10 of the closest presidential elections in United States history

Year: 1796

Electoral college tally: 71 to 68

Total/majority: 138/69

The election of 1796 pitted John Adams and the Federalist Party against Thomas Jefferson on the Democratic-Republican ticket. Under the current structure of government, the person with the next highest number of votes would become vice president. In this case, Jefferson beat out Federalist Thomas Pinckney and was named vice president, despite coming from the opposing party as the new president. The election, along with the election of 1800, led to the ratification of the 12th Amendment.

>> Thomas Jefferson (left) and John Adams (right)