Democratic vote declined by 33,000 from its 1844 level, while the Whig vote likewise declined by 15,000 votes. The third-party vote tripled, and the total vote remained nearly stationary: a partial indication, perhaps, of the derivation of the Free Soil strength in this section. For the first time since the existence of the Whig Party, the Whigs failed to gain an absolute majority of the vote in Massachusetts and Vermont. In addition, the Democrats failed to retain their usual majority in Maine; thus only New Hampshire (Democratic) and Rhode Island (Whig) of the states in this section gave their respective victorious parties clear-cut majorities. Of the 1,464 counties/independent cities making returns, Cass placed first in 753 (51.43%), Taylor in 676 (46.17%), and Van Buren in 31 (2.12%). Four counties (0.27%) in the West split evenly between Taylor and Cass. The election has sometimes been described as "a contest without an issue," as both major candidates sought to steer clear of divisive subjects. The historian George Pierce Garrison famously quipped that "practically the only thing it decided was that a Whig general should be made President because he had done effective work in carrying on a Democratic war." Source (Popular Vote): Source (Electoral Vote): (a) The popular vote figures exclude South Carolina where the Electors were chosen by the state legislature rather than by popular vote. Geography of results Cartographic gallery Results by state Close states States where the margin of victory was under 5%: Alabama 1.12% (691 votes) Mississippi 1.20% (634 votes) Virginia 1.60% (1,474 votes) Illinois 2.49% (3,099 votes) Georgia 2.98% (2,747 votes) Indiana 3.16% (4,838 votes) Wisconsin 3.20% (1,254 votes) Pennsylvania 3.62% (13,337 votes) (tipping point state) New Jersey 4.01% (3,114 votes) Delaware 4.26% (530 votes) Maryland 4.38% (3,174 votes) States where the margin of victory was under 10%: Ohio 5.00% (16,414 votes) Tennessee 5.04% (6,179 votes) Connecticut 5.24% (3,267 votes) Maine 5.62% (4,922 votes) Iowa 5.87% (1,308 votes) Louisiana 9.18% (3,108 votes) Electoral college selection * Massachusetts law provided that the state legislature would choose the Electors if no slate of Electors could command a majority of voters statewide. In 1848, this provision was triggered, although the legislature ultimately chose the electors of the plurality vote winner, Taylor. See also 1848–49 United States House of Representatives elections 1848–49 United States Senate elections American election campaigns in the 19th century History of the United States (1789–1849) Inauguration of