United states presidential nominating convention - wikipedia United states presidential nominating convention The 1876 Democratic National Convention at the Merchants Exchange Building in St. Louis, Missouri. A United States presidential nominating convention is a political convention held every four years in the United States by most of the political parties who will be fielding nominees in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. The formal purpose of such a convention is to select the party 's nominee for President, as well as to adopt a statement of party principles and goals known as the platform and adopt the rules for the party 's activities, including the presidential nominating process for the next election cycle. In the modern U.S. presidential election process, voters participating in the presidential primaries are actually helping to select many of the delegates to these conventions, who then in turn are pledged to help a specific presidential candidate get nominated. Other delegates to these conventions include political party members who are seated automatically, and are called `` unpledged delegates '' because they can choose for themselves for which candidate they vote. Generally, usage of `` presidential campaign nominating convention '' refers to the two major parties ' quadrennial events : the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention. Some minor parties also select their nominees by convention, including the Green Party, the Socialist Party USA, the Libertarian Party, the Constitution Party, and the Reform Party USA. Contents 1 Logistics 1.1 Calendars 1.2 Participation 1.3 Host city 2 Proceedings 2.1 Platform 2.2 Voting 2.3 History : How are Presidential nominating convention delegates selected ? 2.4 Selection Process : Democrats 2.5 Selection Process : Republicans 2.6 Speeches 3 History 3.1 Television coverage 4 Lists of political party conventions 4.1 Significant third - party conventions before 1860 4.2 Major party conventions 4.3 Third - party conventions since 1872 4.3. 1 Prohibition and socialist parties 4.3. 2 Libertarian, Green, and Constitution Parties 5 See also 6 References Logistics Calendars The convention cycle begins with the Call to Convention. Usually issued about 18 months in advance, the Call is an invitation from the national party to the state and territory parties to convene to select a presidential nominee. It also sets out the number of delegates to be awarded to each, as well as the rules for the nomination process. The conventions are usually scheduled for four days of business, with the exception of the 1972 Republican and 2012 Democratic conventions, which were three days each. ( The 2008 and 2012 Republican conventions were also three days each, but in each case was shortened from the scheduled four days due to weather issues ). There is no rule dictating the order of the conventions, but since 1956 the incumbent party has held its convention second. Between 1864 and 1952, the Democrats went second every year ( except for 1888 ). In 1956, when Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower was the incumbent, the Democrats went first, and the party out of power has gone first ever since. ( Between 1936 and 1952, the Democrats were the incumbent party and went second, but it is unclear whether they went second because they held the White House or because they had always gone second. ) Since 1952, all major party conventions have been held in the months of July, August or ( for the first time in 2004 ), early September. ( Election laws in some states would likely prevent conventions from moving into mid-September ). Between the middle of the 20th century and 2004, the two major party conventions were primarily scheduled about one month apart, often with the Summer Olympics in between so they did not have to compete for viewers. In 1996, both were held in August to accommodate the Atlanta Olympics in July, the last Summer Olympics to date to be played in the U.S. In 2000, both conventions preceded the Sydney Olympics in late September. In 2008 and 2012, the Democratic and Republican conventions were moved to back - to - back weeks following the conclusion of the Olympics. One reason for these late conventions had to do with campaign finance laws, which allow the candidates to spend an unlimited amount of money before the convention, but forbid fundraising after the convention, in order for the parties to receive federal campaign funds. However, if Barack Obama 's choice not to receive federal campaign funds for the 2008 general election is repeated in future elections, this reason for the late scheduling of conventions will no longer be valid. Another reason for the lateness of the conventions is due to the primary calendar, which ends in early June, and the political party 's desire to turn the convention into a four - day tightly scripted political rally for their nominee, which just happens to have a roll call vote for President. This includes such logistics as where each delegation sits on the convention floor, the order of speeches, how the nominee wants to present him or herself, and allows time for any negotiations in regards to the running mate. Finally, the parties also did not want to schedule their conventions around the Olympics. One reason why the Democratic Party held its 2008 convention after the two - week - long Beijing Olympics was, according to them, to `` maximize momentum for our Democratic ticket in the final months of the Presidential election ''. But moving the conventions later into early September led to conflicts with the National Football League 's season kickoff game, which opens the season on the first Thursday of September. However, the NFL accommodated the conventions and moved its games to an earlier start time in 2008, and an earlier date in 2012. In 2016, both the Republican and Democratic conventions moved to July, before the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August. One reason why the Republican Party wanted a July convention was to help avoid a drawn - out primary battle similar to what happened in 2012 that left the party fractured heading into the general election. The Democrats then followed suit so they could provide a quicker response to the Republicans, rather than wait for more than two weeks until after the Olympics are over. Participation The 2008 Green Party