1940 Democratic National Convention
The 1940 Democratic National Convention was held at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois from July 15 to July 18, 1940. The convention resulted in the nomination of President Franklin D. Roosevelt for an unprecedented third term. Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace from Iowa was nominated for vice president.
| 1940 presidential election | |
| Nominees Roosevelt and Wallace | |
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | July 15–18, 1940 |
| City | Chicago, Illinois |
| Venue | Chicago Stadium |
| Candidates | |
| Presidential nominee | Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York |
| Vice presidential nominee | Henry A. Wallace of Iowa |
| Voting | |
| Total delegates | 1093 |
| Votes needed for nomination | 547 (majority) |
| Results (president) | Roosevelt (NY): 946 (86.32%) Farley (NY): 72 (6.57%) Garner (TX): 61 (5.57%) Tydings (MD): 9 (0.82%) Cordell Hull (TN): 5 (0.47%) |
| Results (vice president) | Wallace (IA): 626 (59.3%) Bankhead (AL): 329 (31.17%) McNutt (IN): 68 (6.44%) Others: 32.5 (3.07%) |
Despite the unprecedented bid for a third term, Roosevelt was nominated on the first ballot. Roosevelt's most formidable challengers were his former campaign manager James Farley and Vice President John Nance Garner. Both had sought the nomination for the presidency and soundly lost to Roosevelt who would be "drafted" at the convention. Henry Wallace was Roosevelt's preferred choice for the vice presidency. His candidacy was opposed vehemently by some delegates, particularly the conservative wing of the party which had been unenthusiastic about Wallace's liberal positions. Nonetheless, Wallace was ultimately nominated with the votes of 59% of the delegates, on the first ballot.