1812 United States presidential election

Background. After diplomatic protests and a trade embargo failed to end British seizures of American-shipped goods, Madison led the United States into the War of 1812, asking Congress for a declaration of war on June 1, 1812. The United States declared war on the United Kingdom in June 1812, and the presidential election was held during the war's early stages.

Nominations. The May 1812 Democratic-Republican congressional nominating caucus re-nominated Madison, with 83 of the party's 138 members of Congress attending. Madison was re-nominated without opposition, and selected Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts as his running mate to shore up support in the Northeast, where the war was unpopular. The party's New York caucus, also held in May, nominated Clinton for president.

Clinton's Coalition. Even before Vice President George Clinton's death on April 20, 1812, his nephew DeWitt Clinton was considered the preferred candidate of northern Democratic-Republicans. After the war declaration, Clinton sought a coalition of anti-war Democratic-Republicans and Federalists, winning support from the Federalists as well as Democrats dissatisfied with Madison.

Result. Despite Clinton's success at attracting Federalist support, Madison was re-elected with 50.4 percent of the popular vote to Clinton's 47.6 percent, making it the closest election to that point in the popular vote, though no popular vote existed in half the states. Madison won 58.7 percent of the electoral vote, down from 69.3 percent in 1808.