List of female United States presidential and vice-presidential candidates


The following is a list of female U.S. presidential and vice-presidential nominees and invitees. Nominees are candidates nominated or otherwise selected by political parties for particular offices. Listed as nominees or nomination candidates are those women who achieved ballot access in at least one state. They each may have won the nomination of one of the US political parties, or made the ballot as an Independent, and in either case must have votes in the election to qualify for this list. Exception is made for those few candidates whose parties lost ballot status for additional runs.

History

While many historians and authors agree that Woodhull was the first woman to run for president, some have questioned the legality of her run. They disagree with classifying it as a true candidacy because she was younger than the constitutionally mandated age of 35, but election coverage by contemporary newspapers does not suggest age was a significant issue. The presidential inauguration was in March 1873, and Woodhull's 35th birthday was six months later in September. In 1884, Belva Lockwood followed with a run for president. Her running mate was Marietta Stow, who became the first woman to run for vice president.
The first woman to receive votes at a national political convention for president or vice president was Quaker activist and orator Lucretia Coffin Mott who received 6% of the votes in the first ballot for the vice president nomination at the 1848 convention of the Liberty Party.
Margaret Chase Smith announced her candidacy for the Republican Party nomination in 1964, becoming the first female candidate for a major party's nomination. She qualified for the ballot in six state primaries, and came in second in the Illinois primary, receiving 25% of the vote. She became the first woman to have her name placed in nomination for the presidency at a major political party's convention.
Charlene Mitchell was the first African American woman to run for president, and the first to receive valid votes in a general election, in 1968. She qualified for the ballot in two states as the nominee of the Communist Party USA, winning 1,075 votes.
In 1972, Shirley Chisholm became the first black candidate for a major party's presidential nomination, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's nomination. During this primary, Chisholm won the New Jersey primary, becoming the first woman or African American to do so. This would not be repeated by another woman for 36 years, in 2008.
Also in 1972, Tonie Nathan, the Libertarian Party's vice-presidential candidate, became the first woman to receive an electoral vote, via faithless elector Roger MacBride. In the 1988 presidential election, Lenora Fulani became the first woman to achieve ballot access in all fifty states. Fulani was also the first African American to do so. Three of her running mates, Joyce Dattner, Mamie Moore, and Wynonia Burke, also achieved ballot access separately in varying numbers out of the 50 states.
In the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York became the first woman to win a presidential primary, and the first to be listed as a presidential candidate in every primary and caucus nationwide. Despite losing the nomination in a close race against Barack Obama, Clinton won more votes in 2008 than any primary candidate in American history.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated for president by a major party after winning a majority of pledged delegates in the 2016 Democratic Party primaries, and was formally nominated at the Democratic National Convention on July 26, 2016. As a major party nominee, Clinton became the first woman to participate in a presidential debate, and later the first to carry a state in a general election. Despite losing the election, Clinton became the first woman to win the popular vote, receiving nearly 66 million votes to Donald Trump's 63 million.
The Green Party has run a female candidate three times, Cynthia McKinney in 2008 and Jill Stein in 2012 and 2016. Stein is currently the female candidate with the second-most votes in a general election, having received nearly 1.5 million votes in 2016.
Prior to the 2020 United States presidential election cycle, only five women throughout history had made it to a major party's primary debate stage: Democrats Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Hillary Clinton, and Republicans Michele Bachmann and Carly Fiorina ; there had never been more than one woman on the debate stage at one time, and there had never been more than two women running per party at one time. In the 2020 presidential election cycle, a record-breaking six women ran for president in the Democratic Party: Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Senator Kamala Harris of California, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, and author Marianne Williamson. The initial night of the first Democratic primary debate, which took place on June 26–27, 2019, marked a major milestone, as it featured three women: Warren, Klobuchar, and Gabbard; Harris, Gillibrand, and Williamson participated on the second night.
Dr. Jo Jorgensen is the Libertatian party's Presidential candidate for the 2020 election, and is the first woman to be nominated by that party. The 2020 Democratic Party vice presidential nominee is set to be the third female major party vice presidential nominee in United States history, following Ferraro in 1984 and Palin in 2008, as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has committed to selecting a female running mate.

