U.S. presidential election, 1872
| Presidential Candidate | Electoral Vote | Popular Vote | Pct | Party | Running Mate (Electoral Votes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulysses S. Grant of Illinois (W) | 286 | 3,597,132 | Republican | Henry Wilson of Massachusetts (286) | |
| Horace Greeley of New York | 3 | 2,834,125 | Democrat-Liberal Republican | B. Gratz Brown of Missouri | |
| B. Gratz Brown of Missouri(18), Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana (42), Charles J. Jenkins of Georgia (2), David Davis of Illinois (1) | B. Gratz Brown of Missouri (47), N.P. Banks of Massachusetts (1), George W. Julian of Indiana (5), Alfred H. Colquitt of Georgia (5), John M. Palmer of Illinois (3), Thomas E. Bramlette of Kentucky (3), William S. Groesbeck of Ohio (1), Willis B. Machen of Kentucky (1) | ||||
| Other elections: 1860, 1864, 1868, 1872, 1876, 1880, 1884 | |||||
| Source: U.S. Office of the Federal Register | |||||
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Notes:
In 1872, incumbent president Ulysses S. Grant was renominated by the Republican Party. However, an influential group of dissident Republicans split and formed the new Liberal Republican Party, which nominated Horace Greeley for president. The Democratic Party also nominated Greeley, the only occasion on which the Republicans or Democrats have backed a third-party candidate. Due to internal dissension in both parties supporting Greeley, Grant won handily. Horace Greely died on November 29, 1872, after the public vote but before the electoral college met. As a result the electors voted for other candidates.
By resolution of the House, 3 votes cast for Greeley were not counted. V.P. Henry Wilson died November 22, 1875.
See also: President of the United States, U.S. presidential election, 1872, History of the United States (1865-1918)