List of Vice Presidents of the United States

The Number One Observatory Circle in Washington, D.C. is the vice president's official residence.
The Official Seal of the Vice President of the United States.

There have been 47 vice presidents of the United States, from John Adams to Joe Biden. 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 has few powers or duties explicitly provided for in the Constitution. The Vice President's primary function is to succeed to the presidency if the President dies, resigns, or is impeached and removed from office. Nine vice presidents have ascended to the presidency in this way: eight 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] The vice presidency was described by former VP John Nance Garner in 1960 as "not worth a bucket of warm piss".[2]

Prior to passage of the Twenty-fifth Amendment, a vacancy in the office of the Vice President could not be filled until the next post-election inauguration. Such vacancies were common; sixteen occurred before the 25th Amendment was ratified–as a result of seven deaths, one resignation (John C. Calhoun, who resigned to enter Congress), and eight cases in which the vice president succeeded to the presidency. This amendment allowed for a vacancy to be filled with appointment by the President and confirmation by both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Since the Amendment's passage, two vice presidents have been appointed through this process, Gerald Ford of Michigan in 1973 and Nelson Rockefeller of New York in 1974.[1] The office has been vacant for 13,800 days since the beginning of the United States federal government, or for approximately 37 years and 10 months. To date, 14 vice presidents became president, five of whom via election.

The vice presidents have been elected from 21 states. More than half of them have come from just five states, New York (11), Indiana (5), Massachusetts (4), Kentucky (3), and Texas (3). 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 is Alben W. Barkley at 71 years of age.

List of vice presidents

      Federalist (1)       Democratic-Republican (6)       Democratic (19)       Whig (2)       Republican (20)