National Convention held in Chicago. Various third parties also hold their own national conventions. Each party sets its own rules for the participation and format of the convention. Broadly speaking, each U.S. state and territory party is apportioned a select number of voting representatives, individually known as delegates and collectively as the delegation. Each party uses its own formula for determining the size of each delegation, factoring in such considerations as population, proportion of that state 's Congressional representatives or state government officials who are members of the party, and the state 's voting patterns in previous presidential elections. The selection of individual delegates and their alternates, too, is governed by the bylaws of each state party, or in some cases by state law. The 2004 Democratic National Convention counted 4,353 delegates and 611 alternates. The 2004 Republican National Convention had 2,509 delegates and 2,344 alternates. But these individuals are dwarfed by other attendees who do not participate in the formal business of the convention. These include non-delegate party officials and activists, invited guests and companions, and international observers, not to mention numerous members of the news media, volunteers, protesters, and local business proprietors and promoters hoping to capitalize on the quadrennial event. Host city The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans was the site of the 1988 Republican National Convention, which nominated George H.W. Bush for president. In recent decades, the two major parties have held their conventions at sports stadiums and arenas. The convention is typically held in a major city selected by the national party organization 18 -- 24 months before the election is to be held. As the two major conventions have grown into large, publicized affairs with significant economic impact, cities today compete vigorously to be awarded host responsibilities, citing their meeting venues, lodging facilities, and entertainment as well as offering economic incentives. The location of early conventions was dictated by the difficulty of transporting delegates from far - flung parts of the country ; early Democratic and Whig Conventions were frequently held in the central Eastern Seaboard port of Baltimore, Maryland. As the U.S. expanded westward and railroads connected cities, Midwestern cities such as Chicago, Illinois -- which since 1860 has held 25 Republican and Democratic Conventions combined, more than any other urban center in the USA -- became the favored hosts. In the present day, political symbolism affects the selection of the host city as much as economic or logistical ones do. A particular city might be selected to enhance the standing of a favorite son, or in an effort to curry favor with residents of that state. For example, in 2011, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina noted : `` We put the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in part because we believe so deeply in '' a `` New South map. '' Likewise, New York City was selected as the host of the 2004 Republican National Convention to evoke memories of George W. Bush 's leadership in the September 11 attacks. The conventions have historically been held inside convention centers, but in recent decades the two major parties have favored sports arenas and stadiums to accommodate the increasing capacity, the former because indoor arenas are usually off - season outside of WNBA sites, allowing plenty of time for preparation ( the major political parties have avoided baseball stadiums ever since the 1992 Republican National Convention at the Houston Astrodome forced the Houston Astros to play 26 consecutive road games ). Bids for the 2008 Republican National Convention, for example, were required to have a facility with a seating capacity of at least 20,500 people, including a convention floor of about 5,500 delegates and alternates ; the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota was eventually selected. Meanwhile, approximately 84,000 people attended the last day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention at Denver 's Invesco Field at Mile High. The last day of the 2012 Democratic Convention was originally also scheduled for an outdoor football stadium, but was moved indoors due to weather concerns. The last non-sporting venue to host the Democratic National Convention was San Francisco 's Moscone Center in 1984. In 1996, the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego became the last non-sporting venue to host the Republican National Convention. Proceedings Roll call of states during the 2008 Democratic National Convention at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The floor of the 2008 Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. During the day, party activists hold meetings and rallies, and work on the platform. Voting and important convention - wide addresses usually take place in the evening hours. In recent conventions, routine business such as examining the credentials of delegations, ratifying rules and procedures, election of convention officers, and adoption of the platform usually take up the business of the first two days of the convention. Balloting was usually held on the third day, with the nomination and acceptance made on the last day, but even some of these traditions have fallen away in 21st century conventions. The only constant is that the convention ends with the nominee 's acceptance speech. Platform Each convention produces a statement of principles known as its platform, containing goals and proposals known as planks. Relatively little of a party platform is even proposed as public policy. Much of the language is generic, while other sections are narrowly written to appeal to factions or interest groups within the party. Unlike electoral manifestos in many European countries, the platform is not binding on either the party or the candidate. Because it is ideological rather than pragmatic, however, the platform is sometimes itself politicized. For example, defenders of abortion rights lobbied heavily to remove the Human Life Amendment plank from the 1996 Republican National Convention platform, a move fiercely resisted by conservatives despite the fact that no such amendment had ever come up for debate. Voting Since the 1970s, voting has for the most