Samuel Jones Tilden (February 9, 1814 – August 4, 1886) is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency in the disputed election of 1876, one of the most controversial American elections of the 19th century.

He is the 25th Governor of New York.

A political reformer, he is a Bourbon Democrat who works closely with the New York City business community, leads the fight against the corruption of Tammany Hall, and fights to keep taxes low.

Tilden is the first candidate for the Presidency of the United States not to be elected despite receiving an absolute majority of the votes (however, it is worth noting that many blacks in the South were prevented from voting, and had they been allowed to vote Tilden might not have won a popular vote majority or even plurality).