1972 Presidential Election Interactive Map

270 electoral votes to win

Change history with the 1972 presidential election interactive map.

Update a state winner by clicking it to rotate through candidates. Alternately, select a candidate color in the Map Color Palette, then select states to apply. Use the edit button in the Palette to update candidate information.

Split electoral vote states - if any - are not interactive. Use the table below the map to make changes.

For full details, see the user guide.

no 1972 election
no 1972 election
VT
NH
MA
RI
CT
NJ
DE
MD
DC
Nixon
McGovern
Undecided
           
Other: Faithless votes for someone not on the ballot or available votes not cast

Split Electoral Votes

States shown here did not allocate all their available electoral votes to one candidate. The historical split can be edited in this table. You can also use the drop down menu to split other states.

'Other' electoral votes can only be reallocated or removed.

Removing the split () will set the state to undecided and make it interactive on the map.

R D Other Total   Remove

1972 Actual Election Results

Candidate Party Electoral Votes Popular Votes
Richard M. Nixon (I) Republican 520 46,740,323
George McGovern Democratic 17 28,901,598
Other: See Election Facts Below 1

1972 Election Facts

  • Based on 1970 census results, California replaces New York with most electoral votes
  • 26th Amendment ratified in this cycle: 18 year olds allowed to vote
  • Vice-Presidential Succession: Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, and was replaced by Vice-President Gerald R. Ford
  • Nixon won Virginia; however one elector cast a vote for John Hospers
  • Issues of the Day: Vietnam War, International Relations (Detente with USSR, Visit to China), Watergate
  • Maine shifts from winner-take-all to congressional district method for allocating electoral votes