This Day In Founding Fathers History – 7 January

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This Day In Founding Fathers History – 7 January 2013

On this day in 1789, the presidential electors for each state were selected, with ballots to be cast the following month. North Carolina and Rhode Island had no electors as they had not yet ratified the Constitution. New York failed to pass an election act by 7 January and therefore cast no electoral votes in February. In total, 69 electors voted during the first presidential election. Each elector was allowed two votes, of which one was required to be for a person outside their state. The votes were sent to Congress where they would be counted. The person with the most votes was elected President and the runner up Vice President. As we all know, George Washington came in first and John Adams second. ₁

One notable birthday on this day in history in 1963, that of Senator Dr. Rand Paul of Kentucky. Like his father, Ron Paul, Rand had a successful medical practice for many years before getting involved in politics. Rand founded the Southern Kentucky Lions Eye Clinic, which provides eye exams and surgery to the needy, and has been involved in the Lions Club for many years. ₂

_{1 The Papers of George Washington, “The Electoral Count for the Presidential Election of 1789,” gwpapers.virginia.edu/documents/presidential/electoral.html
2 “Who Is Rand Paul?” www.randpaul2016.com/about/}

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