Feb. 4, 1789: Electors unanimously chose George Washington to be the first president of the United States. Washington won 69 electoral votes, more than enough to be elected; John Adams received 36 and John Jay got 7. The only drama in the election was who would become vice president. In those days, each elector cast two votes; if a person received a vote from a majority of the electors, that person became president, and the runner-up became vice president. Since John Adams was the runner-up, he became the vice president. The Twelfth Amendment, ratified in 1804, would change this procedure, requiring each elector to cast distinct votes for president and vice president.
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