Presidential candidates

Candidates who received electoral college votes

YearNamePartyRunning mateElectoral
votes
Total
electoral
votes
Winner
2016'Democratic Party227538Donald Trump
2016'Not applicableNot applicable1538Donald Trump

General election candidates by popular vote

This list, sorted by the number of votes received, includes female candidates who have competed for President of the United States in a general election and received over 40,000 votes.
Major-party nominee
YearPictureNamePartyVotesElected President
2016Hillary ClintonDemocratic Party65,853,516Donald Trump
2016Jill SteinGreen Party1,457,044Donald Trump
2012Jill SteinGreen Party468,907Barack Obama
1988Lenora FulaniNew Alliance Party217,219George H. W. Bush
2008Cynthia McKinneyGreen Party161,797Barack Obama
1972Linda JennessSocialist Workers Party83,380Richard Nixon
1992Lenora FulaniNew Alliance Party73,714Bill Clinton
1984Sonia JohnsonCitizens Party72,200Ronald Reagan
2012Roseanne BarrPeace and Freedom Party67,326Barack Obama
1976Margaret WrightPeople's Party49,024Jimmy Carter
1940Gracie AllenSurprise Party42,000Franklin D. Roosevelt

Primary election candidates

This list, sorted by the number of votes received, includes female candidates who have sought their party's presidential nomination in at least one primary or caucus and received over 5,000 votes.
Party nominee
YearPictureNamePartyVotesContests WonParty Nominee
2008Hillary ClintonDemocratic Party17,857,50123Barack Obama
2016Hillary ClintonDemocratic Party16,914,72234Hillary Clinton
2020Elizabeth WarrenDemocratic Party2,780,6790Joe Biden
2020Amy KlobucharDemocratic Party524,3750Joe Biden
1972Shirley ChisholmDemocratic Party430,7031George McGovern
1964Margaret Chase SmithRepublican Party227,0070Barry Goldwater
2020Tulsi GabbardDemocratic Party261,2530Joe Biden
2004Carol Moseley BraunDemocratic Party103,1890John Kerry
1996Elvena Lloyd-DuffieDemocratic Party91,9290Bill Clinton
2012Michele BachmannRepublican Party41,1700Mitt Romney
2016Carly FiorinaRepublican Party40,6660Donald Trump
1996Heather Anne HarderDemocratic Party29,1560Bill Clinton
2020Marianne WilliamsonDemocratic Party22,3340Joe Biden
1972Patsy MinkDemocratic Party8,2860George McGovern
1964Fay T. Carpenter SwainDemocratic Party7,1400Lyndon B. Johnson
2020Jo JorgensenLibertarian Party5,110
2Jo Jorgensen

