Senate Journal of the First Congress
5/14/1789
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In April of 1789, the First Congress of the United States of America met to count the electoral votes for our first President and Vice President. George Washington was elected President and John Adams Vice President. Washington was the only man ever elected President with a unanimous vote.
When a person votes for a Presidential candidate in the popular election, they're actually voting for the slate of electors representing their choice for President. Those electors meet in their state and vote for President. They send their state's electoral votes to the President of the United States Senate and Congress counts the electoral votes in a joint session of Congress.
When a person votes for a Presidential candidate in the popular election, they're actually voting for the slate of electors representing their choice for President. Those electors meet in their state and vote for President. They send their state's electoral votes to the President of the United States Senate and Congress counts the electoral votes in a joint session of Congress.
Transcript
[in center] 7.1789
April 6th
George Washington Esq.
New Hampshire 5
Massachusetts 10
Connecticut 7
New Jersey 6
Pennsylvania 10
Delaware 3
Maryland 6
Virginia 10
South Carolina 7
Georgia 5
[total at bottom] 69
John Adams Esq.
New Hampshire 5
Massachusetts 10
Connecticut 5
New Jersey 1
Pennsylvania 8
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia 5
South Carolina _
Georgia _
[total at bottom] 34
Samuel Huntington Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut 2
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania _
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia _
South Carolina _
Georgia _
[total at bottom] 2
John Jay Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey 5
Pennsylvania _
Delaware 3
Maryland _
Virginia 1
South Carolina _
Georgia _
[total at bottom] 9
John Hancock Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania 2
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia 1
South Carolina 1
Georgia _
[total at bottom] 4
Robert H. Harrison Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania _
Delaware _
Maryland 6
Virginia _
South Carolina _
Georgia _
[total at bottom] 6
George Clinton Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania _
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia 3
South Carolina _
Georgia _
[total at bottom] 3
John Rutledge Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania _
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia _
South Carolina 6
Georgia _
[total at bottom] 6
John Milton Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania _
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia _
South Carolina _
Georgia 2
[total at bottom] 2
James Armstrong Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania _
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia _
South Carolina _
Georgia 1
[total at bottom] 1
Edward Telfair Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania _
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia _
South Carolina _
Georgia 1
[total at bottom] 1
Benjamin Lincoln Esq.
New Hampshire _
Massachusetts _
Connecticut _
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania _
Delaware _
Maryland _
Virginia _
South Carolina _
Georgia 1
[total at bottom] 1
Whereby it appears that George Washington, Esq. Was unanimously elected President;_ And John Adams Esq. Was duly elected Vice President, Of the United States of America.
Mr. Madison came from the House of Representatives with the following verbal message:_
Mr. President,
I am directed by the House of Representatives to inform the Senate, that the House have agreed, that the notifications of the election of the President and of the Vice-President of the
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Senate.
National Archives Identifier: 1943527
Full Citation: Senate Journal of the First Congress; 5/14/1789; (SEN 1A-A1); Journals and Minute Books, 1797 - 1968; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/senate-journal-of-the-first-congress, June 15, 2025]Activities that use this document
- Flaws of the Electoral College System
Created by the National Archives Education Team - The Constitution in Action: Article II (Lab Team 3)
Created by the National Archives Education Team
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