№ Portrait Vice President State Term of office Party Term
[n 1]		 Previous office President
1    John Adams
October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826
(aged 90)		 Massachusetts April 21, 1789
–
March 4, 1797 		None 1
(1789)		 United States Minister
to the
Court of St. James's		   Washington
  Federalist 2
(1792)
2    Thomas Jefferson
April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826
(aged 83)		 Virginia March 4, 1797
–
March 4, 1801		 Democratic-
Republican		 3
(1796)		 1st
United States Secretary of State		 J. Adams
3    Aaron Burr
February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836
(aged 80)		 New York March 4, 1801
–
March 4, 1805		 Democratic-
Republican		 4
(1800)		 U.S. Senator from New York Jefferson
4    George Clinton
July 26, 1739 – April 20, 1812
(aged 72)		 New York March 4, 1805
–
April 20, 1812		 Democratic-
Republican		 5
(1804)		 1st
Governor of New York
6
(1808)		 Madison
V    Vacant
(by death)		 April 20, 1812
–
March 4, 1813
5    Elbridge Gerry
July 17, 1744 – November 23, 1814
(aged 70)		 Massachusetts March 4, 1813
–
November 23, 1814		 Democratic-
Republican		 7
(1812)		 9th
Governor of Massachusetts
V    Vacant
(by death)		 November 23, 1814
–
March 4, 1817
6    Daniel D. Tompkins
June 21, 1774 – June 11, 1825
(aged 50)		 New York March 4, 1817
–
March 4, 1825		 Democratic-
Republican		 8
(1816)		 Governor of New York Monroe
9
(1820)
7    John C. Calhoun
March 18, 1782 – March 31, 1850
(aged 68)		 South Carolina March 4, 1825
–
December 28, 1832		 Democratic-
Republican		 10
(1824)		 10th
United States Secretary of War		 J.Q. Adams
Democratic 11
(1828)		 Jackson
V    Vacant
(by resignation)		 December 28, 1832
–
March 4, 1833
8 Martin Van Buren
December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862
(aged 79)		 New York March 4, 1833
–
March 4, 1837		 Democratic 12
(1832)		 United States Minister
to the
Court of St. James's
9 Richard Mentor Johnson
October 17, 1780/81 – November 19, 1850
(aged 70)		 Kentucky March 4, 1837
–
March 4, 1841		 Democratic 13
(1836)		 U.S. Representative for
Kentucky's 13th		 Van Buren
10 John Tyler
March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862
(aged 71)		 Virginia March 4, 1841
–
April 4, 1841		 Whig 14
(1840)		 U.S. Senator from Virginia W.H. Harrison
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 April 4, 1841
–
March 4, 1845		 Tyler
11 George M. Dallas
July 10, 1792 – December 31, 1864
(aged 72)		 Pennsylvania March 4, 1845
–
March 4, 1849		 Democratic 15
(1844)		 U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania Polk
12 Millard Fillmore
January 7, 1800 – March 8, 1874
(aged 74)		 New York March 4, 1849
–
July 9, 1850		 Whig 16
(1848)		 14th
New York State Comptroller		 Taylor
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 July 9, 1850
–
March 4, 1853		 Fillmore
13 William R. King
April 7, 1786 – April 18, 1853
(aged 67)		 Alabama March 4, 1853[n 2]
–
April 18, 1853		 Democratic 17
(1852)		 President pro tempore of the Senate Pierce
V    Vacant
(by death)		 April 18, 1853
–
March 4, 1857
14 John C. Breckinridge
January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875
(aged 54)		 Kentucky March 4, 1857
–
March 4, 1861		 Democratic 18
(1856)		 U.S. Representative for
Kentucky's 8th		 Buchanan
15 Hannibal Hamlin
August 27, 1809 – July 4, 1891
(aged 81)		 Maine March 4, 1861
–
March 4, 1865		 Republican 19
(1860)		 26th
Governor of Maine		 Lincoln
16 Andrew Johnson
December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875
(aged 66)		 Tennessee March 4, 1865
–
April 15, 1865		 Democratic
National Union		 20
(1864)		 U.S. Senator from Tennessee
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 April 15, 1865
–
March 4, 1869		 A. Johnson
17 Schuyler Colfax
March 23, 1823 – January 13, 1885
(aged 61)		 Indiana March 4, 1869
–
March 4, 1873		 Republican 21
(1868)		 25th
Speaker of the House		 Grant
18 Henry Wilson
February 16, 1812 – November 22, 1875
(aged 63)		 Massachusetts March 4, 1873
–
November 22, 1875'		 Republican 22
(1872)		 U.S. Senator from Massachusetts
V    Vacant
(by death)		 November 22, 1875
–
March 4, 1877
19 William A. Wheeler
June 30, 1819 – June 4, 1887
(aged 67)		 New York March 4, 1877
–
March 4, 1881		 Republican 23
(1876)		 U.S. Representative for
New York's 19th		 Hayes
20 Chester A. Arthur
October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886
(aged 57)		 New York March 4, 1881
–
September 19, 1881		 Republican 24
(1880)		 21st
Collector of the Port of New York		 Garfield
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 September 19, 1881
–
March 4, 1885		 Arthur
21 Thomas A. Hendricks
September 7, 1819 – November 25, 1885
(aged 66)		 Indiana March 4, 1885
–
November 25, 1885		 Democratic 25
(1884)		 16th
Governor of Indiana		 Cleveland
V    Vacant
(by death)		 November 25, 1885
–
March 4, 1889
22 Levi P. Morton
May 16, 1824 – May 16, 1920
(aged 96)		 New York March 4, 1889
–
March 4, 1893		 Republican 26
(1888)		 31st
Governor of New York		 B. Harrison