All candidates

Party nominees

Not nominated by party

Candidates who failed to receive their parties' nomination.
YearNamePartyDetailsParty nominee
1884Abigail Scott DuniwayEqual Rights PartyRejected nomination.Belva Ann Lockwood
1920Laura ClayDemocratic PartyJames M. Cox
1920Cora Wilson StewartDemocratic PartyJames M. Cox
1924Cora Wilson StewartDemocratic Party1 vote on 1st and 15th ballotsJohn W. Davis
1940Anna MilburnNational Greenback PartyDeclined nominationJohn Zahnd
1964Margaret Chase SmithRepublican PartyReceived 227,007 votes in Republican Primary and won 27 delegates at the 1964 Republican ConventionBarry Goldwater
1964Fay T. Carpenter SwainDemocratic Party7,140 votes in Indiana primaryLyndon B. Johnson
1972Shirley ChisholmDemocratic Party152 votes at National conventionGeorge McGovern
1972Patsy Takamoto MinkDemocratic PartyGeorge McGovern
1972Bella Savitzky AbzugDemocratic PartyGeorge McGovern
1976Barbara JordanDemocratic Party1 vote at National conventionJimmy Carter
1976Ellen McCormackDemocratic Party22 votes at national conventionJimmy Carter
1980Koryne Kaneski HorbalDemocratic Party5 votes at National conventionJimmy Carter
1980Alice TrippDemocratic Party2 votes at National conventionJimmy Carter
1984Martha KirklandDemocratic Party1 vote at National conventionWalter Mondale
1984Mary RuwartLibertarian Party77 votes at convention ; 99 votes at convention David Bergland
1984Tonie NathanLibertarian Party53 votes at convention David Bergland
1988Patricia SchroederDemocratic PartyMichael Dukakis
1992Tennie RogersRepublican Party754 votes in Texas primaryGeorge H. W. Bush
1992Georgiana DoerschuckRepublican Party58 votes in New Hampshire primaryGeorge H. W. Bush
1992Caroline KilleenDemocratic Party96 votes in New Hampshire primaryBill Clinton
1996Elvena E. Lloyd-DuffieDemocratic Party13,025 votes in Arkansas primary; 10,876 votes in Texas primary; 40,758 in Oklahoma primary ; 11,620 votes in Louisiana primary; 15,650 votes in Illinois primaryBill Clinton
1996Dr. Heather Anne HarderDemocratic Party28,772 votes in Texas primary; 376 votes in New Hampshire primary and two write-in votes as a Republican; 6 votes in Illinois primaryBill Clinton
1996Caroline KilleenDemocratic Party118 votes in New Hampshire primaryBill Clinton
1996Susan Gail DuceyRepublican Party539 votes in at Arizona primary; 152 votes at New Hampshire primary; 1,092 votes at Texas primaryBob Dole
1996Isabell MastersRepublican Party1052 votes at Oklahoma primaryBob Dole
1996Mary "France" LeTulleRepublican Party650 votes at Texas primary; 290 votes in Nevada primaryBob Dole
1996Georgiana DoerschuckRepublican Party140 votes in New Hampshire primaryBob Dole
1996Tennie RogersRepublican Party35 votes at Mississippi primary; 12 votes inNew Hampshire primaryBob Dole
2000Dr. Heather Anne HarderDemocratic Party1,358 votes in AZ primary; 192 votes in New Hampshire primary, 1 Republican write-in voteAl Gore
2000Elizabeth DoleRepublican Party231 write-in votes in NH primaryGeorge W. Bush
2000Dorian YeagerRepublican Party98 votes in New Hampshire primaryGeorge W. Bush
2000Angel Joy Chavis RockerRepublican Party6 votes in Alabama straw pollGeorge W. Bush
2004Lorna SalzmanGreen Party40 votes at National convention David Cobb
2004JoAnne Bier BeemanGreen Party14 votes at national conventionDavid Cobb
2004Carol A. MillerGreen Party10 votes at national conventionDavid Cobb
2004Sheila BilyeuGreen Party2 votes at national conventionDavid Cobb
2004Florence WalkerDemocratic Party246 votes in Washington, D.C. primaryJohn Kerry
2004Katherine BatemanDemocratic Party68 votes in New Hampshire primaryJohn Kerry
2004Jeanne ChebibDemocratic Party43 votes in the Washington, D.C. primaryJohn Kerry
2004Caroline KilleenDemocratic Party31 votes in New Hampshire primaryJohn Kerry
2004Mildred T. GloverDemocratic Party11 votes in New Hampshire primary; 4,039 votes in Maryland primaryJohn Kerry
2004Carol Moseley BraunDemocratic PartyWithdrew in January 2004; 103,189 votesJohn Kerry
2004Millie HowardRepublican Party239 votes in New Hampshire primaryGeorge W. Bush
2008Hillary ClintonDemocratic PartySecond place in the Democratic Party primaries, winning 1,726½ Delegate votes and more primaries than any other woman in history.Barack Obama
2008Caroline KilleenDemocratic Party11 votes in New Hampshire primaryBarack Obama
2008Mary RuwartLibertarian Party152 votes at national convention Bob Barr
2008Christine SmithLibertarian Party6 votes at national convention Bob Barr
2008Kat SwiftGreen Party38 votes at national convention Cynthia McKinney
2008Elaine BrownGreen PartyWithdrew in December 2007; 9 pledged delegates Cynthia McKinney
2008Nan GarrettGreen PartyWithdrew in February 2007Cynthia McKinney
2008Susan Gail DuceyRepublican Party2 votes in Tulsa, Oklahoma straw pollJohn McCain
2012Susan Gail DuceyConstitution Party15 votes at national conventionVirgil Goode
2012Roseanne BarrGreen Party72 votes at national convention Jill Stein
2012Michele BachmannRepublican PartyWithdrew in January 2012.Mitt Romney
2016Carly FiorinaRepublican PartyWithdrew in February 2016 with 1 pledged delegate in Iowa Donald Trump
2016Sedinam Moyowasifza-CurryGreen Party13 votes at national convention Jill Stein
2020Elizabeth WarrenDemocratic PartyWithdrew in March 2020 with 83 pledged delegates.Joe Biden
2020Amy KlobucharDemocratic PartyWithdrew in March 2020 with 7 pledged delegates.Joe Biden
2020Tulsi GabbardDemocratic PartyWithdrew in March 2020 with 2 pledged delegates.Joe Biden
2020Kamala HarrisDemocratic PartyWithdrew in December 2019, despite qualifying for the sixth Democratic primary debate.Joe Biden
2020Kirsten GillibrandDemocratic PartyWithdrew in August 2019 after failing to qualify for the third Democratic primary debate.Joe Biden
2020Marianne WilliamsonDemocratic PartyWithdrew in January 2020 after failing to qualify for the third and all subsequent Democratic primary debates.Joe Biden
2020Cherie DeVilleDemocratic PartyWithdrew in January 2019.Joe Biden
2020Sorinne ArdeleanuLibertarian Party2 write-in votes at convention ; 1 write-in vote at convention Jo Jorgensen
2020Laura EbkeLibertarian Party1 write-in vote at convention Jo Jorgensen
2020Souraya FaasLibertarian PartyWithdrew in May 2020 after failing to qualify in the nomination round.Jo Jorgensen
2020Kim RuffLibertarian Party11 votes in the nomination round.Jo Jorgensen
2020Susan Buchser LochockiGreen Party1 vote at national conventionHowie Hawkins
2020Sedinam Moyowasifza-CurryGreen Party11.5 votes at national convention Howie Hawkins
YearNamePartyDetailsNomination winner