part been perfunctory ; the selection of the major parties ' nominees have rarely been in doubt, so a single ballot has always been sufficient. Each delegation announces its vote tallies, usually accompanied with some boosterism of their state or territory. The delegation may pass, nominally to retally their delegates ' preferences, but often to allow a different delegation to give the leading candidate the honor of casting the majority - making vote. Before the presidential nomination season actually begins, there is often speculation about whether a single front runner would emerge. If there is no single candidate receiving a majority of delegates at the end of the primary season, a scenario called a brokered convention would result, where a candidate would be selected either at or near the convention, through political horse - trading and lesser candidates compelling their delegates to vote for one of the front runners. The best example was the 1924 Democratic Convention, which took 103 ballots. The situation is more likely to occur in the Democratic Party, because of its proportional representation system, but such a scenario has been the subject of speculation with regard to most contested nominations of both parties without actually coming to pass in recent years. It is a common scenario in fiction, most recently in an episode of The West Wing. The closest to a brokered convention in recent years was at the 1976 Republican National Convention, when neither Gerald Ford nor Ronald Reagan received enough votes in the primary to lock up the nomination. Since then, candidates have received enough momentum to reach a majority through pledged and bound delegates before the date of the convention. More recently, a customary practice has been for the losing candidates in the primary season to release their delegates and exhort them to vote for the winning nominee as a sign of party unity. Thus, the vote tallied on the floor is unanimous or nearly so. Some delegates may nevertheless choose to vote for their candidate. And in 2008 both happened : Hillary Clinton received over 1,000 votes before she herself moved to nominate Barack Obama by acclamation, officially making it a unanimous vote. The voting method at the conventions is a `` roll call of the states '' -- which include territories such as Washington D.C., American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and a catch - all `` delegates abroad '' category. The states are called in alphabetical order ( Alabama is first ; Wyoming is last ). The state 's spokesperson ( who generally begins his or her speech with glowing comments about the state 's history, geography, and notable party elected officials ) can either choose to announce its delegate count or pass. Once all states have either declared or passed, those states which passed are called upon again to announce their delegate count. ( Generally, a decision is made beforehand that some states will pass in the first round, in order to allow a particular state -- generally either the presidential or vice presidential nominee 's home state -- to be the one whose delegate count pushes the candidate `` over the top '', thus securing the nomination. ) Vice Presidential voting has been problematic since the beginning, as the delegates generally do n't really want to deal with it, and it provides for mischief, as was the case in 1972 's Democratic Convention where the vote was scattered between 50 `` candidates '' and 1976 Republican convention, where the vote was also scattered widely. In 1988, both parties decided to have the designated candidate nominated by `` suspending the rules '' and declaring him or her nominated by `` acclamation. '' The last Vice Presidential roll call vote was at the 1984 Republican convention. If, after the first round of voting, there is no candidate with a majority of votes, subsequent roll calls are held. In between, `` back room deals '' can be made between candidates, swapping delegates for positions in the administration or other favors, or candidates can release their delegates to vote for whoever they personally prefer. Roll calls continue until one candidate has a majority. The record is held by the 1924 Democratic National Convention where divisions within the party concerning Prohibition led to 102 ballots between Alfred E. Smith and William G. McAdoo before the relatively unknown John W. Davis was chosen as a compromise candidate on the 103rd ballot. History : how are presidential nominating convention delegates selected ? Every year of a Presidential election, the United States ' Political parties have national conventions that result in Presidential candidates. However, candidates are not chosen by the public, but by selected Delegates from each state. Including delegates in the nomination process began after the Presidential election year of 1968, when there was widespread dissatisfaction of the presidential nominating process. The chances of candidates from major parties winning majority of the electoral votes was threatened by 3rd and 4th party movements, which resulted in the reformation of the presidential election process. The George Wallace faction was partly responsible for this shift in the political climate. Selecting delegates served as the country 's way of ensuring that non-major parties would n't be able to dominate an election. Selection process : Democrats Each party and state has their own process to selecting delegates Generally speaking, delegates of both major parties usually pledge their votes to a specific candidate, and those who are associated with the Democratic party and are unpledged are considered super delegates. These super delegates may include Governors who identify with the party, members of Congress, as well as members of the Democratic National Committee. Super Delegates are n't pledged to a particular candidate, and can vote for who they please. Any registered democrat is able to run to be a delegate, and wins are based off the congressional votes. Once Democrats chose their delegates, they distribute delegates to each candidate evenly, the number of delegates a candidate can receive is based off the number of congressional district votes they get ( must be at least 15 % ). Selection process : Republicans Rule 14 of the Republican party 's national rules determines the size of delegates for each state, territory, or political