Democratic party officials are pushing for a virtual vote to select a presidential nominee by August 7 to prevent potential litigation in Ohio. However, the process of selecting a running mate to join the nominee on the ballots remains a crucial issue that the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee will address in their upcoming meeting.
One committee member raised the question of whether the vice president must announce a running mate for the roll call to proceed, highlighting the need to clarify the selection process and timeline through interpretation of existing rules or drafting of new ones.
The co-chairs of the DNC's Rules Committee have not yet finalized the agenda for the meeting, which will be live-streamed online. With the party's convention just four weeks away, the accelerated vetting process for Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate adds further urgency to the decision-making process.
Reports indicate that Attorney General Eric Holder and his law firm Covington & Burling are overseeing the vetting process for Harris' running mate. In the 2020 election, a similar remote voting process was employed, allowing then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden to directly name his vice presidential candidate without requiring a separate approval vote.