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US President - D Convention

RACE DETAILS

Parents

> United States > U.S. Executive

Office

President

Honorific

President - Abbr: President

Type

Democratic Primary Election

Filing Deadline

January 01, 1860 - 12:00pm Central

Polls Open

April 23, 1860 - 06:00am Central

Polls Close

June 23, 1860 - 08:00pm Central

Term Start

March 04, 1861 - 12:00pm

Term End

March 04, 1865 - 12:00pm

Contributor

Thomas Walker

Last Modified

RBH December 07, 2007 02:41am

Data Sources

[Link]
Congressional Quarterly Guide to U. S. Elections
New York Times
Convention Decisions and Voting Records - Bain & Parris
USA Today
[Link]

Most votes received by candidates for party presidential nomination, up to the point where a nominee was determined. Vote totals are rounded up to the next whole number.

Description

The 8th Democratic National Convention was held in two sessions. The first session assembled in the Hall of the South Carolina Institute in Charleston SC. This first session cast 57 ballots for President but was unable to find a candidate who could garner the requisite 67% of the delegate votes. The hangup was that many southern delegates did not vote, and in the eyes of the chair a candidate needed 67% of the potential vote, not of the votes cast. On 5/3/1860, the convention adjourned to meet again in the Front Street Theatre in Baltimore. On the 58th ballot, the vote was Stephen Douglas 173.5, Not Voting (southern delegates) 112.5, and others 17. The convention decided to change the rules so that a candidate only needed 67% of the votes cast to win the nomination. On the last ballot, Douglas received 181.5 votes to 13 for others (with 99.5 not voting). Benjamin Fitzpatrick of GA was chosen for VP on the first ballot; he later withdrew from the race and was replaced by Herschel Johnson.