following Athens’ defeat in the Peloponnesian War and the subsequent rule of the oligarchic Thirty Tyrants.
Many historians believe that Socrates’ trial was essentially a politically motivated process, as he was associated with some members of the oligarchy, including his former student Critias, one of the leaders of the Thirty Tyrants. Although the trial was legally conducted, the verdict (guilty) and the subsequent sentence (death by hemlock) were seen by many as a politically driven miscarriage of justice, revealing the deep divisions within Athens at the time.
3. The Ostracism of Aristides (482 BCE)
In ancient Athens, ostracism was a process by which citizens could vote to exile a prominent figure for ten years, typically to prevent any one person from gaining too much power. While not a formal election in the modern sense, it was a political mechanism to remove a leader or potential tyrant. One of the most famous instances involved Aristides the Just, a respected statesman and general.
According to historical accounts, Aristides was ostracized in 482 BCE due to political rivalry with Themistocles, another influential leader. Despite Aristides’ reputation for fairness, the vote went against him, largely due to Themistocles’ manipulation of the public mood. It was said that some voters did not even know why they were voting to ostracize Aristides, with one man famously asking Aristides himself to write his own name on the ostraka (a shard of pottery used for voting) because the man was tired of hearing him called “The Just.” This case shows that even democratic processes in Athens could be swayed by populist sentiment and political maneuvering, leading to contested or manipulated outcomes.
4. The Oligarchic Coup of 411 BCE (The Four Hundred)
During the Peloponnesian War, Athens experienced internal political upheaval, and in 411 BCE, an oligarchic coup replaced the democratic government with an oligarchy known as The Four Hundred. This coup was the result of a conspiracy led by wealthy Athenian citizens who believed that the democratic system was failing, particularly in the context of the war against Sparta.
Although the coup was initially successful, it was highly contested by democratic factions within Athens. Just a few months later, the Four Hundred were overthrown, and democracy was restored under The Five Thousand (a more limited form of democracy). The political struggle over the legitimacy of the coup and the subsequent government was intense, reflecting the broader contest between oligarchic and democratic forces in Athens.
5. The Election of Alcibiades (420 BCE)
Alcibiades was one of the most controversial and charismatic leaders in Athens, especially during the late stages of the Peloponnesian War. His election to the position of general (strategos) in 420 BCE was highly contested. Alcibiades advocated for a more aggressive military strategy and was instrumental in pushing for the disastrous Sicilian Expedition. His opponents, particularly Nicias, supported a more cautious approach.
The political battle between Alcibiades and his rivals, including Nicias, led to fluctuating support, and Alcibiades was eventually accused of sacrilege before the Sicilian Expedition. He fled to Sparta rather than face trial, further destabilizing Athenian politics. His rise and fall, and subsequent shifts in loyalty between Athens, Sparta, and Persia, made him a highly disputed figure in the political landscape of ancient Greece.
6. The Dispute Between Pericles and Thucydides (Mid-5th Century BCE)
During the Golden Age of Athens, Pericles was a dominant political figure, but he faced significant opposition from Thucydides (not the historian), a leader of the conservative faction. This political rivalry came to a head in the mid-440s BCE, when Athens held an ostracism to resolve the conflict. Thucydides opposed Pericles’ policies, especially his emphasis on Athenian naval power and imperial expansion, which favored the democratic and lower classes over the oligarchic elites.
The ostracism resulted in Thucydides’ exile, allowing Pericles to consolidate power. However, the process itself was highly contested, reflecting the intense political divisions in Athens at the time. Thucydides’ exile was a turning point in Athenian politics, and while Pericles remained unchallenged for several years, this event underscored the use of democratic mechanisms like ostracism to resolve disputes between powerful political figures.
7. The German Election of Kings (1314, Holy Roman Empire)
The Holy Roman Empire was an elective monarchy where the Emperor was chosen by a group of electors. Disputed elections were common, particularly during times of dynastic conflict. One of the most famous disputed elections occurred in 1314, after the death of Emperor Henry VII. The electors were divided, and two candidates, Frederick the Fair and Louis IV, were elected simultaneously by different factions of the electors. This led to a prolonged civil war known as the War of the Two Kings (1314–1322), which was only resolved after Louis IV’s forces defeated Frederick’s at the Battle of Mühldorf.
8. The Venetian Doge Elections (1372)
Venice had one of the most complex electoral systems for choosing its leader, the Doge, and disputes were not uncommon. One of the most notable disputed elections was that of Doge Michele Morosini in 1372. Rival factions within the Venetian aristocracy often manipulated the election process, and on several occasions, disputes escalated into civil unrest. The election of the Doge required a complicated series of votes by the aristocracy, and though it was supposed to minimize disputes, it often intensified factional rivalries.
