1948 United States presidential election

The 1948 United States presidential election was the 41st quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 2, 1948, running concurrently with the 1948 congressional and gubernatorial elections.

It was the first presidential election after the end of World War II and the Democratic & Republican parties. The incumbent, President Earl Warren, who succeeded the Presidency upon the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, did not run for a full term, making this the first open Presidential election since 1928.

American Liberal nominee Quentin Carter narrowly defeated Business Interests United nominee John F. Kennedy, winning 3 of 4 states, all by under 5 points. Despite losing, John F. Kennedy carried the popular vote with an outright majority and a margin just over 2 points, an outcome made possible by Kennedy's 13 point victory in Dixie. This was the fourth ever election, and the first election of the 20th century, in which the winner of the electoral college did not win a plurality of the popular vote, with the last instance occurring in 1888.

This was the 5th consecutive Presidential election in which a left-of-center candidate won.

Close states
Margin of victory less than 1%:


 * 1) Oakland, 0.3% (17,232 votes)

Margin of victory less than 5%:


 * 1) Rockford, 1.1% (157,967 votes)
 * 2) Rochester, 2.2% (296,699 votes)