section_path: Early republic (1783–1789)/First presidential election
section_name: First presidential election
paragraph_text: First presidential election
  
  The delegates to the Convention anticipated a Washington presidency and left it to him to define the office once elected.
  
  The state electors under the Constitution voted for the president on February 4, 1789, and Washington suspected that most Republicans had not voted for him. The mandated March 4 date passed without a Congressional quorum to count the votes, but a quorum was reached on April 5. The votes were tallied the next day, and Washington won the majority of every state's electoral votes. He was informed of his election as president by Congressional Secretary Charles Thomson. John Adams received the next highest number of votes and was elected vice president. Despite feeling "anxious and painful sensations" about leaving Mount Vernon, he departed for New York City on April 16 to be inaugurated.