November 5, 1960
John F. Kennedy Wins 1960
John F. Kennedy defeats Richard Nixon with 279 electoral votes, winning 24 states.
John F. Kennedy
279 EV
270 to win
Richard Nixon
256 EV
279
256
270
John F. Kennedy wins
279
Electoral Votes
49.7%
Popular Vote
24
States Carried
68,886,330
Total Votes Cast
John F. Kennedy won the 1960 presidential election with 279 electoral votes to Richard Nixon's 256. John F. Kennedy received 49.7% of the popular vote and carried 24 states. Compared to the previous election, 541 counties changed parties—128 flipped Republican and 413 flipped Democratic.
1960 National Results
Electoral College
270 needed to winDemocrat
John F. Kennedy
279
electoral votes
Republican
Richard Nixon
256
electoral votes
279
256
270
Popular Vote
68,886,330 total votesJohn F. Kennedy49.7%
34,248,857 votes
Richard Nixon49.6%
34,136,737 votes
D+0.2% margin
(112,120 vote difference)
Source: Official state election returnsJohn F. Kennedy elected president
State Results
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Recent Presidential Elections
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Electoral | Popular | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | John F. Kennedy | Richard Nixon | 279-256 | D+0.2% | DEM |
| 1956 | Adlai Stevenson | Dwight D. Eisenhower | 72-456 | R+15.4% | GOP |
| 1952 | Adlai Stevenson | Dwight D. Eisenhower | 82-446 | R+10.8% | GOP |
| 1948 | Harry S. Truman | Thomas E. Dewey | 376-152 | D+4.5% | DEM |
| 1944 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | Thomas E. Dewey | 447-81 | D+7.5% | DEM |
State-by-State Results
24 Dem26 Rep
Battleground States (Margin < 5%)
North Carolina16 EV
D+4.2
South Carolina9 EV
D+2.5
Nevada6 EV
D+2.3
Pennsylvania19 EV
D+2.3
Michigan15 EV
D+2.0
Texas40 EV
D+2.0
Delaware3 EV
D+1.6
Minnesota10 EV
D+1.4
New Jersey14 EV
D+0.8
New Mexico5 EV
D+0.7
Missouri10 EV
D+0.5
Illinois19 EV
D+0.2
Hawaii4 EV
D+0.1
California54 EV
R+0.6
Alaska3 EV
R+1.9
Washington12 EV
R+2.4
Montana4 EV
R+2.5
Florida30 EV
R+3.0
Wisconsin10 EV
R+3.7
| State | EV | 1960 |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 4 | D+27.3 |
| Georgia | 16 | D+25.1 |
| Louisiana | 8 | D+21.8 |
| Massachusetts | 11 | D+20.7 |
| Alabama | 9 | D+14.3 |
| Mississippi | 6 | D+11.7 |
| Connecticut | 7 | D+7.5 |
| Maryland | 10 | D+7.2 |
| Arkansas | 6 | D+7.1 |
| West Virginia | 4 | D+5.5 |
| New York | 28 | D+5.3 |
| North Carolina | 16 | D+4.2 |
| South Carolina | 9 | D+2.5 |
| Nevada | 6 | D+2.3 |
| Pennsylvania | 19 | D+2.3 |
| Michigan | 15 | D+2.0 |
| Texas | 40 | D+2.0 |
| Delaware | 3 | D+1.6 |
| Minnesota | 10 | D+1.4 |
| New Jersey | 14 | D+0.8 |
| New Mexico | 5 | D+0.7 |
| Missouri | 10 | D+0.5 |
| Illinois | 19 | D+0.2 |
| Hawaii | 4 | D+0.1 |
| California | 54 | R+0.6 |
| Alaska | 3 | R+1.9 |
| Washington | 12 | R+2.4 |
| Montana | 4 | R+2.5 |
| Florida | 30 | R+3.0 |
| Wisconsin | 10 | R+3.7 |
| Oregon | 8 | R+5.2 |
| Virginia | 13 | R+5.4 |
| Ohio | 17 | R+6.6 |
| New Hampshire | 4 | R+6.8 |
| Tennessee | 11 | R+7.1 |
| Kentucky | 8 | R+7.2 |
| Idaho | 4 | R+7.6 |
| Utah | 6 | R+9.6 |
| Colorado | 10 | R+9.7 |
| Wyoming | 3 | R+10.0 |
| Indiana | 11 | R+10.4 |
| North Dakota | 3 | R+10.9 |
| Arizona | 11 | R+11.2 |
| Iowa | 6 | R+13.5 |
| Maine | 4 | R+14.1 |
| South Dakota | 3 | R+16.4 |
| Vermont | 3 | R+17.3 |
| Oklahoma | 7 | R+18.0 |
| Kansas | 6 | R+21.4 |
| Nebraska | 5 | R+24.1 |