Connecticut voted for the Democratic nominee, Samuel J. Tilden, over the Republican nominee, Rutherford B. Hayes. Tilden won the state by a narrow margin of 2.37%. It was the first time since 1852 that a Democratic presidential candidate won Connecticut. Likewise, this was the first election in which a Republican presidential candidate won without Connecticut.
To date, this is the most recent presidential election in which the Democratic nominee carried the town of Hartland.