The U.S. House of Representatives eventually broke the electoral vote tie between Jefferson and Burr. However, it took thirty-six ballots to resolve the controversy. The rules required that the winner receive an electoral margin in nine of the then-existing sixteen states. In the first thirty-five ballots, Jefferson was the winner in eight states—one short of the necessary nine. Finally, on the thirty-sixth ballot, the states of Maryland and Vermont shifted support to Jefferson, which gave him victory in ten states.