subdivision. Delegate selection for the Republican party must take place prior to March 1st or after the 2nd Saturday in June in the year that the convention is held. The republican party uses a `` Proportional Allocation '' rule, which states that delegates should be based on the statewide votes or the number of congressional district votes in proportion to the number of votes received by each candidate. Also, each state must advocate to have an equal number of men and women in its delegation. Delegates / Alternate Delegates for the Republican party National convention may be selected or bound by only one of the following : Primary election Republican State Committee State and Congressional district conventions Any method that stays consistent with the rules by which they were selected Speeches First Lady Pat Nixon speaking at the 1972 Republican National Convention. She was the first Republican First Lady to do what is now considered common practice. Michelle Obama speaking at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Minor figures in the party are given the opportunity to address the floor of the convention during the daytime, when only the small audiences of C - SPAN and other cable television outlets are watching. The evening 's speeches - designed for broadcast to a large national audience -- are reserved for major speeches by notable, respected public figures ; the speakers at the 2004 Democratic convention included Ted Kennedy, a forty - year veteran of the United States Senate, and Jimmy Carter, a former Democratic President, while at the Republican convention speakers included Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Governor George Pataki of New York, two of the largest states in the nation. The organizers of the convention may designate one of these speeches as the keynote address, one which above all others is stated to underscore the convention 's themes or political goals. For instance, the 1992 Democratic National Convention keynote address was delivered by Georgia Governor Zell Miller, whose stories of an impoverished childhood echoed the economic themes of the nominee, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. The 1996 Republican National Convention was keynoted by U.S. Representative Susan Molinari of New York, intended to reassure political moderates about the centrism of the nominee, former Senator Bob Dole. And the 2004 Democratic National Convention featured Senator Barack Obama, whose speech brought the future President national recognition for the first time. Uniquely, Miller, by then a Senator, would also be the keynote speaker at the 2004 Republican convention, despite still maintaining his Democratic registration. The final day of the convention usually features the formal acceptance speeches from the nominees for President and Vice President. Despite recent controversy maintaining that recent conventions were scripted from beginning to end, and that very little news ( if any ) comes out of the convention, the acceptance speech has always been televised by the networks, because it receives the highest ratings of the convention. In addition, the halls of the convention are packed at this time, with many party loyalists sneaking in. Afterwards, balloons are usually dropped and the delegates celebrate the nomination. History Barack Obama and Joe Biden appear together at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Primary foes Ronald Reagan ( left ) and Gerald Ford ( right ) shake hands during the 1976 Republican National Convention, the last major party convention whose outcome was in doubt. In the early 19th century, members of Congress met within their party caucuses to select their party 's nominee. Conflicts between the interests of the Eastern Congressional class and citizens in newer Western states led to the hotly contested 1824 election, in which factions of the Democratic - Republican Party rejected the caucus nominee, William H. Crawford of Georgia, and backed John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson ( all of whom carried more states than Crawford in the election ) instead. In 1831 the Anti-Masonic Party convened in Baltimore, Maryland to select a single presidential candidate agreeable to the whole party leadership in the 1832 presidential election. The National Republican and Democratic Parties soon followed suit. Conventions were often heated affairs, playing a vital role in deciding each party 's nominee. The process remained far from democratic or transparent, however. The party convention was a scene of intrigue among political bosses, who appointed and otherwise controlled nearly all of the delegates. Winning a nomination involved intensive negotiations and multiple votes ; the 1924 Democratic National Convention required a record 103 ballots to nominate John W. Davis. The term `` dark horse candidate '' was coined at the 1844 Democratic National Convention, at which little - known Tennessee politician James K. Polk emerged as the candidate after the failure of the leading candidates -- former President Martin Van Buren and Senator Lewis Cass -- to secure the necessary two - thirds majority. A few, mostly Western, states adopted primary elections in the late 19th century and during the Progressive Era, but the catalyst for their widespread adoption came during the election of 1968. The Vietnam War energized a large number of supporters of anti-war Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota, but they had no say in the matter. Vice President Hubert Humphrey -- associated with the unpopular administration of Lyndon B. Johnson -- did not compete in a single primary, yet controlled enough delegates to secure the Democratic nomination. This proved one of several factors behind rioting which broke out at the Democratic convention in Chicago. Media images of the event -- angry mobs facing down police -- damaged the image of the Democratic Party, which appointed a commission headed by South Dakota Senator George McGovern to select a new, less controversial method of choosing nominees. The McGovern -- Fraser Commission settled on the primary election, adopted by the Democratic National Committee in 1968. The Republicans adopted the primary as their preferred method in 1972. Henceforth, candidates would be given convention delegates based on their performance in primaries, and these delegates were bound