1976 Democratic National Convention

1976 Democratic National Convention

1976 presidential election
Nominees Carter and Mondale
Convention
Date(s)	July 12–15, 1976
City	New York, New York
Venue	Madison Square Garden
Keynote speaker	Barbara Jordan
Candidates
Presidential nominee	Jimmy Carter of Georgia
Vice-presidential nominee	Walter Mondale of Minnesota
‹ 1972 · 1980 ›

The 1976 Democratic National Convention met at Madison Square Garden in New York City, from July 12 to July 15, 1976. The assembled United States Democratic Party delegates at the convention nominated former Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia for president and Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota for vice president. John Glenn and Barbara Jordan gave the keynote addresses. Jordan's keynote address made her the first African-American woman to deliver the keynote address at a Democratic National Convention. The convention was the first in New York City since the 103-ballot 1924 convention.

By the time the convention opened Carter already had more than enough delegates to clinch the nomination, and so the major emphasis at the convention was to create an appearance of party unity, which had been lacking in the 1968 and 1972 Democratic Conventions. Carter easily won the nomination on the first ballot. He then chose Mondale, a liberal and a protégé of Hubert Humphrey, as his running mate. Mondale was put over the top at roll call by the convention's second youngest delegate Cathy Clardy who cast the delegate votes for the State of Minnesota.

The Carter–Mondale ticket went on to win the 1976 presidential election on November 2.

The convention is also notable for the fact that congresswoman Lindy Boggs, who presided over it, thus became the first woman to preside over a national political convention.^[1]