Has a US presidential candidate ever died before the Electoral College vote?

For a US president, the period between the election and the swearing-in of a new president and Congress is a significant phase known as the Lame Duck session. This period, often marked by minimal political will to push through new initiatives, is further influenced by the holidays, leading many leaders in Washington to return home to their districts in mid-December. As the 2024 election approaches, one question that might be of interest to voters is: has a president ever died before being inaugurated?

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The answer is no, but there is one case that nearly makes the mark.

No presidential candidate has ever won the election and died before being inaugurated in US history. However, there’s one election that almost defied this norm. In the 1840 election, William Henry Harrison, a member of the Whig party, was able to secure victory but died a month after his inauguration, having caught pneumonia during the event.

Harrison was replaced by his vice president, John Tyler, who was a supporter of slavery. President Tyler, who was sworn in shortly after Harrison’s death, kept many of the cabinet that had been appointed less than a month prior. Tyler believed that his act of goodwill would keep the cabinet happy and that fewer questions would be asked about his taking over from Harrison following his untimely death. Though he attempted to make a run as a Democrat, his former party would not accept him back into their ranks as their nominee, and he was forced to step aside.