1860

A sectional map breaks open

Lincoln won as the nation fractured along sectional lines. The Democratic Party split into Northern and Southern factions, with Stephen Douglas running for the North and John C. Breckinridge for the South, while the Constitutional Union party drew border-state voters behind John Bell. Lincoln carried every Northern state but received zero votes in most Southern states; his victory triggered Southern secession within months. Lincoln won a majority of electoral votes with only 39.65% of the popular vote.