to vote for their candidate. As a result, the major party presidential nominating convention has lost almost all of its old drama. The last attempt to release delegates from their candidates came at the 1980 Democratic National Convention, when Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts sought votes of delegates held by incumbent President Jimmy Carter. The last major party convention whose outcome was in doubt was the 1976 Republican National Convention, when former California Governor Ronald Reagan nearly won the nomination away from the incumbent President, Gerald Ford. Television coverage While rank and file members had no input in early nominations, they were still drawn by the aura of mystery surrounding the convention, and networks began to broadcast speeches and debates to the general public. NBC affiliate W2XBS in New York City made the first telecast of a national party convention, of the 1940 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the other two of the Big Three television networks soon followed. As NBC News anchorman John Chancellor stated just before the start of the 1972 Democratic National Convention, `` convention coverage is the most important thing we do. The conventions are not just political theater, but really serious stuff, and that 's why all the networks have an obligation to give gavel - to - gavel coverage. It 's a time when we all ought to be doing our duty ''. With the rise of the direct primary, and in particular with states moving earlier and earlier in the primary calendar since the 1988 election, the nominee has often secured a commanding majority of delegates far in advance of the convention. As such, the convention has become little more than a coronation, a carefully staged campaign event designed to draw public attention and favor to the nominee, with particular attention to television coverage. For instance, speeches by noted and popular party figures are scheduled for the coveted prime time hours, when most people would be watching. News anchor Ted Koppel ( pictured in 2002 ), who midway through the 1996 Republican National Convention told viewers that he was going home because it has become `` more of an infomercial than a news event ''. As the drama has left the conventions, and complaints grown that they were scripted and dull pep rallies, viewership -- and television network advertising revenue -- have fallen off. Midway through the 1996 Republican National Convention, Nightline host Ted Koppel told viewers he was going back home, saying : There was a time when the national political conventions were news events of such complexity that they required the presence of thousands of journalists... But not this year... This convention is more of an infomercial than a news event. Thus in subsequent election years, the broadcast networks began increasingly limiting their coverage, arguing that those interested can watch the proceedings on a cable news network such as CNN, MSNBC, or the Fox News Channel. In 2004, the big three networks started devoting only three hours of live coverage to each political convention, although there were highlights of speeches during the networks ' morning and evening newscasts. However, many journalists still believe that the public should be exposed to political conventions. PBS, of note, continues to provide full prime - time coverage of the political conventions, although it breaks away from minor speakers and mundane business for analysis and discussion. C - SPAN broadcasts both major conventions in their entirety, and the parties stream their conventions on the internet. The presence of journalists at presidential nominating conventions have increased with the television networks. In 1976, the Democratic Convention consisted of 3,381 delegates and 11,500 reporters, broadcasters, editors and camera operators. This is on par with the increase in the number of televisions in American 's homes. In 1960, 87 percent of people had a television, compared to 98 percent by 1976. By the 1992 conventions, network coverage increased from three networks ( NBC, ABC and CBS ) to five networks ( NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and PBS ). At the 1996 Republican National Convention there were approximately seven journalists per one delegate, or about 15,000 journalists. The increase of the media at these conventions originally led to a growth in the public 's interest in elections. Voter turnout in the primaries increased from less than five million voters in 1948 to around thirteen million in 1952. By broadcasting the conventions on the television, people were more connected to the suspense and the decisions being made, therefore making them more politically aware, and more educated voters. When scholars studied the 1976 conventions they determined that by watching nomination conventions, even viewers that were not previously very politically active developed a much stronger interest in the election process and the candidate. Lists of political party conventions Significant third - party conventions before 1860 Elec - tion Party City Year Presidential nominee Notes 1832 Anti-Masonic Baltimore 1831 William Wirt usually considered the first U.S. political party nominating convention 1840 Liberty Albany 1840 James G. Birney first U.S. anti-slavery political party 1844 Liberty Buffalo 1843 James G. Birney 1848 Free Soil Utica & Buffalo 1848 Martin Van Buren united Liberty Party supporters with anti-slavery Democrats and Whigs 1852 Free Soil Pittsburgh 1852 John P. Hale Most Free - Soilers joined the Republican Party after its foundation in 1854. 