9. The Papal Elections (1378 and 1414)
The election of popes throughout history has frequently been disputed, especially during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. One major instance of a disputed election was the Papal Schism of 1378, also known as the Western Schism, which began after the death of Pope Gregory XI. The cardinals elected Urban VI, but many regretted this decision, claiming they had been pressured by the Roman mob to choose an Italian pope. In response, they elected Clement VII, leading to a split in the Catholic Church with multiple claimants to the papacy (Urban VI in Rome and Clement VII in Avignon). The schism lasted until the Council of Constance (1414–1418) resolved the dispute, but for decades, the papacy was essentially contested between competing factions.
10. England’s Glorious Revolution (1688)
Though not a modern-style election, the succession crisis that culminated in the Glorious Revolution can be seen as a form of disputed “election” for the English throne. King James II, a Catholic, faced growing opposition from Protestant elites, who invited William of Orange and his wife, Mary, to take the throne. After William’s forces landed in England, James fled, leading to a de facto transfer of power. Parliament subsequently declared that James had abdicated, and it invited William and Mary to become joint monarchs in what can be seen as a disputed succession. The conflict had profound consequences for the development of constitutional monarchy and the role of parliamentary authority in England.
11. The Great Northern War, Election of Augustus II (Poland-Lithuania, 1704)
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had an elective monarchy, which often led to disputed elections. During the Great Northern War (1700–1721), the Swedish King Charles XII sought to dethrone the Polish king, Augustus II the Strong. In 1704, Charles backed Stanisław Leszczyński as the new king of Poland, while Augustus II retained the support of other European powers and some Polish nobles. The conflict between these two claimants led to a protracted and bloody civil war, which was part of the broader Great Northern War. The election was ultimately settled in 1709, when Augustus II reclaimed the throne after Charles XII’s defeat at the Battle of Poltava.
12. The French Revolutionary Elections (1797)
The Directory, which ruled France from 1795 to 1799, saw several elections marked by fraud and disputes. The Coup of 18 Fructidor (1797) was particularly significant. In that election, monarchist and conservative forces made significant gains, alarming the more radical factions within the Directory. Fearing the rise of a royalist restoration, the more radical Directors orchestrated a coup, invalidating the election results and purging royalist sympathizers. This episode demonstrated how contested elections can lead to political upheaval and even violent intervention in democratic processes.
13. The Election of Napoleon III (1848)
After the French Revolution of 1848, a presidential election was held in France, resulting in the victory of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (later Napoleon III). His election was contested by some factions who saw him as a threat to the republic due to his family ties to Napoleon Bonaparte. The disputes grew when Napoleon III declared himself Emperor in 1852 after a coup d’état, effectively ending the Second French Republic. Though his initial election was technically legal, the way he manipulated the political system to consolidate power and declare himself emperor was widely condemned.
14. The Disputed Mexican Elections (2006)
In the modern era, Mexico has also seen disputed elections. In 2006, the presidential election between Felipe Calderón and Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) was incredibly close, with Calderón winning by just 0.58% of the vote. AMLO and his supporters claimed widespread fraud and irregularities in the electoral process. This led to massive protests and a partial recount. Despite AMLO’s protests and the tense political climate, Calderón’s victory was upheld, but the legitimacy of the election continued to be questioned by many Mexicans.
15. Zimbabwe Elections (2008)
The 2008 presidential election in Zimbabwe between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai was highly disputed. Tsvangirai won the first round of voting but did not secure an outright majority, leading to a runoff. However, the period between the two rounds was marred by extreme violence and intimidation by Mugabe’s supporters. Tsvangirai ultimately withdrew from the runoff, citing the violence against his supporters, and Mugabe was declared the winner. The international community widely condemned the election as fraudulent, and it led to a power-sharing agreement brokered in 2009.
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Ancient Greece, particularly during the era of Athenian democracy, experienced several instances of contested or disputed elections and leadership decisions. While elections in Greece differ from modern methods (they were frequently based on a combination of elections and lotteries), there were still notable examples of disputed leadership or political upheavals related to elections and governance. Examples from Ancient Greece show that even in the birthplace of democracy, elections and leadership transitions could be fraught with disputes, political manipulation, and deep ideological conflict.
These examples show that Trump’s election dispute is not unique to him, this country or the world. Election disputes have been, and will continue to be, common throughout history.
Whether involving religious offices like the papacy, ancient republics like Rome, or more modern examples, like the United States and Zimbabwe, contested elections often reveal deep political tensions and can have profound consequences for the stability of governments and societies.
IN CONCLUSION
Efforts to ensure that elections can be trusted to deliver on the will of the citizens, one vote per, is paramount to the survival of a Constitutional Republic — and that Democrats’ efforts to distract from, or undermine this goal, are designed to supplant our Constitutional Republic with either an Ochlocracy, a Kakistocracy, Marxism or an oligarchy of hand-picked elites. Theirs is the existential threat to Democracy.