Who won Iowa in the 1856 presidential election?

Fremont (Republican) carried Iowa in 1856, winning its 4 electoral votes.

How many electoral votes did Iowa have in 1856?

Iowa cast 4 electoral votes in the 1856 presidential election.

Did Iowa vote for the national winner in 1856?

No. Iowa backed Fremont, while James Buchanan won the presidency nationally.

Antebellum CrisisIA · 4 EV

1856

Iowa: Fremont carries 4 EV.

Iowa cast its 4 electoral votes for Fremont (Republican). National winner: James Buchanan (Democratic) — Iowa voted against the national winner this cycle.

What happened in Iowa, 1856

In 1856, Iowa awarded its 4 electoral votes to Fremont of the Republican party. Nationally the result broke the other way — James Buchanan (Democratic) won the presidency, leaving Iowa among the states he did not carry.

Fremont's win closed out Iowa's 4-election run of voting Democratic. The region divided — Minnesota and Wisconsin joined Iowa for the Republican ticket, while Illinois and Missouri did not. Across the 47 presidential elections Iowa has taken part in, it has most often sided with the Republican party (32 times). The vote fell within the Antebellum Crisis — Slavery splits the parties.

In the national count, James Buchanan took 174 of the 296 electoral votes, against John C. Frémont's 114. James Buchanan led the national popular vote with 45.29% of the ballots cast.

The 1856 national map

Iowa full history →