Vice-presidential candidates

Candidates who received electoral college votes

YearNamePartyRunning mateElectoral
votes
Total
electoral
votes
Winner
1972'Libertarian Party1538Spiro Agnew
1984'Democratic Party13538George H. W. Bush
2008'Republican Party173538Joe Biden
2016'Not applicableNot applicable1538Mike Pence
2016'Not applicableNot applicable1538Mike Pence
2016'Not applicableNot applicable1538Mike Pence
2016'Not applicableNot applicable1538Mike Pence
2016'Not applicableNot applicable1538Mike Pence
2020TBDDemocratic PartyJoe Biden TBDTBDTBD

By popular vote

This list includes female candidates who have run or are currently running for Vice President of the United States and received over 100,000 votes. Note that the vote for Vice President is not separate in the United States and is tied together with whoever their running mate is.
Indicates major-party nominee
No.YearPictureNamePartyRunning MateVotesElected Vice President
12008Sarah PalinRepublican PartyJohn McCain59,948,323Joe Biden
21984Geraldine FerraroDemocratic PartyWalter Mondale37,577,352George H. W. Bush
32000Winona LaDukeGreen PartyRalph Nader2,883,105Dick Cheney
41996Winona LaDukeGreen PartyRalph Nader596,780Al Gore
51996Jo JorgensenLibertarian PartyHarry Browne485,798Al Gore
62012Cheri HonkalaGreen PartyJill Stein469,628Joe Biden
72000Ezola FosterReform PartyPat Buchanan449,225Dick Cheney
81992Nancy LordLibertarian PartyAndre Marrou290,087Al Gore
91980LaDonna HarrisCitizens PartyBarry Commoner233,052George H. W. Bush
102008Rosa ClementeGreen PartyCynthia McKinney161,797Joe Biden
111988Joyce DattnerNew Alliance PartyLenora Fulani143,858Dan Quayle
121952Charlotta BassProgressive PartyVincent Hallinan140,023Richard Nixon
132004Pat LaMarcheGreen PartyDavid Cobb119,859Dick Cheney