1856 American Philadelphia 1856 Millard Fillmore The anti-immigrant American ( or Know Nothing ) Party endorsed Fillmore in February 1856, followed by the Whigs in September. Major party conventions Main articles : List of Democratic National Conventions, List of Republican National Conventions, and List of Whig National Conventions The two right - hand columns show nominations by notable conventions not shown elsewhere. Some of the nominees ( e.g. the Whigs before 1860 and Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 ) received very large votes, while others who received less than 1 % of the total national popular vote are listed to show historical continuity or transition. Many important candidates are not shown here because they were never endorsed by a national party convention ( e.g. William Henry Harrison in 1836, George C. Wallace in 1968, John B. Anderson in 1980 and Ross Perot in 1992 ). Note that there is no organizational continuity between the American Parties of 1856 and 1972, the Union Parties of 1860, 1864, 1888 and 1936, or the Progressive Parties of 1912 - 16, 1924 and 1948 - 52... Presidential winner in bold. `` Middle of the Road '' faction of the People 's Party, who opposed fusing with the Democrats after 1896. Elec - tion Democratic convention Democratic nominee Republican convention Republican nominee Other conventions Other nominees 1832 Baltimore Andrew Jackson Baltimore ( National Republican, 1831 ) Henry Clay 1836 Baltimore ( 1835 ) Martin Van Buren 1840 Baltimore Martin Van Buren Harrisburg, Penna. ( Whig, 1839 ) William Henry Harrison 1844 Baltimore James K. Polk Baltimore ( Whig ) Henry Clay 1848 Baltimore Lewis Cass Baltimore ( Whig ) Zachary Taylor 1852 Baltimore Franklin Pierce Baltimore ( Whig ) Winfield Scott 1856 Cincinnati James Buchanan Philadelphia John C. Frémont Baltimore ( Whig ) Millard Fillmore 1860 Charleston & Baltimore Stephen A. Douglas ( Official ) ; John C. Breckinridge ( Southern ) Chicago Abraham Lincoln Baltimore ( Constitutional Union ) John Bell 1864 Chicago George B. McClellan Baltimore ( National Union ) Abraham Lincoln Cleveland ( Radical Democracy ) John C. Frémont -- withdrew 1868 New York City Horatio Seymour Chicago Ulysses S. Grant 1872 Baltimore Horace Greeley Philadelphia Ulysses S. Grant Cincinnati ( Liberal Republican ) Horace Greeley 1876 St. Louis Samuel J. Tilden Cincinnati Rutherford B. Hayes Indianapolis ( Greenback ) Peter Cooper 1880 Cincinnati Winfield S. Hancock Chicago James A. Garfield Chicago ( Greenback ) James B. Weaver 1884 Chicago Grover Cleveland Chicago James G. Blaine Indianapolis ( Greenback ) Benjamin F. Butler 1888 St. Louis Grover Cleveland Chicago Benjamin Harrison Cincinnati ( Union Labor ) Alson Streeter 1892 Chicago Grover Cleveland Minneapolis Benjamin Harrison Omaha ( People 's ) James B. Weaver 1896 Chicago William Jennings Bryan St. Louis William McKinley St. Louis ( People 's ) William Jennings Bryan 1900 Kansas City William Jennings Bryan Philadelphia William McKinley Cincinnati ( People 's ) Wharton Barker 1904 St. Louis Alton B. Parker Chicago Theodore Roosevelt Indianapolis ( People 's ) Thomas E. Watson 1908 Denver William Jennings Bryan Chicago William Howard Taft Chicago ( Independence ) Thomas L. Hisgen 1912 Baltimore Woodrow Wilson Chicago William Howard Taft Chicago ( Progressive ) Theodore Roosevelt 1916 St. Louis Woodrow Wilson Chicago Charles Evans Hughes Chicago ( Progressive ) Theodore Roosevelt -- declined 1920 San Francisco James M. Cox Chicago Warren G. Harding Chicago ( Farmer - Labor ) Parley P. Christensen 1924 New York City John W. Davis Cleveland Calvin Coolidge Cincinnati ( Progressive ) Robert La Follette 1928 Houston Al Smith Kansas City Herbert Hoover Chicago ( Farmer - Labor ) Frank E. Webb 1932 Chicago Franklin Roosevelt Chicago Herbert Hoover Omaha ( Farmer - Labor ) Jacob S. Coxey, Sr. 1936 Philadelphia Franklin Roosevelt Cleveland Alf Landon Cleveland ( Union ) William Lemke 1940 Chicago Franklin Roosevelt Philadelphia Wendell Willkie 1944 Chicago Franklin Roosevelt Chicago Thomas E. Dewey 1948 Philadelphia Harry S. Truman Philadelphia Thomas E. Dewey Philadelphia ( Progressive ) ; Birmingham ( States ' Rights Democratic ) Henry A. Wallace ( Prog. ) ; Strom Thurmond ( States ' Rights ) 1952 Chicago Adlai Stevenson II Chicago Dwight Eisenhower Chicago ( Progressive ) Vincent Hallinan 1956 Chicago Adlai Stevenson II San Francisco Dwight Eisenhower Richmond ( States ' Rights ) T. Coleman Andrews 1960 Los Angeles John F. Kennedy Chicago Richard Nixon Dayton ( National States ' Rights ) Orval Faubus 1964 Atlantic City Lyndon B. Johnson San Francisco Barry Goldwater 1968 Chicago Hubert Humphrey Miami Beach Richard Nixon 1972 Miami Beach George McGovern Miami Beach Richard Nixon Louisville ( American ) John G. Schmitz 1976 New York City Jimmy Carter Kansas City Gerald Ford 1980 New York City Jimmy Carter Detroit Ronald Reagan Cleveland ( Citizens ) Barry Commoner 1984 San Francisco Walter Mondale Dallas Ronald Reagan Saint Paul ( Citizens ) Sonia Johnson 1988 Atlanta Michael Dukakis New Orleans George H.W. Bush 1992 New York City Bill Clinton Houston George H.W. Bush Chicago Bill Clinton San Diego Bob Dole Long Beach & Valley Forge ( Reform ) Ross Perot 2000 Los Angeles Al Gore Philadelphia George W. Bush Long Beach ( Reform ) Pat Buchanan Boston John Kerry New York City George W. Bush 2008 Denver Barack Obama Saint Paul John McCain 2012 Charlotte Barack Obama Tampa Mitt Romney 2016 Philadelphia Hillary Clinton Cleveland Donald Trump Third - party conventions since 1872 For American Party ( or American Independent Party ) conventions since 1968, see American Party ( 1969 ). For Communist Party and Workers ' Party conventions, see National conventions of the Communist Party USA. Prohibition and Socialist parties The Prohibition Party was organized in 1869. The Socialist Party of America ( 1901 -- 1972 ) resulted from a merger of the Social Democratic Party ( founded 1898 ) with dissenting members of the Socialist Labor Party ( founded 1876 ). The Socialist Party of America stopped running its own candidates for President after 1956, but a minority of SPA members who disagreed with this policy broke away in 1973 to form the Socialist Party USA ( SPUSA ). ¶ Note that the years refer to the relevant presidential election and not necessarily to the date of a convention making a nomination for that election. Some nominating conventions meet in the year before an election. Elec - tion Prohibition Party convention Prohibition Party nominee Socialist Labor Party convention Socialist Labor Party nominee Social Democratic or Socialist Party convention Social Democratic or Socialist Party nominee 1872 Columbus, Ohio James Black 1876 Cleveland Green Clay Smith 1880 Cleveland Neal Dow 1884 Pittsburgh John St. John 1888 Indianapolis Clinton B. Fisk 1892 Cincinnati John Bidwell New York City Simon Wing 1896 Pittsburgh Joshua Levering New York City Charles Matchett 1900 Chicago John G. Woolley New York City Joseph F. Malloney Indianapolis ( SDP ) Eugene V. Debs 1904 Indianapolis Silas C. Swallow New York City Charles H. Corregan Chicago ( SPA ) Eugene V. Debs 1908 