U.S. presidential election, 1960
| Presidential Candidate | Electoral Vote | Popular Vote | Pct | Party | Running Mate (Electoral Votes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John F. Kennedy (W) | 303 | 34,227,096 | Democrat | Lyndon Johnson (303) | |
| Richard M. Nixon | 219 | 34,107,646 | Republican | Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr (219) | |
| Harry F. Byrd | 15 | independent | Strom Thurmond (14), Barry Goldwater (1) | ||
| Other elections: 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 | |||||
| Source: U.S. Office of the Federal Register | |||||
The election was held on November 8, 1960.
Independent candidate Harry F. Byrd received 15 electoral votes; 14 from unpledged Democratic electors and one from an elector pledged to Nixon.
A crucial factor in this election was the first televised presidential debate. Nixon refused television makeup and was feeling sick, having injured his knee on the way to the studio. He expected to win voters with his foreign-policy expertise, but people only saw a sickly man sweating profusely and wearing a gray suit that blended into the scenery while his rival, Kennedy, looked great. Later research showed that those who had listened to the debate on radio thought the candidates evenly matched, but the television audience gave the win to Kennedy.
Byrd received electoral votes for President from Alabama(6), Mississippi (8) and Oklahoma (1). Thurmond received electoral votes for Vice President from Alabama (6) and Mississippi (8). Goldwater received 1 electoral vote for Vice President from Oklahoma.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated November 22, 1963. He was succeeded by Lyndon B. Johnson.
See also: President of the United States, U.S. presidential election, 1960