23 Adlai Stevenson
October 23, 1835 – June 14, 1914
(aged 78)		 Illinois March 4, 1893
–
March 4, 1897		 Democratic 27
(1892)		 U.S. Representative for
Illinois' 13th		 Cleveland
24 Garret Hobart
June 3, 1844 – November 21, 1899
(aged 55)		 New Jersey March 4, 1897
–
November 21, 1899		 Republican 28
(1896)		 President of the New Jersey Senate McKinley
V    Vacant
(by death)		 November 21, 1899
–
March 4, 1901
25 Theodore Roosevelt
October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919
(aged 60)		 New York March 4, 1901
–
September 14, 1901		 Republican 29
(1900)		 33rd
Governor of New York
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 September 14, 1901
–
March 4, 1905		 T. Roosevelt
26 Charles W. Fairbanks
May 11, 1852 – June 4, 1918
(aged 66)		 Indiana March 4, 1905
–
March 4, 1909		 Republican 30
(1904)		 U.S. Senator from Indiana
27 James S. Sherman
October 24, 1855 – October 30, 1912
(aged 57)		 New York March 4, 1909
–
October 30, 1912		 Republican 31
(1908)		 U.S. Representative for
New York's 27th		 Taft
V    Vacant
(by death)		 October 30, 1912
–
March 4, 1913
28 Thomas R. Marshall
March 14, 1854 – June 1, 1925
(aged 71)		 Indiana March 4, 1913
–
March 4, 1921		 Democratic 32
(1912)		 27th
Governor of Indiana		 Wilson
33
(1916)
29 Calvin Coolidge
July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933
(aged 60)		 Massachusetts March 4, 1921
–
August 2, 1923		 Republican 34
(1920)		 48th
Governor of Massachusetts		 Harding
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 August 2, 1923
–
March 4, 1925		 Coolidge
30 Charles G. Dawes
August 27, 1865 – April 23, 1951
(aged 85)		 Illinois March 4, 1925
–
March 4, 1929		 Republican 35
(1924)		 Director of the Bureau of the Budget[n 3]
31 Charles Curtis
January 25, 1860 – February 8, 1936
(aged 76)		 Kansas March 4, 1929
–
March 4, 1933		 Republican 36
(1928)		 Senate Majority Leader from Kansas Hoover
32 John Nance Garner
November 22, 1868 – November 7, 1967
(aged 98)		 Texas March 4, 1933
–
January 20, 1941		 Democratic 37
(1932)		 39th
Speaker of the House		 F.D. Roosevelt
38
(1936)
33 Henry A. Wallace
October 7, 1888 – November 18, 1965
(aged 77)		 Iowa January 20, 1941
–
January 20, 1945		 Democratic 39
(1940)		 11th
Secretary of Agriculture
34 Harry S. Truman
May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972
(aged 88)		 Missouri January 20, 1945
–
April 12, 1945		 Democratic 40
(1944)		 U.S. Senator from Missouri
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 April 12, 1945
–
January 20, 1949		 Truman
35 Alben W. Barkley
November 24, 1877 – April 30, 1956
(aged 78)		 Kentucky January 20, 1949
–
January 20, 1953		 Democratic 41
(1948)		 U.S. Senator from Kentucky
36 Richard Nixon
January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994
(aged 81)		 California January 20, 1953
–
January 20, 1961		 Republican 42
(1952)		 U.S. Senator from California Eisenhower
43
(1956)
37 Lyndon B. Johnson
August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973
(aged 64)		 Texas January 20, 1961
–
November 22, 1963		 Democratic 44
(1960)		 Senate Majority Leader
from Texas		 Kennedy
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 November 22, 1963
–
January 20, 1965		 L. Johnson
38 Hubert Humphrey
May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978
(aged 66)		 Minnesota January 20, 1965
–
January 20, 1969		 Democratic 45
(1964)		 Senate Majority Whip from Minnesota
39 Spiro Agnew
November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996
(aged 77)		 Maryland January 20, 1969
–
October 10, 1973		 Republican 46
(1968)		 55th
Governor of Maryland		 Nixon
47
(1972)
V    Vacant
(by resignation)		 October 10, 1973
–
December 6, 1973
40 Gerald Ford
July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006
(aged 93)		 Michigan December 6, 1973[n 4]
–
August 9, 1974		 Republican House Minority Leader from
Michigan's 5th
V    Vacant
(by ascension)		 August 9, 1974
–
December 19, 1974		 Ford
41 Nelson Rockefeller
July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979
(aged 70)		 New York December 19, 1974
–
January 20, 1977		 Republican 49th
Governor of New York
42 Walter Mondale
January 5, 1928		 Minnesota January 20, 1977
–
January 20, 1981		 Democratic 48
(1976)		 U.S. Senator from Minnesota Carter
43 George H. W. Bush
June 12, 1924
[3]		 Texas January 20, 1981
–
January 20, 1989		 Republican 49
(1980)		 11th
Director of Central Intelligence		 Reagan
50
(1984)
44 Dan Quayle
February 4, 1947		 Indiana January 20, 1989
–
January 20, 1993		 Republican 51
(1988)		 U.S. Senator from Indiana G.H.W. Bush
45 Al Gore
March 31, 1948		 Tennessee January 20, 1993
–
January 20, 2001		 Democratic 52
(1992)		 U.S. Senator from Tennessee Clinton
53
(1996)
46 Dick Cheney
January 30, 1941
 Wyoming January 20, 2001
–
January 20, 2009		 Republican 54
(2000)		 17th
United States Secretary of Defense		 G.W. Bush
55
(2004)
47 Joe Biden
November 20, 1942		 Delaware January 20, 2009
–
Incumbent		 Democratic 56
(2008)		 U.S. Senator from Delaware Obama
57
(2012)

