Who won Rhode Island in the 1796 presidential election?

Adams (Federalist) carried Rhode Island in 1796, winning its 4 electoral votes.

How many electoral votes did Rhode Island have in 1796?

Rhode Island cast 4 electoral votes in the 1796 presidential election.

Did Rhode Island vote for the national winner in 1796?

Yes. Rhode Island backed John Adams, who won the presidency that year.

First Party SystemRI · 4 EV

1796

Rhode Island: Adams carries 4 EV.

Rhode Island cast its 4 electoral votes for Adams (Federalist). National winner: John Adams (Federalist) — Rhode Island voted with the national winner this cycle.

What happened in Rhode Island, 1796

In 1796, Rhode Island awarded its 4 electoral votes to Adams of the Federalist party. Rhode Island ended up on the winning side — John Adams captured the White House that year.

The result flipped Rhode Island away from the Independent it had supported in 1792. Rhode Island did not move alone — neighboring Connecticut and Massachusetts broke the same way in 1796. Across the 59 presidential elections Rhode Island has taken part in, it has most often sided with the Democratic party (25 times). The vote fell within the First Party System — Federalists vs Democratic-Republicans.

In the national count, John Adams took 71 of the 138 electoral votes, against Thomas Jefferson's 68.

The 1796 national map

Rhode Island full history →