As we see it happened again in 2000; and it didn't just occur twice. The election of 1876 between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, is one of the most debated and controversial elections to have ever taken place. As the day came to an end, Samuel J. Tilden held the popular vote at 4,300,590 almost 300,000 more than Rutherford B. Hayes. With the electoral vote at 184 to 165 in favor of Tilden, it all seemed to be in the bag for Tilden; but we know better by now, things did not go as planned. 
 
     Florida, Louisiana, Oregon and South Carolina held 20 electoral votes which had not been given to either candidate as of yet (with one vote in Oregon being declared illegal.) Both parties rallied for those votes, and both claimed that it was clear that their nominee was the victor. 

     Legal proceedings began and votes began to be discounted for things such as improper ballot labeling, and threats towards voters. In the end, all 20 of the disputed votes were given to Hayes, bringing his electoral college vote win to 185 over Tilden's 184. Cries of corruption were heard far and wide, but it was not just sound the of tears that was disrupting things. Shots were fired into Hayes' home as he sat down to eat dinner, and threats on his life were far from rare. 

     The final results ended with President Rutherford B. Hayes being awarded the presidency which he took control of on March 4th, 1877. A common belief as to why the election turned out as it did, was an informal deal known as the Compromise of 1877. In the unwritten compromise, Rutherford B Hayes was awarded the necessary electoral votes in exchanged for promising to end the the reconstruction put in place after the Civil War; including the removal of federal troops. At that point the only troops which were still in place were Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida – the three disputed states. Florida sold itself too quickly, as the troops were removed by President Ulysses S. Grant before Hayes even took the Presidency. So we are left to wonder, what was truly gained? 

       Just a few short years later, we saw even more challenge against the electoral college system. Incumbent President Grover Cleveland was running for his second term against Benjamin Harrison. Harrison's grandfather, William Henry Harrison had once held the nations highest tittle as the 9th President of the United States, but died soon into his term.

     Grover Cleveland ran a tough campaign, and it showed in the results as he dominated the southern states and taking a victory as far north as Connecticut (270towin). Winning the popular vote 5,540,309 to Benjamin Harrison's 5,439,853 the incumbent President became the newest victim of the electoral college system. While Cleveland held the popular vote, the northern states which Harrison carried, carried most of the electoral votes as well; causing an electoral vote loss for Cleveland at 168 to 233.
