 The presidential veto power was first exercised on 5 April 1792 when President George Washington vetoed a bill outlining a new apportionment formula.Apportionment described how Congress divides seats in the House of Representatives among the states based on the US census figures.President Washington's stated reasons for vetoing the bill were (1) that it did not apportion representatives according to states' relative populations and (2) that it gave eight states more than 1 representative per 30,000 residents, in violation of the Constitution.