All candidates

Party nominees

YearNamePartyRunning mateVotes
1884Marietta StowNational Equal Rights PartyBelva Ann Lockwood4,149
1924Marie BrehmProhibition PartyHerman P. Faris56,289
1932Florence GarvinNational PartyJohn Zahnd1,645
1936Florence GarvinGreenback PartyJohn Zahnd
1948Grace CarlsonSocialist Workers PartyFarrell Dobbs13,614
1952Charlotta BassProgressive PartyVincent Hallinan140,023
1952Myra Tanner WeissSocialist Workers PartyFarrell Dobbs10,312
1952Vivien KellemsConstitution Party*Douglas MacArthur943*
1956Georgia CozziniSocialist Labor PartyEric Hass44,300
1956Myra Tanner WeissSocialist Workers PartyFarrell Dobbs7,797
1956Ann Marie YezoAmerican Third PartyHenry B. Krajewski1,829
1960Myra Tanner WeissSocialist Workers PartyFarrell Dobbs60,166
1960Georgia CozziniSocialist Labor PartyEric Hass47,521
1968Peggy TerryPeace and Freedom PartyEldridge Cleaver
1972Genevieve GundersenSocialist Labor PartyLouis Fisher53,814
1972Tonie NathanLibertarian PartyJohn Hospers3,674
1976Willie Mae ReidSocialist Workers PartyPeter Camejo90,986
1976Constance BlomenSocialist Labor PartyJules Levin9,616
1980La Donna HarrisCitizens PartyBarry Commoner233,052
1980Wretha HansonCitizens PartyBarry Commoner8,564
1980Angela DavisCommunist PartyGus Hall43,871
1980Eileen ShearerAmerican Independent PartyJohn Rarick41,268
1980Matilde ZimmermannSocialist Workers PartyAndrew Pulley40,105
1980Elizabeth Cervantes BarronPeace and Freedom PartyMaureen Smith18,106
1980Gavrielle HolmesWorkers World PartyDeirdre Griswold13,213
1980Naomi CohenWorkers World PartyDeirdre Griswold3,790
1980Diane DrufenbrockSocialist PartyDavid McReynolds6,898
1984Geraldine FerraroDemocratic PartyWalter Mondale37,577,352
1984Maureen Kennedy SalamanPopulist PartyBob Richards66,168
1984Nancy RossNew Alliance PartyDennis L. Serrette46,852
1984Angela DavisCommunist PartyGus Hall36,386
1984Andrea GonzalesSocialist Workers PartyMelvin T. Mason24,672
1984Matilde ZimmermannSocialist Workers PartyMelvin T. Mason
1984Gloria La RivaWorkers World PartyLarry Holmes/Gavrielle Holmes15,329
1984Helen HalyardSocialist Equality PartyEdward Winn10,801
1984Jean T. BrustSocialist Equality PartyEdward Winn
1984Emma Wong MarPeace and Freedom PartySonia Johnson
1988Joyce DattnerNew Alliance PartyLenora Fulani143,858
1988Mamie MooreNew Alliance PartyLenora Fulani26,487
1988Florence M. RiceConsumer PartyEugene McCarthy25,109
1988Joan AndrewsRight to Life PartyWilliam A. Marra20,504
1988Helen HalyardSocialist Equality PartyEdward Winn18,693
1988Kathleen MickellsSocialist Workers PartyJames "Mac" Warren15,604
1988Wynonia BurkeNew Alliance PartyLenora Fulani11,888
1988Vikki MurdockPeace and Freedom PartyHerbert G. Lewin10,370
1988Gloria La RivaWorkers World PartyLarry Holmes7,846
1988Alpha Sunde SmabyMinnesota Progressive PartyEugene McCarthy5,403
1988Maureen SmithPeace and Freedom PartyEugene McCarthy243
1988Emma Wong MarPeace and Freedom Party/Ind. SocialistHerbert G. Lewin219
1988Debra FreemanNational Economic Recovery PartyLyndon LaRouche
1988Susan GardnerIndependentEugene McCarthy
