U.S. presidential election, 1980
| Presidential Candidate | Electoral Vote | Popular Vote | Pct | Party | Running Mate (Electoral Votes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan (W) | 489 | 43,901,812 | 50.9 | Republican | George H. W. Bush (489) |
| Jimmy Carter | 49 | 35,483,820 | 41.1 | Democrat | Walter F. Mondale (49) |
| John Anderson | 0 | 5,720,437 | 6.6 | Independent | Patrick Lucey (0) |
| Ed Clark | 0 | 921,299 | 1.1 | Libertarian Party | David Koch (0) |
| Barry Commoner | 0 | 234,294 | 0.3 | Citizens Party | La Donna Harris (0) |
| Totals | 538 | 86,515,221 | 100.0 | ||
| Other elections: 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 | |||||
| Source: U.S. Office of the Federal Register | |||||
Notes:
At the Democratic Convention Carter succeded in stopping a challenge by Ted Kennedy and secured his party's renomination.
Reagan ran a campaign of upbeat optimism, "A New Morning in America", together with implications of a more militarily agressive foreign policy. This contrasted with the "malaise" ridden attitude of the late Carter administration and its apparent impotence in the face of the Iran hostage crisis. Towards the end of the campaign as Carter's poll numbers continued to slip as Reagan's rose Carter responded with more militaristic rhetoric and announced plans to bring back the military draft; this succeeded only in alienating some of Carter's supporters.
The election was held on November 4, 1980.
Independent candidate John Anderson received 5,720,437 popular votes for President, appealing to centerist voters who considered Carter too liberal and Reagan too conservative. Libertarian Party candidate Ed Clark received 921,299 popular votes, and in the state of Alaska finished ahead of all candidates other than Reagan.
Citizens Party candidate Barry Commoner received 234,294 popular votes. His running mate, La Donna Harris, was the second known Native American to run for national office, after Charles Curtis in 1928.
See also: President of the United States, U.S. presidential election, 1980