Columbus Eugene W. Chafin New York City August Gillhaus Chicago ( SPA ) Eugene V. Debs 1912 Atlantic City Eugene W. Chafin New York City Arthur E. Reimer Indianapolis ( SPA ) Eugene V. Debs 1916 St. Paul J. Frank Hanly New York City Arthur E. Reimer ( mail ballot ) 1920 Lincoln, Nebraska Aaron Watkins New York City William Wesley Cox New York City ( SPA ) Eugene V. Debs 1924 Columbus Herman P. Faris New York City Frank T. Johns Cleveland ( SPA ) Robert La Follette, Sr. ( Progressive ) 1928 Chicago William F. Varney New York City Verne L. Reynolds New York City ( SPA ) Norman Thomas 1932 Indianapolis William D. Upshaw New York City Verne L. Reynolds Milwaukee ( SPA ) Norman Thomas 1936 Niagara Falls, New York D. Leigh Colvin New York City John W. Aiken Cleveland ( SPA ) Norman Thomas 1940 Chicago Roger W. Babson New York City John W. Aiken Washington, D.C. ( SPA ) Norman Thomas 1944 Indianapolis Claude A. Watson New York City Edward A. Teichert Reading ( SPA ) Norman Thomas 1948 Winona Lake, Indiana Claude A. Watson New York City Edward A. Teichert Reading ( SPA ) Norman Thomas 1952 Indianapolis Stuart Hamblen New York City Eric Hass Cleveland ( SPA ) Darlington Hoopes 1956 Milford, Indiana Enoch A. Holtwick New York City Eric Hass Chicago ( SPA ) Darlington Hoopes 1960 Winona Lake Rutherford Decker New York City Eric Hass 1964 Chicago E. Harold Munn New York City Eric Hass 1968 Detroit E. Harold Munn Brooklyn Henning A. Blomen 1972 Wichita, Kansas E. Harold Munn Detroit Louis Fisher 1976 Wheat Ridge, Colorado Benjamin C. Bubar Southfield, Michigan Jules Levin Milwaukee ( SPUSA ) Frank P. Zeidler 1980 Birmingham Benjamin C. Bubar Milwaukee ( SPUSA ) David McReynolds 1984 Mandan, North Dakota Earl Dodge Milwaukee ( SPUSA ) Sonia Johnson ( Citizens ' ) 1988 Springfield, Illinois Earl Dodge Milwaukee ( SPUSA ) Willa Kenoyer 1992 Minneapolis Earl Dodge Chicago ( SPUSA ) J. Quinn Brisben Denver Earl Dodge Cambridge ( SPUSA ) Mary Cal Hollis 2000 Bird - in - Hand, Pennsylvania Earl Dodge Milwaukee ( SPUSA ) David McReynolds Fairfield Glade, Tennessee Gene Amondson Chicago ( SPUSA ) Walt Brown 2008 Indianapolis Gene Amondson St. Louis ( SPUSA ) Brian Moore 2012 Cullman, Alabama Jack Fellure Los Angeles ( SPUSA ) Stewart Alexander 2016 Conference Call James Hedges Milwaukee ( SPUSA ) Mimi Soltysik Libertarian, Green, and Constitution parties Further information : Libertarian National Convention, Green National Convention, and Constitution Party National Convention In 1999, the United States Taxpayers ' Party changed its name to the Constitution Party. The individual article about a Libertarian convention after 1980 or a Green Party convention after 1996 is linked to its respective city in the table below. Cities linked for Constitution and U.S. Taxpayers ' Party conventions lead to individual sections of Constitution Party National Convention. Elec - tion Libertarian Party convention Libertarian Party nominee Green Party convention Green Party nomineee U.S. Taxpayers ' or Constitution Party convention U.S. Taxpayers ' or Constitution Party nominee 1972 Denver John Hospers 1976 New York Roger MacBride 1980 Los Angeles Ed Clark 1984 New York ( 1983 ) David Bergland 1988 Seattle ( 1987 ) Ron Paul 1992 Chicago ( 1991 ) André Marrou New Orleans ( USTP ) Howard Phillips Washington, D.C. Harry Browne Los Angeles Ralph Nader San Diego ( USTP ) Howard Phillips 2000 Anaheim Harry Browne Denver Ralph Nader St. Louis ( Const. 1999 ) Howard Phillips Atlanta Michael Badnarik Milwaukee David Cobb Valley Forge, Pa. ( Const. ) Michael Peroutka 2008 Denver Bob Barr Chicago Cynthia McKinney Kansas City ( Const. ) Chuck Baldwin 2012 Las Vegas Gary Johnson Baltimore Jill Stein Nashville ( Const. ) Virgil Goode 2016 Orlando Gary Johnson Houston Jill Stein Salt Lake City ( Const. ) Darrell Castle See also National conventions of the Communist Party USA References Note Jump up ^ Presidential Campaign Finance Jump up ^ `` Week In Review : National Organizing Kickoff a Great Success ''. democrats.org. November 2005. Archived from the original on March 10, 2008. Retrieved 2007 - 12 - 28. External link in publisher = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` NFL season opener yields to McCain speech ''. Reuters. March 26, 2008. Jump up ^ Jaffe, Alexandra ( January 23, 2015 ). `` Democratic National Convention date set ''. CNN.com. Retrieved August 25, 2015. Jump up ^ Evan McMorris - Santoro ( November 29, 2011 ). `` Team Obama Likes Its Chances : AZ, VA, NC Could Go Democrat In 2012 ( VIDEO ) ''. Talking Points Memo. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 06. Jump up ^ Dena Bunis. `` News : Anaheim asked to make bid for Republican convention - OCRegister.com ''. Ocregister.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2009. Jump up ^ Lloyd, Robert ( August 29, 2008 ). `` Barack Obama, Al Gore raise the roof at Invesco Field ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 31. Jump up ^ Robert Moran on Election 2004 on National Review Online Jump up ^ Frum, David ( 2012 - 02 - 20 ). `` GOP 's worst nightmare -- a contested convention ''. CNN.com. Retrieved 2015 - 06 - 30. ( 2012 Republicans ) Jump up ^ Garber, Kent ( 2008 - 02 - 08 ). `` Obama, Clinton Head Toward Contested Convention ''. USNews.com. Retrieved 2015 - 06 - 30. ( 2008 Democrats ) Jump up ^ Blankley, Tony ( 2007 - 12 - 19 ). `` None of the Above : GOP Heading to a Brokered Convention ''. Real Clear Politics. Retrieved 2005 - 06 - 30. ( 2008 Republicans ) Jump up ^ Orin, Deborah ( 2004 - 01 - 22 ). `` Dems May Be In for Brokered Convention ''. New York Post. Retrieved 2015 - 06 - 30. ( 2004 Democrats ) Jump up ^ Rusher, William ( 1996 - 03 - 01 ). `` A fun idea : Brokered convention ''. Rome News - Tribune. p. 4. Retrieved 2015 - 06 - 30. ( 1996 Republicans ) Jump up ^ Wicker, Tom ( 1991 - 09 - 03 ). `` Snakeskins and Democrats ''. Lakeland Ledger. p. 7A. Retrieved 2015 - 06 - 30. ( 1992 Democrats ) Jump up ^ `` Democrats worrying about a brokered convention ''. The Spokesman - Review. Spokane, Wash. Associated Press. 1988 - 03 - 17. p. A6. Retrieved 2015 - 06 - 30. ( 1988 Democrats ) Jump up ^ Greenfield, Jeff ( 1984 - 05 - 18 ). `` Brokered convention : Is it possible ? ''. The Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 16. Part 1. Retrieved 2015 - 06 - 30. ( 1984 Democrats ) Jump up ^ `` REPUBLICANS : Ford Is Close, but Watch Those Trojan Horses ''. Time. August 2, 1976. Retrieved 2010 - 05 - 27. Jump up ^ `` Constitutional Safeguards in the Selection of Delegates to Presidential Nominating Conventions ''. The Yale Law Journal. 