Democratic Party Officially Nominates Harris as Presidential Candidate

Vice President Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (L) speak to the press at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia on July 13, 2024. (Ryan Collerd/AFP via Getty Images)

Vice President Kamala Harris was officially nominated for president by the Democratic Party when delegates finished virtual voting late on Aug. 5, according to Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison.

The party said in a statement released just before midnight that 99 percent of delegates had cast their ballots for Harris. It said it would next formally certify the vote before holding a celebratory roll call at the party’s convention later this month in Chicago.

Harris had surpassed the threshold of delegate support to become the party’s presumptive nominee on Aug. 2 after already submitting more than 3,923 signatures by the day prior, Harrison said. Based on DNC rules passed in July, a candidate needs written support from at least 1,975 pledged delegates on the first ballot to become the presidential nominee.

The DNC began its virtual roll call of delegates on Aug. 1, more than two weeks ahead of it’s national convention set for Aug. 19–22. The early vote was intended to meet ballot certification deadlines occurring in multiple states later this month. The virtual vote closed on Aug. 5.

Harrison said the DNC will “rally around Vice President Kamala Harris and demonstrate the strength of our party” at the convention in Chicago.

The DNC formalized its rules for both the roll call and the 2024 convention on July 24. The virtual nominating process was similar to that used for the 2020 national convention, which took place during the  COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, with no other candidate reaching the 300-delegate threshold required to challenge Harris, the party took action to nominate her before Ohio’s ballot certification deadline, which was originally set for Aug. 7. Alabama’s deadline was Aug. 15.

Both states passed measures to delay their deadlines, to Sept. 1 and Aug. 23, respectively. The DNC went ahead with an early roll call to prevent any legal challenges. Ballot certification deadlines in Montana, Oklahoma, Virginia, and California fall in the same week as the convention.

Harris is expected to name a running mate ahead of a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Aug. 6. Her vice presidential shortlist includes Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

“The power is with the people,” Harris said during an Aug. 2 campaign livestream. “We are going to win this election, and it is going to take all of us.”

Harris will be officially presented along with her chosen running mate at the party’s convention in Chicago beginning Aug. 19. President Joe Biden is expected to deliver a primetime speech on the opening night.