1992Nancy LordLibertarian PartyAndre Marrou290,087
1992Maria Elizabeth MuñozNew Alliance PartyLenora Fulani73,714
1992Asiba TupahachePeace and Freedom PartyRonald Daniels27,961
1992Barbara GarsonSocialist PartyJ. Quinn Brisben3,057
1992Willie Mae ReidSocialist Workers PartyJames "Mac" Warren
1992Estelle DeBatesSocialist Workers PartyJames "Mac" Warren
1992Doris FeimerThe American PartyRobert J. Smith292
1992Joann RolandThird PartyEugene Arthur Hem
1996Winona LaDukeGreen PartyRalph Nader596,780
1996Muriel TillinghastGreen PartyRalph Nader75,956
1996Anne GoekeGreen PartyRalph Nader12,135
1996Jo JorgensenLibertarian PartyHarry Browne485,798
1996Kate McClatchyPeace and Freedom PartyMarsha Feinland25,332
1996Rosemary GiumarraIndependentCharles E. Collins8,952
1996Laura GarzaSocialist Workers PartyJames Harris8,476
1996Rachel Bubar KellyProhibition PartyEarl Dodge1,298
1996Connie ChandlerIndependent Party of UtahA. Peter Crane1,101
1996Shirley Jean MastersLooking Back PartyIsabell Masters752
1996Anne NorthropAIDS Cure PartySteve Michael408
2000Winona LaDukeGreen PartyRalph Nader2,883,105
2000Ezola B. FosterReform PartyPat Buchanan449,225
2000Margaret TroweSocialist Workers PartyJames Harris7,378
2000Mary Cal HollisSocialist PartyDavid McReynolds5,602
2000Gloria La RivaWorkers World PartyMonica Moorehead4,795
2000Sabrina R. AllenIndependentCathy Gordon Brown1,606
2004Pat LaMarcheGreen PartyDavid Cobb119,859
2004Janice JordanPeace and Freedom PartyLeonard Peltier27,607
2004Mary Alice HerbertSocialist PartyWalt Brown10,837
2004Margaret TroweSocialist Workers PartyJames Harris7,102
2004Arrin HawkinsSocialist Workers PartyRóger Calero3,689
2004Karen SanchiricoIndependentRalph Nader6,168
2004Jennifer A. RyanChristian Freedom PartyThomas J. Harens2,387
2004Teresa GutierrezWorkers World PartyJohn Parker1,646
2004Marilyn ChambersPersonal Choice PartyCharles Jay946
2004Irene M. DeasyIndependentStanford Andress804
2008Sarah PalinRepublican PartyJohn McCain59,948,323
2008Rosa ClementeGreen PartyCynthia McKinney161,797
2008Alyson KennedySocialist Workers PartyRóger Calero7,197
2008Andrea Marie PsorasVote Here PartyJeffrey H. Boss604
2008Patricia RubackyNew American Independent PartyFrank McEnulty
2012Cheri HonkalaGreen PartyJill Stein469,628
2012Cindy SheehanPeace and Freedom PartyRoseanne Barr67,326
2012Maura DeLucaSocialist Workers PartyJames Harris4,117
2012Virginia AbernethyAmerican Third Position PartyMerlin Miller2,701
2012Phyllis ScherrerSocialist Equality PartyJerry White1,279
2016Mindy FinnIndependentEvan McMullin449,640
2016Angela Nicole WalkerSocialist Party USAMimi Soltysik2,540
2016Hannah WalshUnited States Pacifist PartyBradford Lyttle334
2016Kathleen MonahanIndependentLynn S. Kahn5,610
2020Heather BradfordSocialist ActionJeff MacklerTBC
2020Darlene EliasIndependentDario HunterTBC
2020Noreen Santa CruzSocialist Equality PartyJoseph KishoreTBC
2020Michelle TidballBrithday PartyKanye WestTBC
2020Angela Nicole WalkerGreen Party/Socialist Party USAHowie HawkinsTBC
YearNamePartyRunning mateVotes

Not nominated by party