The 3d Whig Party National Convention assembled in the Chinese Museum Building in Philadelphia. All states were represented except Texas (although delegates from Louisiana were allowed to cast the vote of Texas).
Temporary Chairman: John A. Collier NY
Permanent Chairman: Gov. John M. Morehead NC
Zachary Taylor was nominated for President on the fourth ballot. Although a war hero, he was so unknown that a Philadelphia newspaper sent an artist to interview him in Louisiana and bring back a sketch to appear in the newspaper before the convention. On the first ballot, Taylor had 76% of the vote from slave states but only 17% of the votes from free states. The following is an overview of the first ballot:
| Presidential Balloting, WNC 1848 |
| Contender: Ballot | 1st | 2d | 3d | 4th |
| Zachary Taylor | 111 | 118 | 133 | 171 |
| Henry Clay | 97 | 86 | 74 | 32 |
| Winfield Scott | 43 | 49 | 54 | 63 |
| Daniel Webster | 22 | 22 | 17 | 14 |
| Others | 6 | 4 | 1 | -- |
Sources for table: Bain & Parris for 1st, 3d, and 4th; Brattleboro Semi-Weekly Eagle, 6/12/1848 for 2d.
Millard Fillmore was nominated for VP on the second ballot with 173 votes to 87 for Abbott Lawrence MA and 6 scattering.
2d Whig National Convention (1844)
4th Whig National Convention (1852)
Popular Vote of 1848
Electoral Vote of 1848
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171 (47.63%)