The 1940 United States presidential election in New Hampshire took place on Tuesday, November 5, 1940, as part of the nationwide presidential election. Voters in New Hampshire chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College, which selected the President and Vice President of the United States.
Candidates and ticket
- Democratic Party: Incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt (home state: New York) with running mate Henry A. Wallace.
- Republican Party: Businessman Wendell Willkie (home state: New York) with running mate Charles L. McNary.
Results
- The state awarded four electoral votes to the candidate who won the popular vote.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt secured a majority of the popular vote in New Hampshire, receiving more than 50 % of the ballots cast.
- Wendell Willkie received the remainder of the vote, falling short of a majority.
- Consequently, all four of New Hampshire’s electoral votes were cast for the Democratic ticket of Roosevelt‑Wallace.
Vote totals and percentages Exact vote totals and percentages are recorded in the official state election returns of 1940 and are reproduced in standard reference works on U.S. electoral history. The Democratic candidate’s share exceeded the Republican candidate’s by a margin of roughly eight percentage points, reflecting a clear, though not overwhelming, statewide preference for Roosevelt.
Historical context
- The 1940 election was the first in which an incumbent president—Roosevelt—ran for a third term, breaking the two‑term tradition established by George Washington.
- Internationally, the election occurred against the backdrop of escalating global conflict, with World War II already underway in Europe and Asia. Roosevelt’s campaign emphasized preparedness and support for the Allies, while Willkie’s platform stressed limited government intervention and a more isolationist foreign policy.
Significance for New Hampshire
- New Hampshire’s support for Roosevelt contributed to his national victory, making him the only U.S. president elected to a third term.
- The election marked a temporary shift toward the Democratic Party in a state that had historically leaned Republican in prior presidential contests.
Electoral map All four electors chosen by New Hampshire voted for the Democratic ticket; therefore, the state’s electoral map for 1940 is uniformly colored for the Democratic Party in historical atlases of the election.
References
- Official 1940 New Hampshire state election returns.
- “United States Presidential Elections, 1789–2020,” Congressional Quarterly Press.
- "Historical Atlas of United States Presidential Elections," by David Leip.
All information presented is based on established historical records and electoral data.
