1840 Democratic National Convention
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1840 presidential election |
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Nominee
Van Buren |
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| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | May 5–6, 1840 |
| City | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Venue | The Assembly Rooms |
| Candidates | |
| Presidential nominee | Martin Van Buren of New York |
| Vice Presidential nominee | None |
The 1840 Democratic National Convention was held in Baltimore. The Democrats nominated President Martin Van Buren for reelection in 1840 in spite of his unpopularity following the Panic of 1837. Vice President Richard M. Johnson was not retained on the ticket, as he was largely seen as a liability in the 1836 election and had focused much of his time as vice president on his own economic affairs. Former President Andrew Jackson backed James K. Polk for the position of vice president, but Van Buren supported his vice president's renomination. The convention ultimately decided not to nominate a running mate for Van Buren. As a result, Van Buren became the only major party presidential nominee since the passage of the 12th Amendment to seek election without a running mate.
Polk and Johnson both received electoral votes for vice president in the general election, but the Whig ticket won the election.
Delegates from 21 of 26 states were in attendance. States not in attendance were Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, South Carolina and Virginia.
The 1840 convention was the first at which the party adopted a platform. Delegates reaffirmed their belief that the Constitution was the primary guide for each state's political affairs. To them, this meant that all roles of the federal government not specifically defined fell to each respective state government, including such responsibilities as debt created by local projects. Decentralized power and state's rights pervaded each and every resolution adopted at the convention including those on slavery, taxes, and the possibility of a central bank.
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