Living former vice presidents

As of February 2016, there are five living former vice presidents of the United States, the oldest being George H. W. Bush (1981–1989, born 1924). The most recent death of a former vice president was that of Gerald Ford (1973–1974), on December 26, 2006. The most recently serving vice president to die was Nelson Rockefeller (1974–1977) on January 26, 1979. Pictured below, listed in order of service:

Vice presidents who became presidents

A timeline graph of Presidents with a highlighting of those who had been Vice Presidents. A gray arrow points to those who became president without having been elected as president. The double arrow indicates Ford becoming president without having been elected as vice president also. (See source image for more info.)

There have been 14 vice presidents who have become President of the United States.

Of the nine vice presidents who ascended to the presidency after their predecessor's death or resignation, only 4 were subsequently elected in their own right: Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Only 3 vice presidents have been elected president once, and then defeated in reelection: John Adams, Martin Van Buren, and George H.W. Bush.

Only 2 vice presidents have ever been elected and reelected president: Thomas Jefferson and Richard Nixon (only Jefferson served two full terms).

Richard Nixon is the only one on this list who was not serving as vice president when he was elected.

Gerald Ford was the only vice president who became president by ascension, secured his party's nomination, and then lost in the general election.

Vice presidents who later served in other offices

Miscellaneous

Information about age difference between vice-presidents and their presidents:[4]

  1. Almost half of vice presidents (22 out of 46) were older than their presidents. Of those older VPs who later became president, none began their presidency by election, and only one of them, Lyndon B. Johnson, was later elected.
  2. Incumbent (47th) vice president Joe Biden is also older than president Barack Obama, and he is the oldest vice-president compared to his president (18 years, 8 months, 15 days).
  3. The biggest age difference between a president and a vice president was between president James Buchanan, and vice president John C. Breckinridge (Breckinridge is younger by 29 years, 8 months, 29 days). This also makes Breckinridge the youngest vice president compared to his president.
  4. The least age difference between a president and a vice president was between president Abraham Lincoln, and vice president Andrew Johnson (Johnson is older by 45 days).
  5. John C. Breckinridge (at 36) is the youngest person to become vice president.
  6. Alben W. Barkley (at 71) is the oldest person to become vice president.

Other information:

  1. Al Gore (1992, 1996), Dick Cheney (2000, 2004), and Joe Biden (2008, 2012) are the first three consecutive vice presidents to be elected to two terms.
  2. More presidents (8) (William Henry Harrison, Taylor, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Harding, Franklin Roosevelt, Kennedy) than vice presidents (7) (Clinton, Gerry, King, Wilson, Hendricks, Hobart, Sherman) have died in office. The last death of a sitting vice president was in 1912 (James S. Sherman).
  3. Nelson Rockefeller (1974-1977) is the only private citizen to become Vice President who was neither elected to the office, nor was serving in any public office (either elected or appointed) when nominated and confirmed. (Rockefeller had resigned as Governor of New York in 1973 to become Chairman of the "Commission on Critical Choices for Americans." He was serving in this private position up until he was sworn in as the 41st Vice President of the United States. All other Vice Presidents were either elected to the office with the President, or in the case of Gerald Ford, was a member of the House of Representatives when he became Vice President).
  4. George Clinton and John C. Calhoun are the only vice presidents who have served under more than one president.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ For the purposes of numbering, a presidency is defined as an uninterrupted period of time in office served by one person. For example, George Washington served two consecutive terms and is counted as the first president (not the first and second). Upon the resignation of 37th president Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford became the 38th president even though he simply served out the remainder of Nixon's second term and was never elected to the presidency in his own right. Grover Cleveland was both the 22nd president and the 24th president because his two terms were not consecutive. A period during which a vice-president temporarily becomes acting president under the Twenty-fifth Amendment is not a presidency, because the president remains in office during such a period.
  2. ↑ The only Vice President to be sworn in outside of the United States of America (in Havana, Cuba), with special dispensation from Congress; twenty days after the original vice-presidential inauguration.
  3. ↑ Dawes was an experienced economist whose first elected office was Vice President.
  4. ↑ Office of Vice President filled under provisions of 25th Amendment.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate)". United States Senate. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  2. ↑ Blumenthal, Sidney (June 28, 2007). "The imperial vice presidency". Salon.com. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  3. ↑ Served as Acting President under section 3 of the 25th Amendment on July 13, 1985, from 11:28 a.m. until 7:22 p.m.
  4. ↑ Calculations made by contributor depending primarily on lists shown in Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Barnes and Noble, 2003.

External links

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