The election of 1796 was between Federalist John Adams and Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson. The former won by a narrow electoral margin of 71 to 68.
In the presidential election of 1796, George Washington refused to run for a third term. In this way, John Adams of Massachusetts was presented as a candidate by the Federal Party, along with Thomas Pinckney of South Carolina. His opponent, the former secretary of state, Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia, who was elected by Senator Aaron Burr of New York, was nominated by the Democratic-Republican party.
John Adams won the election with 71 electoral votes, while Thomas Jefferson came second with 68 votes.
