President Franklin D. Roosevelt elected to unprecedented third term, defeats Wendell Willkie 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 5 1940)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'The American Presidential Election of 1940'

(Tuesday, November 5, 1940, during the 1940 United States presidential election) — President Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York, a Democrat, was elected to an unprecedented third term as the 32nd President of the United States today, defeating Republican businessman Wendell Willkie.


Video: 'Roosevelt Elected Again (1940)'

Roosevelt and his running mate, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace of Iowa, won 54.74 percent of the popular vote, resulting in 449 electoral votes.

Willkie and his running mate, U.S. Senator Charles L. McNary of Oregon, received 44.78 percent of the popular vote, resulting in 82 electoral votes.

Video: 'PBS American Experience - FDR (1994) 4of5' (Nov. 5, 1940, at 24:55)

The election was contested in the shadow of World War II in Europe, as the United States was emerging from the Great Depression.


Video: 'The World at War: On Our Way: U.S.A. - 1939-1942 (7 of 26)' (1940 campaign at 7:21)

Roosevelt and Wallace would be sworn in for a four-year term of office on January 20, 1941.