The election of 1796 differed from the two previous elections in a few ways. First, it was the first election in which political parties played a significant role. The Federalist Party, led by John Adams, and the Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas Jefferson, competed against each other. Second, it was the first election in which the President and Vice President were from different parties. John Adams, a Federalist, became President, while Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican, became Vice President. This was due to the way electoral votes were cast at the time. It was an interesting and significant shift in American politics