78 ( 7 ) : 1228 -- 1252. 1969. doi : 10.2307 / 795003. ^ Jump up to : `` Who gets to be a Delegate at the Presidential Nominating Conventions ? ''. Jump up ^ `` Republican National Convention '', Wikipedia, 2018 - 09 - 30, retrieved 2018 - 10 - 25 ^ Jump up to : https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/media/documents/2016-Republican-Rules-Reformatted2018_1533138132.pdf Jump up ^ Paletz & Elson ( 1976 ). `` Television Coverage of Presidential Conventions : Now You See It, Now You Do n't ''. Political Science Quarterly. 91 ( 1 ) : 109 -- 131. doi : 10.2307 / 2149161. ^ Jump up to : Bennet, James ( 15 August 1996 ). `` ' Nightline ' Pulls the Plug on Convention Coverage ''. New York Times. Retrieved 2010 - 05 - 27. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) ^ Jump up to : Trent & Friedenberg ( 2004 ). Political Campaign Communication Principles & Practices. Lanham, MD : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Jump up ^ Kraus, Sidney ( 1979 ). The Great Debates. Indiana University Press. Jump up ^ Trent & Friedenberg ( 2004 ). Political Campaign Communication Principles and Practices. Lanham, MD : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Jump up ^ Valley, David ( 1974 ). `` Significant Characteristics of Democratic Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speeches ''. Central States Speech Journal. 25. Jump up ^ Kraus, Sidney ( 1979 ). The Great Debate. Indiana University Press. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( February 2009 ) Bibliography National Party Conventions eGuide, The Campaign Finance Institute, ( 2 ) Chase, James S. Emergence of the Presidential Nominating Convention, 1789 -- 1832 ( Houghton Mifflin : 1973 ). Congressional Research Service. Presidential Elections in the United States : A Primer. ( Washington, Congressional Research Service, April 17, 2000 ). History House : Conventional Wisdom Kull, Irving S. and Nell M., An Encyclopedia of American History in Chronological Order, enlarged and updated by Samuel H. Friedelbaum ( Popular Library, New York, 1961 ) Morris, Richard B., Encyclopedia of American History, revised and enlarged edition ( Harper & Row, New York and Evanston, Ill., 1961 ) Online NewsHour : Interview with Historian Michael Beschloss on the origins of the convention process Republican National Convention 2004 : Convention History Taylor, Tim, The Book of Presidents ( Arno Press, New York, 1972 ; ISBN 0 - 405 - 00226 - 2 ) National political parties in the United States List of political parties in the United States Major parties Democratic Republican Third parties Larger Constitution Green Libertarian Smaller African People 's Socialist All - African People 's Revolutionary America 's American ( 1969 ) American Delta American Freedom American Party of Labor American Populist American Reform American Solidarity Black Riders Liberation Christian Liberty Citizens Communist Freedom Road Socialist Freedom Socialist Humane Independent American Justice Legal Marijuana Now Marijuana Modern Whig National Socialist Movement New Afrikan Black Panther New Black Panther Objectivist Pacifist Peace and Freedom Pirate Progressive Labor Prohibition Reform Revolutionary Communist Socialism and Liberation Socialist ( 1973 ) Socialist Action Socialist Alternative Socialist Equality Socialist Workers Unity Veterans Working Families Workers World World Socialist Former parties America First American ( Know Nothing ) American ( 1924 ) American Falangist American Nazi American Vegetarian Americans Elect Anti-Masonic Black Panther Boston Tea Citizens Commonwealth Land Constitution ( 1952 ) Constitutional Union Democratic - Republican Farmer -- Labor Federalist Free Soil Gold Democrats Greenback Independence ( 2007 ) Labor ( 1919 ) Labor ( 1996 ) Liberal Republican Liberty National Republican National Socialist National States ' Rights National Union ( 1864 ) Natural Law New Alliance New Union Nullifier Opposition Populist ( People 's ) Personal Choice Progressive ( 1912 ) Progressive ( 1924 ) Progressive ( 1948 ) Radical Democracy Raza Unida Readjuster Silver Silver Republican Socialist ( 1901 ) Socialist Labor States Rights ( Dixiecrat ) Traditionalist Worker Unconditional Union Union ( 1936 ) Unionist ( 1850s / 60s ) U.S. Labor Whig Youth International Recognized as a major national party by the FEC Not recognized as a major national party by the FEC State and local political parties ( without national body ) Presidential nominating conventions Politics of the United States Politics portal United States presidential elections Elections by year 1788 -- 89 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 2000 2008 2012 2016 2020 Elections by state Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Primaries and caucuses Iowa caucuses New Hampshire primary South Carolina primary Super Tuesday Nominating conventions Brokered convention Convention bounce Superdelegate Electoral College and Popular vote Results Summary Elections in which the winner lost the popular vote Electoral College margins Electoral College results by state Electoral vote changes between elections Electoral vote recipients Popular vote margins Contingent election Faithless elector Unpledged elector Voter turnout Related topics Campaign slogans Historical election polling Election Day Major party tickets Major party losers Presidential debates October surprise Red states and blue states Swing state Election recount House elections Senate elections Gubernatorial elections Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_presidential_nominating_convention&oldid=866521197 '' Categories : United States presidential nominating conventions Political party assemblies United States presidential primaries Hidden categories : CS1 errors : external links Use mdy dates from September 2012 Articles needing additional references from February 2009 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Dansk Deutsch Español فارسی Italiano Suomi Svenska 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 30 October 2018, at 21 : 04 ( UTC ). 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Question: when did national conventions begin in american politics
Answer: 1831