Democratic delegates have officially chosen Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's presidential nominee, with Harris receiving 99% of the delegate votes cast. The selection was made following a five-day online voting process conducted by the Democratic National Committee.
The virtual roll call voting method was utilized due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, allowing delegates to participate remotely from their locations. Harris was the sole candidate eligible for votes after meeting the party's qualification deadline.
Close to 4,000 pledged delegates and over 700 automatic delegates, including Democratic governors and members of Congress, were eligible to vote in the process. The automatic delegates, also known as superdelegates, have historically aligned with the candidate who secured the majority of pledged delegates.
Following the certification of Harris as the presidential nominee, she nominated Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate without requiring a separate vote from the delegates. Both Harris and Walz accepted their nominations, and the Democratic ticket is set to embark on a campaign tour of key battleground states.
The decision to conduct the virtual roll call ahead of the convention was made to meet Ohio's ballot filing deadline. The convention will still feature ceremonial activities, including a roll call vote and Harris delivering an acceptance speech on the final day.
Delegates will also engage in other convention business, such as adopting the party's platform. Despite the unique circumstances of this year's nomination process, the Democratic Party is moving forward with its convention proceedings in preparation for the upcoming election.
