In the United States, political parties nominate one candidate each for President of the United States and for Vice President of the United States. These candidates attempt to win presidential elections by taking a majority of the electoral vote. The two candidates together are known as a ticket. Many states did not hold popular votes for the presidential election prior to the advent of Jacksonian Democracy in the 1820s. Prior to the ratification of the 12th Amendment in 1804, electors cast two votes for president rather than one vote for president and one vote for vice president. Under the pre-12th Amendment Constitution, the candidate with the most votes became president and the candidate with the second most votes became vice president; hence, all candidates were technically running against each other.[a] The listed ages are as of election day; for races prior to 1845, December 1 is considered election day for the purposes of the list.
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