In 1936, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) won 523 of 531 electoral votes, defeating Alf Landon by 515 EV during the New Deal Coalition era. In 1984, Ronald Reagan (Republican) won 525 of 538, defeating Walter Mondale by 512 EV during the Cold War Realignment era. Turnout: 61% vs 55.2%.
vs
1936
New Deal Coalition
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic
Electoral votes
523 of 531
EV margin
515
Popular vote
60.8%
Turnout
61.0%
Runner-up
Alf Landon (Rep)
Roosevelt won the greatest Electoral College landslide of the 20th century, carrying 46 of 48 states against Kansas Governor Alf Landon. FDR's New Deal coalition was at its peak, with massive support from labor, ethnic communities, and the poor. The Literary Digest's infamous poll had wrongly predicted a Landon victory, based on a biased sample of telephone and automobile owners (the affluent), leading to the poll's demise and the rise of scientific polling. Only Maine and Vermont voted for Landon.
1984
Cold War Realignment
Ronald Reagan
Republican
Electoral votes
525 of 538
EV margin
512
Popular vote
58.8%
Turnout
55.2%
Runner-up
Walter Mondale (Dem)
Reagan won a massive re-election landslide, carrying 49 states with the 'Morning in America' campaign amid robust economic recovery. Walter Mondale, Carter's VP, made history by choosing Geraldine Ferraro as the first female VP nominee of a major party. Mondale's straightforward promise to raise taxes damaged his campaign. Reagan won 525 electoral votes, the most ever won by a candidate in an election with a major-party opponent. Mondale carried only his home state of Minnesota (by 3,761 votes) and DC.