List of vice presidents of the United States
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There have been 48 vice presidents of the United States since the office came into existence in 1789. Originally, the vice president was the person who received the second most votes for president in the Electoral College. However, in the election of 1800 a tie in the electoral college between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr led to the selection of the president by the House of Representatives. To prevent such an event from happening again, the Twelfth Amendment was added to the Constitution, creating the current system where electors cast a separate ballot for the vice presidency.[1]
The vice president is the first person in the presidential line of succession and assumes the presidency if the president dies, resigns, or is impeached and removed from office.[2] Nine vice presidents have ascended to the presidency in this way – eight (John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Chester A. Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson) through the president's death and one (Gerald Ford) through the president's resignation. In addition, the vice president serves as the president of the Senate and may choose to cast a tie-breaking vote on decisions made by the Senate. Vice presidents have exercised this latter power to varying extents over the years.[1]
Prior to adoption of the Twenty-fifth Amendment in 1967, an intra-term vacancy in the office of the vice president could not be filled until the next post-election inauguration. Several such vacancies occurred—seven vice presidents died, one resigned and eight succeeded to the presidency. This amendment allowed for a vacancy to be filled through appointment by the president and confirmation by both chambers of the Congress. Since its ratification, the vice presidency has been vacant twice (both in the context of scandals surrounding the Nixon administration) and was filled both times through this process, namely in 1973 following Spiro Agnew's resignation, and again in 1974 after Gerald Ford succeeded to the presidency.[1] The amendment also established a procedure whereby a vice president may, if the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office, temporarily assume the powers and duties of the office as acting president. Two vice presidents have briefly acted as president under the 25th Amendment: George H. W. Bush on July 13, 1985, and Dick Cheney on June 29, 2002 and on July 21, 2007.
The persons who have served as vice president were born in or primarily affiliated with 27 states plus the District of Columbia. New York has produced the most of any state as eight have been born there and three others considered it their home state. Most vice presidents have been in their 50s or 60s and had political experience prior to assuming the office.[1] The youngest person to become vice president was John C. Breckinridge at 36 years of age while the oldest was Alben W. Barkley at 71 years of age. Two vice presidents—George Clinton and John C. Calhoun—served under more than one president.
There are currently five living former vice presidents. The most recent former vice president to die was George H. W. Bush on November 30, 2018.
Vice presidents
Vice president-elect of the United States
Vice Presidency | Vice President | Party[u] | Election | President | |||
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49 | Scheduled to begin January 20, 2021 |
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Kamala Harris | style="background-color:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color" | | Democratic | 2020 | Joe Biden |
Subsequent public office
Twenty-six vice presidents held other high state or federal government positions after leaving the vice presidency. Fourteen went on to become president: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Chester A. Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry S. Truman, Richard Nixon, Lyndon B. Johnson, Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush (nine of them did so following their predecessor's death or resignation); and six served in the Senate: John C. Calhoun, John C. Breckinridge, Hannibal Hamlin, Andrew Johnson, Alben W. Barkley and Hubert Humphrey. Several served as a member of the U.S. Cabinet or as an ambassador in later administrations, or in state government.
Joe Biden served as the 47th vice president under President Barack Obama, and will be inaugurated as President of the United States on January 20, 2021.
See also
- Acting president of the United States
- Founding Fathers of the United States
- List of presidents of the United States
- Presiding Officer of the United States Senate
- United States Senate Vice Presidential Bust Collection
Notes
- ^ The U.S. Vice Presidents are counted according to uninterrupted periods of time served by the same person. For example, John Adams served two consecutive terms and is counted as the first vice president (not the first and second). Likewise, George Clinton is counted as the fourth and John Calhoun as the seventh, even though each one's consecutive terms in office were served under more than one president. Following the resignation of 39th vice president Spiro Agnew, Gerald Ford became the 40th vice president even though he was chosen to serve out the remainder of Agnew's second term. Then, after Ford succeeded to the presidency later in that same term, Nelson Rockefeller became the 41st vice president and served out the remainder of the term.
- ^ Reflects the vice president's political party at the start of their vice presidency. Changes during their time in office are noted. Also reflects the president's political party unless otherwise noted beside the individual's name.
- ^ Due to logistical delays, John Adams assumed the office of Vice President 1 month and 17 days after the March 4, 1789 scheduled start of operations of the new government under the Constitution. As a result, his first term was only 1,413 days long, and was the shortest term for a U.S. vice president who served a full term.
- ^ Pro-Administration is a contemporary term for the supporters of the political and economic policies of the Washington Administration prior to the formation of the Federalist and Democratic–Republican parties.
- ^ George Washington remained unaffiliated with any political faction or party throughout his eight-year presidency. Greatly concerned about the very real capacity of political parties to destroy the fragile unity holding the nation together, he was, and remains, the only U.S. President never to be affiliated with a political party.
- ^ The 1796 presidential election was the first contested American presidential election and resulted in a situation where the persons elected President and Vice President belonged to opposing political parties. Federalist John Adams was elected President, and Thomas Jefferson of the Democratic-Republicans was elected Vice President.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Died in office of natural causes.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Prior to ratification of the Twenty-fifth Amendment, February 10, 1967, an intra-term vacancy in the vice presidency could not be filled.
- ^ a b c Resigned from office
- ^ John Calhoun, formerly a Democratic-Republican, founded the Nullifier Party in 1828 to advance the cause of states' rights, but was brought on as Andrew Jackson's running mate in the 1828 presidential election in an effort to broaden the political coalition emerging around Jackson.
