1940 No Third Term Democrats for Wilkie Howard Scott FDR Presidential Campaign

Date: 1940
Artist: Scott, Howard 
Size (in): 20.75” x 11”
Size (cm): 52.7 x 28
Condition: B+
Linen backed: No

This vintage original window poster was created by the artist Howard Scott for Wendell Wilkie’s 1940 Presidential campaign.  For this poster Scott renders an image of Uncle Sam making a thumbs down gesture and bracketed by text that reads No Third Term and Democrats For Wilkie.  Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the only president to be elected to more than two consecutive terms.  At the time of FDR’s 1940 campaign the idea of running for a third term was unprecedented and controversial but not yet unconstitutional as the United States Congress would not pass the 22nd Amendment, limiting United States Presidents to not more than two terms, until two years after Roosevelt’s death.  Roosevelt would go on to win the 1940 campaign by a landslide claiming 55% of the popular vote and 449 of 531 electoral votes.  

This poster is printed one side only on paper and was designed to be pasted up on a window.  The right and left edges of the poster have a narrow band of adhesive on the front side that could be moistened to activate the adhesive so the poster could be stuck up on a window facing outward.   This poster was never used and the adhesive bands never activated.   This same artwork was also used on pinback buttons, a poster stamp, a small decal and possibly in other ways for Wilkie’s 1940 campaign.  

This vintage original poster was never used, shows light to moderate handling wear and has three vertical crease lines from having been folded neatly.  There is a short tear of less than a half inch on the right edge but nothing torn off or missing.  The colors retain the original vibrancy and overall condition is very good.