An independent presidential recordUpdated November 11, 2026
POTUSRECORDThe office changes.
The record remains.

READER BALLOT No. 002 / THE ECONOMY / OPEN WORLDWIDE

Best president for the economy?
Pick one, then see the record.

Eight presidents since 1977. Vote first, then compare readers’ picks in America and around the world with how the official growth numbers rank each term.

READER BALLOT No. 002 OPEN WORLDWIDE

Best president for the economy?
Pick one.

Eight presidents since 1977. One vote. Then see how readers picked — and how the official numbers rank them.

Every president has a side. Add your ballot — and your country.

POTUS RECORD compares twelve completed four-year terms, 1977–2024, on growth, prices, jobs, household income and federal debt from official U.S. data. Trump’s current term is still in progress, so this ballot counts his first term.

Unscientific reader poll: results reflect readers who chose to answer, not the U.S. public. One ballot per reader. We keep the two answers, the country and U.S. state Netlify reports and a one-way code made from the connection — no city, names, emails or raw IP addresses.

POTUS RECORDNo. 002Reader ballot · opened November 11, 2026

The count is open. Be among the first ballots.

Fill one oval in each question.

1 / 2Which president since 1977 was best for the U.S. economy?
2 / 2What matters most when you judge a president’s economy?

Opens after question 1.

Where ballots come fromU.S. readers · one tile per state

The ballot is open in all 50 states and D.C.

01 / THE RECORD, FOR REFERENCE

Real GDP growth, twelve completed terms.

  1. 1Clinton II1997–2000+4.4%
  2. 2Reagan II1985–1988+3.8%
  3. 3Biden2021–2024+3.6%
  4. 4Clinton I1993–1996+3.3%
  5. 5Carter1977–1980+3.2%
  6. 6Reagan I1981–1984+3.1%
  7. 7Obama II2013–2016+2.4%
  8. 8G. W. Bush I2001–2004+2.3%
  9. 9G. H. W. Bush1989–1992+2.2%
  10. 10G. W. Bush II2005–2008+2.1%
  11. 11Trump I2017–2020+1.5%
  12. 12Obama I2009–2012+1.0%

Annualized real GDP growth over each four-year window, BEA data via FRED, September 30, 2026 edition. Growth is one measure; prices, jobs, income and debt can rank the same presidents differently. Full GDP comparison

02 / TRY IT BLIND

Would you pick the same president without the name?

You Decide shows all twelve terms with the names hidden. Choose on the numbers alone, then reveal who it was.

Compare the twelve terms without names

03 / HOW THIS POLL WORKS

One ballot per reader, counted in the open.

Anyone, anywhere can vote once. Results appear after you vote and split into U.S. readers and the rest of the world. Trump’s current term is still in progress, so this ballot counts his first term.

This is an unscientific reader poll: it reflects the readers who chose to answer. We keep the two answers, the country and U.S. state reported by our host, and a one-way code that stops repeat ballots — no names, emails or raw IP addresses.

All reader ballots