did you know some of the closest elections in US history have shaped the nation the 1824 election saw John Quincy Adams win despite losing the popular vote to Andrew Jackson in 1876 Rutherford B Hayes won by a single electoral vote after a contested outcome in 1880 James Garfield barely edged out Winfield Hancock with the smallest popular vote margin ever the 1960 election was another nailbiter John F Kennedy narrowly defeated Richard Nixon by just 0.17% finally in 2000 George W bush emerged Victorious over Al Gore after a controversial recount in Florida these razor thin margins remind us how every vote truly counts which election do you think had the most lasting impact