Horace Greeley, who ran against Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, died on November 29, 1872, after the election but before the electors met.1 In Georgia, three electors still voted for Greeley for president, six voted for his running mate, Benjamin Gratz Brown, and two voted for Charles J. Jenkins of Georgia.2
When Congress counted the votes, Representative George F. Hoar of Massachusetts objected that the Greeley votes could not legally be counted because Greeley was dead when the electors voted.3 The House agreed, 102 to 98, that the votes ought not to be counted.4 The Senate went the other way: it struck the word "not" from a resolution against counting the votes, 47 to 18, and then adopted the amended resolution, 44 to 19.5 Because the two houses disagreed, the presiding officer announced that the votes could not be counted under the joint rule then in force.6
The National Archives results page gives a shorter account, saying the three Greeley votes were not counted by resolution of the House.7 Georgia was not alone: after Greeley's death, electors in several states spread their votes among other candidates.8
1 Horace Greeley died November 29, 1872, after the election, but before the meeting of the electors. By resolution of the House, the 3 electoral votes cast for him were not counted.
2 Following Greeley's death, electors in several states cast their votes variously for President or Vice President. Benjamin Gratz Brown, Greeley's running mate, received 18 electoral votes for President and 47 electoral votes for Vice President. Several others received electoral votes for either President or Vice President.
3 Vice President Henry Wilson died in Washington, D.C., on November 22, 1875.
National Archives, Electoral College results for 1872, archives.gov, read October 3, 2026. Quoted as published.
Sources for each sentence
Each numbered entry quotes the words that support that sentence, as they appear on the linked page.
- Back to sentence 1
Horace Greeley died November 29, 1872, after the election, but before the meeting of the electors.
archives.gov/electoral-college/1872 - Back to sentence 2
In Georgia, Greeley received 3 electoral votes for President, but these were not counted by resolution of the House
archives.gov/electoral-college/1872 Gratz Brown received 6 electoral votes for President and 5 electoral votes for Vice President; Jenkins received 2 electoral votes for President
archives.gov/electoral-college/1872 Benjamin Gratz Brown, Greeley's running mate, received 18 electoral votes for President
archives.gov/electoral-college/1872 Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana; Charles J. Jenkins, of Georgia
archives.gov/electoral-college/1872 - Back to sentence 3
Mr. George F. Hoar, of Massachusetts, a Representative, filed the following objection
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3-10.htm can not legally be counted, because said Horace Greeley, for whom they appear to have been cast, was dead at the time said electors assembled to cast their votes
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3-10.htm - Back to sentence 4
by a vote of 102 yeas to 98 nays, agreed to this resolution
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3-10.htm ought not to be counted, the said Horace Greeley having died before said votes were cast.
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3-10.htm - Back to sentence 5
Resolved, That the electoral votes of Georgia cast for Horace Greeley be not counted.
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3-10.htm was stricken out, yeas 47, nays 18. Then the resolution as amended was agreed to, yeas 44, nays 19.
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3-10.htm - Back to sentence 6
announced that as there was a nonconcurrence of the two Houses as to the votes in question, they could not be counted under the joint rule.
govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3/html/GPO-HPREC-HINDS-V3-10.htm - Back to sentence 7
By resolution of the House, the 3 electoral votes cast for him were not counted.
archives.gov/electoral-college/1872 - Back to sentence 8
Following Greeley's death, electors in several states cast their votes variously for President or Vice President.
archives.gov/electoral-college/1872
Sources checked on October 3, 2026
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