As soon as there is this, the delegation Democratic Party will hold a virtual vote to elect a new candidate. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to run unopposed. Here’s more on what that means and how to choose:
Who can vote?
Nearly 4,000 pledged delegates allocated during the Democratic primary process will vote for the nominee.
Does Biden’s delegation automatically go to Harris?
Most of the party’s delegates have pledged to President Biden before him came out and endorsed Harris. Those delegates were not automatically assigned to Harris, but within 48 hours of the campaign launch, a majority of delegates said they would support him.
Is anyone challenging Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination?
Under DNC rules, Harris’ presidential campaign – and anyone who wants to challenge him – must file documents with the DNC and obtain digital signatures from at least 300 delegates, with no more than 50 from a single state, by July 30 at 6 p.m. ET.
It is unlikely that a challenger will meet that threshold to contest Harris’ nomination, and at this point he is the presumptive nominee. No prominent Democrat who could challenge him had advanced; instead, the figure is most likely quickly created by Harris. In the days since Mr. Biden dropped out and endorsed her, Harris has won the endorsement of more than 3,000 of the 4,000 pledged delegates. The number of delegate votes needed to secure the nomination is 1,976.
How does the DNC’s virtual phone play work?
The rules of the committee established that if Harris is the only one, the party will continue to vote by phone roll as soon as August 1, and not in person at the mid-August convention in Chicago. Delegates will be notified at least 24 hours before voting, and will vote through an online platform managed by the DNC.
After the roll call begins, each voting delegate will receive a personalized and watermarked form to vote. The DNC will then count the votes and share the full results after the roll calls close.
The DNC also said there will be a campaign based on outgoing calls to inform thousands of delegates about the timing of the process.
“Each roll call form has various security features to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of each vote. Clear instructions and technical support will be provided to delegates,” the DNC said.
The process for the virtual roll call and gathering of delegate signatures will mirror the process used in 2020, during the pandemic.
If Harris does not have a qualified challenge, Democratic Convention Chairman Minyon Moore said the party will delay the roll call vote until August 3, in order to allow the candidate to make a pitch for delegates. The virtual roll call allows for multiple rounds of voting if Harris or a challenger does not reach the majority threshold of 1,976 pledged delegates on the first ballot.
Automatic delegates or “superdelegates,” such as Democratic governors, members of Congress and former presidents, also have a vote in the signature threshold and roll call process. But those votes will not be counted in the first round of the roll call process, unless one nominee wins the support of a majority of pledged delegates.
It is unclear whether the reel will be broadcast live or accessible to the public.
Will Harris and his running mate be nominated together?
While the DNC says that option is possible, the vice presidential candidate does not have to be nominated at the same time as the presidential candidate. Harris must choose a running mate on Aug. 7 to comply with Ohio’s current ballot deadline, which remains in effect. That Harris team planning to finish vetting of the VP field and expect him to pick a running mate on that date, according to sources familiar with the plans.
After Harris picks her, Moore will announce her choice as the nominee. There was no vote in the election of the vice president. At a private convention in Chicago, there will be a ceremonial vote for Harris and his running mate, but the ticket will be decided.
Why is the DNC holding early virtual roll-call voting before the convention?
In May, the DNC made a push for a virtual process due on August 7th in Ohio for the major parties to submit the names of certified candidates for November vote.
When Ohio Republicans passed the law to push the deadline to September 1, it will not go into effect until then. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, said Ohio will honor the September 1 deadline. But the DNC and its members say the possibility of a legal challenge by other outside groups, such as the conservative Heritage Foundation, creates an unnecessary risk.
“If we take a chance with the state’s process and deadlines, Republican groups can make an argument to challenge the Democratic vote on the post-election side, arguing that our nominee was never on the ballot,” said DNC outside counsel Pat. Moore.