- ^ Andrew Jackson's supporters from the former Democratic-Republican Party, which had largely collapsed by the mid-1820s, began calling themselves 'Democrat' during his first term in office, thus marking the evolution of Thomas Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party into the modern Democratic Party.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Succeeded to the presidency intra-term.
- ^ John Tyler was elected vice president on the Whig Party ticket in 1840. His policy priorities as president soon proved to be opposed to most of the Whig agenda, and he was expelled from the party in September 1841.
- ^ Ill with tuberculosis, William King traveled to Cuba after the 1852 election in an effort to regain his health, and was not able to be in Washington, D.C. to take his oath of office on March 4, 1853. By an Act of Congress, he was allowed to take the oath outside the United States, and was sworn in on March 24, 1853 near Matanzas, Cuba. He is the only Vice President to take his oath of office in a foreign country.
- ^ Died April 15, 1865; see Assassination of Abraham Lincoln for further details.
- ^ When he ran for reelection in 1864, Republican Abraham Lincoln formed a bipartisan electoral alliance with War Democrats by selecting Democrat Andrew Johnson as his running mate, and running on the National Union Party ticket. Later, while president, Johnson tried and failed to build a party of loyalists under the National Union banner. Near the end of his presidency, Johnson rejoined the Democratic Party.
- ^ Died September 19, 1881; see Assassination of James A. Garfield for further details.
- ^ Died September 14, 1901; see Assassination of William McKinley for further details.
- ^ Died November 22, 1963; see Assassination of John F. Kennedy for further details.
- ^ a b The Twenty-fifth Amendment established a process whereby an intra-term vacancy in the vice presidency is filled by presidential appointment.
- ^ Reflects the vice president's political party at the start of their vice presidency. Changes during their time in office are noted. Also reflects the president's political party unless otherwise noted beside the individual's name.
References
- ^ a b c d "Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate)". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
- ^ "Vice President". US Legal System. USLegal. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
- ^ "Biography of John Adams". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "John Adams – Federalist Party – 2nd President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of John Adams". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Thomas Jefferson". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Thomas Jefferson – Democratic-Republican Party – 3rd President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Thomas Jefferson". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "Aaron Burr (1801–1805) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "George Clinton (1805–1809) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Elbridge Gerry (1813–1814) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on October 21, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Daniel D. Tompkins (1817–1825) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "John C. Calhoun (1825–1829) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Martin Van Buren". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Martin Van Buren – Democratic-Republican, Democratic, and Free Soil Party – 8th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Martin Van Buren". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "Richard M. Johnson (1837–1841) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of John Tyler". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "John Tyler – No Party – 10th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of John Tyler". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "George M. Dallas (1845–1849) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Millard Fillmore". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Millard Filmore – WHIG Party – 13th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Millard Fillmore". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "William R. D. King (1853) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "John C. Breckinridge (1857–1861) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Retrieved September 6, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Hannibal Hamlin (1861–1865) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Andrew Johnson". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Andrew Johnson – National Union Party – 17th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Andrew Johnson". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "Schuyler Colfax (1869–1873) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Henry Wilson (1873–1875) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "William A. Wheeler (1877–1881) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Chester Arthur". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Chester A. Arthur – Republican Party – 21st President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Chester A. Arthur". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "Thomas A. Hendricks (1885) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Levi P. Morton – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Adlai E. Stevenson (1893–1897) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Garret A. Hobart (1897–1899) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Theodore Roosevelt". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Theodore Roosevelt – Republican, Bull Moose Party – 26th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Theodore Roosevelt". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "Charles W. Fairbanks – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "James S. Sherman – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Thomas R. Marshall – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Calvin Coolidge". Whitehouse.gov. March 13, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Calvin Coolidge – Republican Party – 30th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Calvin Coolidge". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "Charles G. Dawes – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Charles Curtis – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "John N. Garner (1933–1941) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Henry A. Wallace (1941–1945) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Harry S Truman". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Harry S Truman – Democratic Party – 33rd President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Harry S. Truman". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ^ "Alben W. Barkley – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Richard M. Nixon". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Richard Nixon – Republican Party – 37th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Richard M. Nixon". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ^ "Lyndon B. Johnson – Democratic Party – 36th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Lyndon B. Johnson". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ^ "Hubert H. Humphrey – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Spiro T. Agnew (1969–1973) – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of Gerald R. Ford". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Gerald Ford – Republican Party – 38th President – American Presidents". History. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of Gerald R. Ford". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ^ "Nelson A. Rockefeller – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Walter Mondale – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Biography of George Herbert Walker Bush". Whitehouse.gov. March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "George H. W. Bush – Republican Party – 41st President – American Presidents". History. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
- ^ "Life Portrait of George H.W. Bush". American Presidents: Life Portrait. C-SPAN. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ^ "J. Danforth Quayle – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Albert Gore, Jr. – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Richard B. Cheney – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Joseph Biden – Vice President". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ Flegenheimer, Matt; Barbaro, Michael (November 9, 2016). "Donald Trump Is Elected President in Stunning Repudiation of the Establishment". The New York Times. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
- ^ "Vice President Mike Pence". whitehouse.gov. January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.[permanent dead link]
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Official White House website for the Vice President[permanent dead link]
- Vice presidents of the United States. CNN. July 22, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- Mark O. Hatfield, et al.; edited by Wendy Wolff (1997). Vice Presidents of the United States 1789–1993. U.S. Senate Historical Office. U.S. Government Printing Office. Washington.