When the Electoral College votes were counted in 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr each received 73 electoral votes. At the time, electors did not cast separate votes for president and vice president. Instead, each elector voted for two candidates. Because Jefferson and Burr received the same number of votes, neither could be declared the winner.
The Constitution provided a solution for this situation. If there were a tie, the House of Representatives would choose the president. Each state delegation received one vote, regardless of its population. To win, a candidate needed the support of a majority of the states.
The House began voting in February 1801. Many Federalists opposed Jefferson, but they were also reluctant to support Burr. Ballot after ballot ended without a winner. For several days, representatives debated and voted, yet neither candidate gained enough state votes to become president.
Finally, on the 36th ballot, several Federalists chose not to block Jefferson's election. Their decision broke the deadlock, and Jefferson won enough state votes to become president. Burr became vice president.
The tie revealed a weakness in the Electoral College system. Because electors did not cast separate votes for president and vice president, candidates from the same party could ultimately tie. This problem led to the changes in the U.S. Constitution a few years later.
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