George Washington was unanimously elected the first president of the United States in the 1789 Electoral College vote.
The election followed ratification of the Constitution and was the first national presidential election under the new federal system. Washington received all 69 electoral votes cast, while John Adams received 34 and became vice president because the candidate with the second-highest total held that office under the original rules.
Washington's unanimous result reflected his reputation as commander of the Continental Army and presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention. He had not campaigned in the modern sense and initially preferred retirement at Mount Vernon, but accepted the office as a public responsibility.
The election is often described as the 1788–1789 election because voting began in December 1788 and the Electoral College formally voted on February 4, 1789. Washington took the oath at Federal Hall in New York City on April 30, 1789.