Fun with Maps ISSUE 2025-022

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (February 4, 2025) – In today’s edition of Fun with Maps, we take a look at the early U.S. presidential electoral process.

WASHINGTON ELECTED UNANIMOUSLY

George Washington was elected President on February 4, 1789, receiving all 69 of the electoral votes.  He remains the only president to be elected unanimously, not just once but twice.

Congress certified the vote on April 6th and Washington was sworn in on April 30th.

At the same time, John Adams was elected Vice-President.  It was the rule at the time that the candidate with the second highest number of votes would become the vice-president.

The Electors were given two votes each.  While all voted for Washington, only 34 voted for Adams with the remaining 35 votes being split among 10 candidates.

Although we think of the early status of the US being made up of thirteen states, only ten states participated in the first electoral college.  North Carolina and Rhode Island had not ratified the Constitution yet so they could not participate, and New York had not established a legislative procedure that allowed for participation.

George Washington was born in Popes Creek, Colony of Virginia, near the Potomac River in 1732.  Here is Senex’s map of Virginia and Maryland from 1719.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon