Democratic National Convention - Revision history

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{{About||the most recent convention|2020 Democratic National Convention}}
{{short description|Series of presidential nominating conventions of the United States Democratic Party}}
[[File:Hillary Clinton Speech at Democratic National Convention (July 28, 2016).jpg|alt=A view looking downward at a raised blue stage. A woman in white pantsuit stands behind a podium (and clear safety shields) facing a crowd of supporters holding American flags, "Hillary" signs, etc. |thumb|350x350px|Democratic National Convention, in 2016, where Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first female presidential nominee of a major party in the United States]]
The '''Democratic National Convention''' ('''DNC''') is a series of [[U.S. presidential nominating convention|presidential nominating conventions]] held every four years since 1832 by the [[United States Democratic Party]].<ref>Exceptions are the 1835 national convention, which occurred 3 years after the 1832 national convention, and the 1840 national convention, which occurred 5 years after the 1835 national convention.</ref> They have been administered by the [[Democratic National Committee]] since the 1852 national convention. The primary goal of the Democratic National Convention is to officially nominate a candidate for [[President of the United States|president]] and [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]], adopt a comprehensive [[political platform|party platform]] and unify the party. Pledged [[Delegate (American politics)|delegate]]s from all fifty [[U.S. state]]s and from American dependencies and territories such as [[Puerto Rico]] and the [[Virgin Islands]], and [[superdelegates]] which are unpledged delegates representing the Democratic establishment, attend the convention and cast their votes to choose the Party's presidential candidate. Like the [[Republican National Convention]], the Democratic National Convention marks the formal end of the [[primary election]] period and the start of the [[general election]] season. In 2020, both major parties, and many minor parties, replaced their usual in-person conventions with virtual programs due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].

==Delegations==
The party's presidential nominee is chosen primarily by pledged delegates, which are in turn selected through a series of individual [[United States presidential primary|state caucuses and primary elections]]. Pledged delegates are classified into three categories:<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="CRSReport2015">{{cite web |first=Kevin J.|last=Coleman |title=Report No. R42533, The Presidential Nominating Process and the National Party Conventions, 2016: Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42533.pdf |publisher=Congressional Research Service |date=December 30, 2015 |access-date=February 12, 2020}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>
* '''At-large''' pledged delegates are allocated and elected at the statewide level.<ref name="CRSReport2015"/>
* '''District''' pledged delegates are allocated and elected at a district level, usually the congressional district, but sometimes by state or territory legislative district.<ref name="CRSReport2015"/>
* '''Add-on''' or '''PLEO''' pledged delegates, which allow for representation by '''p'''arty '''l'''eaders and '''e'''lected '''o'''fficials within the state.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="CRSReport2015"/>

Unpledged [[superdelegates]], delegates whose votes are not bound to the outcome of a state's caucus or primary, only vote in the event of a [[Contested_convention|contested nomination]].<ref name="SuperdelegateOverhaul"/> These superdelegates may also be called unpledged PLEO ('''p'''arty '''l'''eaders and '''e'''lected '''o'''fficials) delegates.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="CRSReport2015"/>

The size of delegations to the Democratic National Convention, for each state, territory, or other political subdivision, are described in the party's quadrennial ''Call for the Democratic National Convention''.<ref name="2020Call">{{cite web | url=https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2020-Call-for-Convention-WITH-Attachments-2.26.19.pdf | title=Call for the 2020 Democratic National Convention | publisher=Democratic National Committee |access-date=September 20, 2019}}</ref>

===Pledged delegate allocation===
====Allocation formula for the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.====
Since 2012, the number of pledged delegates allocated to each of the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. is based on two main factors: (1) the proportion of votes each state gave to the Democratic candidate in the last three presidential elections, and (2) the number of electoral votes each state has in the [[United States Electoral College|Electoral College]].<ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates">{{cite web|url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/D-Alloc.phtml|title=Democratic Detailed Delegate Allocation – 2012 |work=The Green Papers |access-date=January 5, 2015 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202082421/http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/D-Alloc.phtml |archive-date=February 2, 2012}}</ref><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020">{{cite web|url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P20/D-Alloc.phtml |title=The Math Behind the Democratic Delegate Allocation – 2020 |work=The Green Papers |access-date=March 5, 2019}}</ref>

The calculations for the [[2020 Democratic National Convention|2020 convention]] basically consist of the following three steps:<ref name="2020Call" />

'''Step 1''': The following formula is first used to determine each jurisdiction's ''allocation factor'':<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>

<math>\text{Allocation factor} = {1 \over 2} \times \left ( {\text{SDV}_{\text{2008}} + \text{SDV}_{\text{2012}} + \text{SDV}_{\text{2016}} \over \text{TDV}_{\text{2008}} + \text{TDV}_{\text{2012}} + \text{TDV}_{\text{2016}}} + {\text{SEV} \over 538} \right )</math>

where
: '''SDV''' = The state's Democratic vote in the indicated presidential election
: '''TDV''' = The nationwide total Democratic vote in the indicated presidential election
: '''SEV''' = The state's electoral votes

'''Step 2''': The ''base delegation'' for each state and the District of Columbia is then determined by multiplying its ''allocation factor'' by 3,200 (rounded to the nearest integer):<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>

<math>\text{Base delegation} = \text{Allocation factor} \times 3200</math>

'''Step 3''': Finally, the jurisdiction's ''base delegation'' is used to calculate the number of its District, At-Large, and pledged PLEO (''party leaders and elected officials'' who are not [[superdelegates]]) delegates (fractions 0.5 and above are rounded to the next highest integer):<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>

<math>\text{At-large delegates} = \text{Base delegation} \times 0.25</math>

<math>\text{District delegates} = \text{Base delegation} - \text{At-large delegates}</math>

<math>\text{Pledged PLEO delegates} = \text{Base delegation} \times 0.15</math>

====Allocations to other jurisdictions====
Jurisdictions without electoral votes are instead given a fixed amount of pledged delegates. In 2020, [[American Samoa]], [[Guam]], [[Northern Mariana Islands]], and the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]] each get six at-large delegates. [[Democrats Abroad]] gets 12 at-large and one pledged PLEO.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>

[[Puerto Rico]] is assigned 44 base votes in 2020, then the same formulas used in Step 3 above for U.S. states are used to calculate the territory's at-large, district, and PLEO pledged delegates:<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>

<math>\text{At-large delegates}_{\text{PR2020}} = 44 \times 0.25 = 11</math>

<math>\text{District delegates}_{\text{PR2020}} = 44 - \text{At-large delegates}_{\text{PR2020}} = 44 - 11 = 33</math>

<math>\text{Pledged PLEO delegates}_{\text{PR2020}} = 44 \times 0.15 = 6.6 \to 7</math>

====Bonus delegates====
The Democratic Party awards bonus pledged delegates to each jurisdiction based on two factors: timing and clustering. The timing criteria is based on when the state holds its primaries/caucuses, with those states scheduling their contests in May and June getting the higher bonus. For clustering, three or more neighboring states must concurrently begin on the same date.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>

The bonus awarded is then a percentage increase in the jurisdiction's delegation (rounded to the nearest integer). A fourth of the bonus delegates are then designated as District, and the other three-fourths become At-Large.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>

The bonuses are:<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>
* '''Timing Stage 1 (before April)''': ''No bonus''
* '''Timing Stage 2 (April)''': 10 percent increase
* '''Cluster''': 15 percent increase
* '''Both Timing Stage 2 and Cluster''': 25 percent increase
* '''Timing Stage 3 (May and June)''': 20 percent increase
* '''Both Timing Stage 3 and Cluster''': 35 percent increase

====Awarding delegates to the candidates====
Based on the results of each of the primaries and caucuses, pledged delegates are awarded to the candidates under [[proportional representation]], where candidates who get 15 percent or more of the popular vote in a state divide its delegates in proportion to its votes (those who get under 15 percent of the votes in a state do not get any of its delegates). District delegates are proportionally allocated based on the popular vote in each of their respective districts, and both at-large and pledged PLEO delegates are proportionally allocated based on the statewide vote.<ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>

===Superdelegates===
{{main|Superdelegate}}

A ''superdelegate'' is an unpledged delegate to the Democratic National Convention who is seated automatically and chooses for themselves for whom they vote. These superdelegates include elected officials, and party activists and officials. They make up slightly under 15 percent of all convention delegates.<ref name="WhoAre">Drew DeSilver, [http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/05/05/who-are-the-democratic-superdelegates/ Who are the Democratic superdelegates?], [[Pew Research Center]] (May 5, 2016).</ref>

Superdelegates fall into four categories:<ref name="greenpapersDEMDelegates2020"/>
* Elected members of the Democratic National Committee
* Democratic Governors, including territorial governors and the [[Mayor of the District of Columbia]]
* Democratic Members of Congress, [[Shadow congressperson#District of Columbia shadow senators|District of Columbia shadow senators]] and [[Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives|non-voting House members]].
* Distinguished party leaders (consisting of current and former Presidents, Vice Presidents, congressional leaders, and DNC chairs)

Democratic superdelegates are free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination. On August 25, 2018, the Democratic National Committee agreed to reduce the influence of superdelegates by generally preventing them from voting on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention, allowing their votes only in a [[Contested_convention|contested nomination]].<ref name="SuperdelegateOverhaul">{{cite news |last=Herndon |first=Astead W. |date=August 25, 2018 |title=Democrats Overhaul Controversial Superdelegate System |newspaper=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/25/us/politics/superdelegates-democrats-dnc.html |access-date=August 26, 2018}}</ref>

==Presidential candidate nomination==

From 1832 to 1936, any nomination for president or vice-president was required to have a majority of two-thirds of the total number of delegates. Unless there was a popular incumbent, something that only happened three times between the Civil War and World War II, getting that many votes on the first ballot was virtually impossible.<ref>Herbert Eaton, ''Presidential timber: A history of nominating conventions, 1868-1960'' (1964).</ref>

This resulted in often contentious debate that riled the passions of party leaders, with delegates being forced to vote for a nominee until someone could receive the minimum number of delegates required. This situation occurred at the conventions of [[1852 Democratic National Convention|1852]], [[1856 Democratic National Convention|1856]], [[1868 Democratic National Convention|1868]], [[1912 Democratic National Convention|1912]], [[1920 Democratic National Convention|1920]] and most notoriously, [[1924 Democratic National Convention|1924]], where the voting went for at least a dozen ballots.

In [[1860 Democratic National Convention|1860]], the convention deadlocked after 57 ballots, during which 50 Southern delegates walked out; subsequently, second and third conventions nominated separate Northern and Southern tickets.

Backroom deals by party bosses were normal and often resulted in compromise nominees that became known as [[dark horse]] candidates, people who never imagined they would run for president until the last moments of the convention. Dark horse candidates were chosen in order to break deadlocks between more popular and powerful prospective nominees that blocked each other from gaining enough delegates to be nominated.

One of the most famous dark horse candidates nominated at a Democratic National Convention was [[James K. Polk]], who was chosen to become the candidate for president only after being added to the eighth and ninth delegate ballot.

The rules were changed to a simple majority in 1936. Since then, only one multi-ballot convention (in the [[1952 Democratic National Convention|1952]]) has taken place.

==Vice-presidential candidate nomination==

Before 1972, the party's choice of the vice-presidential nominee was usually not known until the last evening of the convention. This was because the presidential nominee had little to do with the process, and in many cases was not known at the start of the convention.

In 1944 and 1956, the nominee let the convention choose the running mate without any recommendation, which led to two ballots of voting being required in each case.

From 1972 to 1980, the party's choice of the vice-presidential nominee became known on the first evening of the convention, but this led to scattering of votes in order to sabotage the nominee's chances, which turned the voting in 1972 and 1980 into a farce:
* In 1972, a record 79 candidates (a number of whom were highly unlikely or joke candidates) received at least one vote, and the only ballot was not completed until 1:40 a.m.
* In 1980, over 20% of the delegates walked out of the convention before the vice-presidential voting after [[Ted Kennedy]] lost the presidential nomination to incumbent [[Jimmy Carter]], while 36 candidates received at least one vote, and the only ballot required several roll calls to complete.

To prevent any repeat of the events of 1972 and 1980, the presumptive nominee has, since 1984, announced their choice before the convention even opened, and they have been ratified by acclamation.

==History==
[[File:1876 Democratic National Convention - Missouri (cropped).jpg|thumb|350px|alt=Black-and-white drawing of a vast assembly hall, viewed from the back of a left-side gallery. Far below (barely discernible) other delegates are gathered around the grand stage to our left. Closer, we see the backs of many men in long coats, most standing in excitement, holding or waving their top hats and bowlers.|Illustration of the [[1876 Democratic National Convention]] in [[St. Louis, Missouri]] ]]
By 1824, the [[congressional nominating caucus]] had fallen into disrepute and collapsed as a method of nominating presidential and vice presidential candidates. A national convention idea had been brought up, but nothing occurred until the next decade: tate conventions and [[state legislature (United States)|state legislatures]] emerged as the nomination apparatus until they were supplanted by the national convention method of nominating candidates.

President [[Andrew Jackson]]'s "[[Kitchen Cabinet]]" privately carried out the plan for the first Democratic National Convention: the public call for the first national convention emanated from Jackson's supporters in [[New Hampshire]] in 1831.

The first national convention of the Democratic Party began in [[Baltimore]] on May 21, [[1832 Democratic National Convention|1832]]. In that year the rule was created, requiring a two-thirds vote to nominate a candidate: [[Martin Van Buren]] was nominated for vice president on the first ballot.

Although this rule was waived in the 1836 and 1840 conventions - when Van Buren was nominated for election by acclamation - in 1844, it was revived by opponents of former President Van Buren, who had the support of a majority (but not two-thirds) of the delegates, in order to prevent him from receiving the nomination after his 1840 defeat.

The rule then remained in place until 1936, when the renomination of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] by acclamation allowed it finally to be put to rest.

On seven occasions, this rule led to Conventions which dragged on for over a dozen ballots.

The most infamous examples of this were in [[1860 Democratic National Conventions|1860 at Charleston]], when the convention deadlocked after 57 ballots: the delegates adjourned, and reconvened in separate Northern and Southern groups six weeks later, and in [[1924 Democratic National Convention|1924]], where "Wets" and "Drys" deadlocked between the frontrunners, [[Alfred E. Smith]] and [[William G. McAdoo]], for 102 ballots over 16 days before finally agreeing on [[John W. Davis]] as a compromise candidate on the 103rd ballot.

Also, in [[1912 Democratic National Convention|1912]], [[Champ Clark]] received a majority of the votes, but did not subsequently go on to achieve a two-thirds vote and the nomination ([[Woodrow Wilson]] won the nomination on the 46th ballot), the only time this happened.

Since 1932, only one convention (in [[1952 Democratic National Convention|1952]]) has required multiple ballots.

While the rule was in force, it virtually assured that no candidate without support from the South could be nominated. The elimination of the two-thirds rule made it possible for liberal Northern Democrats to gain greater influence in party affairs, leading to the disenfranchisement of Southern Democrats, and defection of many of the latter to the Republican Party, especially during the Civil Rights struggles of the 1960s.

[[William Jennings Bryan]] delivered his "[[Cross of Gold]]" speech at the [[1896 Democratic National Convention|1896 convention]], while the most historically notable and tumultuous convention in recent memory was the [[1968 Democratic National Convention]] in [[Chicago, Illinois]], which was fraught with highly emotional battles between conventioneers and [[Vietnam War]] protesters and an outburst by Chicago mayor [[Richard J. Daley]]. Other confrontations between various groups, such as the [[Yippies]] and members of the [[Students for a Democratic Society (1960 organization)|Students for a Democratic Society]], and the Chicago police in city parks, streets and hotels marred this convention.

Following the 1968 convention, in which many reformers had been disappointed that Vice President [[Hubert Humphrey]], despite not having competed in a single primary, easily won the nomination over Senators [[Eugene McCarthy]] and [[George McGovern]] (who was announced after the assassination of another candidate, Senator [[Robert F. Kennedy]]), a commission headed by Senator McGovern reformed the Democratic Party's nominating process to increase the power of primaries in choosing delegates in order to increase the democracy of the process.

Not entirely coincidentally, McGovern himself won the nomination in 1972. The [[1972 Democratic National Convention|1972 convention]] was significant in that the new rules put into place as a result of the [[McGovern commission]] also opened the door for quotas mandating that certain percentages of delegates be women or members of minority groups, and subjects that were previously deemed not fit for political debate, such as [[abortion]] and [[lesbian and gay rights]], now occupied the forefront of political discussion.

The nature of Democratic (and [[Republican National Convention|Republican]]) conventions has changed considerably since 1972. Every four years, the nominees are essentially selected earlier and earlier in the year, so the conventions now officially ratify the nominees instead of choose them (even the close race of [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008|2008]], which was not decided until early June, did not change the modern function of the convention).

The [[1980 Democratic National Convention|1980 convention]] was the last convention for the Democrats that was seriously contested (when [[Ted Kennedy]] forced a failed vote to free delegates from their commitment to vote for [[Jimmy Carter]]). The [[1976 Democratic National Convention|1976 convention]] was the last where the vice-presidential nominee was announced during the convention, after the presidential nominee was chosen (Carter chose [[Walter Mondale]]).

After the disorganized conventions of 1968 and 1972, the parties realized it was in their interests to show a unified party to the nation during the convention, and to try to eliminate any dissent. And as the conventions became less interesting, and [[Nielsen ratings|television ratings]] have generally declined (as they have on average for all television shows),<ref>{{cite news | last = Wolgamott | first = L. Kent | title = Mass audiences aren't very mass anymore |date=November 6, 2005 |url = http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/11/06/sunday_am/doc4367f68466ce4751333244.txt |work=[[Lincoln Journal Star]] |access-date=May 11, 2008}}</ref> and the networks have cut back their coverage significantly, which in turn has forced the parties to manage what is televised even more closely.

Prior to the [[2020 Democratic National Convention|2020 convention]] in Milwaukee (which due to [[COVID-19]] was moved from the larger [[Fiserv Forum]] to the smaller [[Wisconsin Center]]), the [[1984 Democratic National Convention|1984 convention]] at the [[Moscone Center]] in [[San Francisco]] was the last Democratic Convention to be held in a convention center complex; all the intervening years saw their conventions held in sports arenas.

==See also==
*[[List of Democratic National Conventions]]
*[[History of the United States Democratic Party]]
*[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]
*[[Republican National Convention]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
===Bibliography===
* Arterton, F. Christopher. ''Media politics: The news strategies of presidential campaigns'' (Free Press, 1984).
* Becker, Carl. "The Unit Rule in National Nominating Conventions." ''American Historical Review'' 5.1 (1899): 64-82. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1832960.pdf online]
* Binkley, Wilfred E. ''American political parties: their natural history'' (1962) [https://archive.org/details/americanpolitica0000bink online]
* Carleton, William G. "The revolution in the presidential nominating convention." 'Political Science Quarterly'' 72.2 (1957): 224-240. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2145774 online]
* Chase, James S. ''Emergence of the Presidential Nominating Convention, 1789–1832'' (Houghton Mifflin: 1973).
* Chester, Edward W ''A guide to political platforms'' (1977) pp 127–135 [https://archive.org/details/guidetopolitical0000ches online]
* [[Congressional Research Service]]. [https://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30527.pdf ''Presidential Elections in the United States: A Primer.''] (Washington, Congressional Research Service, 2000).
* Costain, Anne N. "An analysis of voting in american national nominating conventions, 1940-1976." ''American Politics Quarterly'' 6.1 (1978): 95-120.
* Davis, James W. ''National conventions in an age of party reform'' (Greenwood, 1983).
* Eaton, Herbert. ''Presidential timber: A history of nominating conventions, 1868-1960'' (1964) [https://archive.org/details/presidentialtimb00eato online].
* Greenfield, Jeff. "The Convention Speeches that Changed America" [https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/08/14/conventions-history-394912 ''Politico'' Aug 15, 2020 online]
* Key, Jr., V.O. ''Politics, Parties, and Pressure Groups'' (4th ed. 1958) pp 414–470. [https://ia801604.us.archive.org/6/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.14705/2015.14705.Politics-Parties-And-Pressure-Groups_text.pdf online]
* Miles, Edwin A. "The keynote speech at national nominating conventions." ''Quarterly journal of Speech'' 46.1 (1960): 26-31.
* Morison, Samuel E. "The First National Nominating Convention, 1808." ''American Historical Review'' 17.4 (1912): 744-763. on 1808 Federalists [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1832458.pdf online]
* Nichols, Roy F. "It Happens Every Four Years," ''American Heritage'' (June 1956) 7#4 pp 20-33.
* Pfau, Michael William. "Conventions of Deliberation? Convention Addresses and Deliberative Containment in the Second Party System' ''Rhetoric and Public Affairs'' 9#4 (2006), pp. 635-654 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/41940105 online]
* Sautter, R. Craig, and Edward M. Burke. ''Inside the Wigwam: Chicago Presidential Conventions, 1860-1996'' (Loyola Press, 1996).
* Silver, Adam. "Consensus and Conflict: A Content Analysis of American Party Platforms, 1840–1896." ''Social Science History'' 42.3 (2018): 441-467 [https://muse.jhu.edu/article/702295/summary online].

==External links==
* {{official}}
{{Commons category|Democratic National Convention}}
* [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/platforms.php The American Presidency Project], contains the text of the national platforms that were adopted by the conventions (1840–2004)

{{Democratic National Convention}}
{{U.S. presidential primaries}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Democratic National Conventions| ]]
[[Category:Quadrennial events]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:15, 12 August 2021
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	{{About\|\|the most recent convention\|2020 Democratic National Convention}}		{{About\|\|the most recent convention\|2020 Democratic National Convention}}
	{{short description\|Series of presidential nominating conventions of the United States Democratic Party}}		{{short description\|Series of presidential nominating conventions of the United States Democratic Party}}
	[[File:Hillary Clinton Speech at Democratic National Convention (July 28, 2016).jpg\|alt=A view looking downward at a raised blue stage. A woman in white pantsuit stands behind a podium (and clear safety shields) facing a crowd of supporters holding American flags, "Hillary" signs, etc. \|thumb\|350x350px\|Democratic National Convention, in 2016, where Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first female presidential nominee of a major party in the United States]]		[[File:Hillary Clinton Speech at Democratic National Convention (July 28, 2016).jpg\|alt=A view looking downward at a raised blue stage. A woman in white pantsuit stands behind a podium (and clear safety shields) facing a crowd of supporters holding American flags, "Hillary" signs, etc.\|thumb\|350x350px\|Democratic National Convention, in 2016, where Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first female presidential nominee of a major party in the United States]]
	The '''Democratic National Convention''' ('''DNC''') is a series of [[U.S. presidential nominating convention\|presidential nominating conventions]] held every four years since 1832 by the [[United States Democratic Party]].<ref>Exceptions are the 1835 national convention, which occurred 3 years after the 1832 national convention, and the 1840 national convention, which occurred 5 years after the 1835 national convention.</ref> They have been administered by the [[Democratic National Committee]] since the 1852 national convention. The primary goal of the Democratic National Convention is to officially nominate a candidate for [[President of the United States\|president]] and [[Vice President of the United States\|vice president]], adopt a comprehensive [[political platform\|party platform]] and unify the party. Pledged [[Delegate (American politics)\|delegate]]s from all fifty [[U.S. state]]s and from American dependencies and territories such as [[Puerto Rico]] and the [[Virgin Islands]], and [[superdelegates]] which are unpledged delegates representing the Democratic establishment, attend the convention and cast their votes to choose the Party's presidential candidate. Like the [[Republican National Convention]], the Democratic National Convention marks the formal end of the [[primary election]] period and the start of the [[general election]] season. In 2020, both major parties, and many minor parties, replaced their usual in-person conventions with virtual programs due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].		The '''Democratic National Convention''' ('''DNC''') is a series of [[U.S. presidential nominating convention\|presidential nominating conventions]] held every four years since 1832 by the [[United States Democratic Party]].<ref>Exceptions are the 1835 national convention, which occurred 3 years after the 1832 national convention, and the 1840 national convention, which occurred 5 years after the 1835 national convention.</ref> They have been administered by the [[Democratic National Committee]] since the 1852 national convention. The primary goal of the Democratic National Convention is to officially nominate a candidate for [[President of the United States\|president]] and [[Vice President of the United States\|vice president]], adopt a comprehensive [[political platform\|party platform]] and unify the party. Pledged [[Delegate (American politics)\|delegate]]s from all fifty [[U.S. state]]s and from American dependencies and territories such as [[Puerto Rico]] and the [[Virgin Islands]], and [[superdelegates]] which are unpledged delegates representing the Democratic establishment, attend the convention and cast their votes to choose the Party's presidential candidate. Like the [[Republican National Convention]], the Democratic National Convention marks the formal end of the [[primary election]] period and the start of the [[general election]] season. In 2020, both major parties, and many minor parties, replaced their usual in-person conventions with virtual programs due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].

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	* '''Add-on''' or '''PLEO''' pledged delegates, which allow for representation by '''p'''arty '''l'''eaders and '''e'''lected '''o'''fficials within the state.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="CRSReport2015"/>		* '''Add-on''' or '''PLEO''' pledged delegates, which allow for representation by '''p'''arty '''l'''eaders and '''e'''lected '''o'''fficials within the state.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="CRSReport2015"/>

	Unpledged [[superdelegates]], delegates whose votes are not bound to the outcome of a state's caucus or primary, only vote in the event of a [[~~Contested_convention~~\|contested nomination]].<ref name="SuperdelegateOverhaul"/> These superdelegates may also be called unpledged PLEO ('''p'''arty '''l'''eaders and '''e'''lected '''o'''fficials) delegates.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="CRSReport2015"/>		Unpledged [[superdelegates]], delegates whose votes are not bound to the outcome of a state's caucus or primary, only vote in the event of a [[Contested convention\|contested nomination]].<ref name="SuperdelegateOverhaul"/> These superdelegates may also be called unpledged PLEO ('''p'''arty '''l'''eaders and '''e'''lected '''o'''fficials) delegates.<ref name="2020Call"/><ref name="CRSReport2015"/>

	The size of delegations to the Democratic National Convention, for each state, territory, or other political subdivision, are described in the party's quadrennial ''Call for the Democratic National Convention''.<ref name="2020Call">{{cite web \| url=https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2020-Call-for-Convention-WITH-Attachments-2.26.19.pdf \| title=Call for the 2020 Democratic National Convention \| publisher=Democratic National Committee \|access-date=September 20, 2019}}</ref>		The size of delegations to the Democratic National Convention, for each state, territory, or other political subdivision, are described in the party's quadrennial ''Call for the Democratic National Convention''.<ref name="2020Call">{{cite web \| url=https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2020-Call-for-Convention-WITH-Attachments-2.26.19.pdf \| title=Call for the 2020 Democratic National Convention \| publisher=Democratic National Committee \|access-date=September 20, 2019}}</ref>
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	* Distinguished party leaders (consisting of current and former Presidents, Vice Presidents, congressional leaders, and DNC chairs)		* Distinguished party leaders (consisting of current and former Presidents, Vice Presidents, congressional leaders, and DNC chairs)

	Democratic superdelegates are free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination. On August 25, 2018, the Democratic National Committee agreed to reduce the influence of superdelegates by generally preventing them from voting on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention, allowing their votes only in a [[~~Contested_convention~~\|contested nomination]].<ref name="SuperdelegateOverhaul">{{cite news \|last=Herndon \|first=Astead W. \|date=August 25, 2018 \|title=Democrats Overhaul Controversial Superdelegate System \|newspaper=New York Times \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/25/us/politics/superdelegates-democrats-dnc.html \|access-date=August 26, 2018}}</ref>		Democratic superdelegates are free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination. On August 25, 2018, the Democratic National Committee agreed to reduce the influence of superdelegates by generally preventing them from voting on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention, allowing their votes only in a [[Contested convention\|contested nomination]].<ref name="SuperdelegateOverhaul">{{cite news \|last=Herndon \|first=Astead W. \|date=August 25, 2018 \|title=Democrats Overhaul Controversial Superdelegate System \|newspaper=New York Times \|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/25/us/politics/superdelegates-democrats-dnc.html \|access-date=August 26, 2018}}</ref>

	==Presidential candidate nomination==		==Presidential candidate nomination==
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	From 1972 to 1980, the party's choice of the vice-presidential nominee became known on the first evening of the convention, but this led to scattering of votes in order to sabotage the nominee's chances, which turned the voting in 1972 and 1980 into a farce:		From 1972 to 1980, the party's choice of the vice-presidential nominee became known on the first evening of the convention, but this led to scattering of votes in order to sabotage the nominee's chances, which turned the voting in 1972 and 1980 into a farce:
	* In 1972, a record 79 candidates (a number of whom were highly unlikely or joke candidates) received at least one vote, and the only ballot was not completed until 1:40 a.m.		* In 1972, a record 79 candidates (a number of whom were highly unlikely or joke candidates) received at least one vote, and the only ballot was not completed until 1:40 a.m.
	* In 1980, over 20% of the delegates walked out of the convention before the vice-presidential voting after [[Ted Kennedy]] lost the presidential nomination to incumbent [[Jimmy Carter]], while 36 candidates received at least one vote, and the only ballot required several roll calls to complete.		* In 1980, over 20% of the delegates walked out of the convention before the vice-presidential voting after [[Ted Kennedy]] lost the presidential nomination to incumbent [[Jimmy Carter]], while 36 candidates received at least one vote, and the only ballot required several roll calls to complete.