Replies

Good question. When Tom Eagleton dropped out as McGovern’s VP, the choice of Sargent Shriver was approved by the DNC.

I have looked in vain for standing rules of the Democrat or Republican party and have not found any.

(I wondered about it when someone suggested that the 2004 Democrat convention adjourn without nominating anyone — I forget why — maybe it was so that spending limits for John Kerry wouldn’t kick in until a certain date...anyway, I thought that a delegate could raise an objection to adjournment, saying that the convention hadn’t finished its business.)

In the election of 1872, Presidential candidate Horace Greeley died Nov 29, 1872.

Thomas Hendricks received 42 of his electoral votes,
VP Candidate Benjamin Gratz Brown received 18,
Greeley received 3 votes not counted, and
3 votes were scattered.

In the VP count,
Brown received 47 votes, and the remaining 19 votes were scattered.

I’m not quite sure how Hendricks got to be the unofficial Democratic nominee.

The closest precedent is when Tom Eagleton, the Democrat nominee for the Vice Presidency in 1972, withdrew in the face of accusations of mental illness. George McGovern, the Presidential nominee, chose Sargent Shriver to replace him, and Democratic National Committee held a special meeting and ratified his choice.

If the Republican nominee dies, the vacancy will be filled pursuant to Rule 9 of the Rules of the Republican Party.

RULE NO. 9
Filling Vacancies in Nominations

(a) The Republican National Committee is hereby authorized and empowered to fill any and all vacancies which may occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise of the Republican candidate for President of the United States or the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, as nominated by the national convention, or the Republican National Committee may reconvene the national convention for the purpose of filling any such vacancies.

(b) In voting under this rule, the Republican National Committee members representing any state shall be entitled to cast the same number of votes as said state was entitled to cast at the national convention.

(c) In the event that the members of the Republican National Committee from any state shall not be in agreement in the casting of votes hereunder, the votes of such state shall be divided equally, including fractional votes among the members of the Republican National Committee present or voting by proxy.

(d) No candidate shall be chosen to fill any such vacancy except upon receiving a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election.

Source: http://www.gop.com/About/Rules6-10.htm