Kamala Harris is set to be confirmed as the Democratic US presidential nominee through an electronic vote starting Thursday, replacing the traditional in-person balloting typically seen at the party’s national convention. This vote comes shortly after Joe Biden ended his reelection bid, leaving Harris, his 52-year-old vice president, as the uncontested leader of the Democratic Party.
Nearly 4,000 delegates—grassroots activists and politicians chosen during the primary process—have submitted their signatures to back Harris for the nomination. Her confirmation as the nominee is expected to be a formality, as no other Democrats have stepped forward to challenge her. This will make Harris the first Black and South Asian woman ever to secure a major party’s nomination for the US presidency.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced that Harris received the support of 99 percent of the delegates who signed petitions, with no other candidate meeting the qualifying threshold of 300 signatures. “Our delegates have an important responsibility — and opportunity — in the days ahead to cast their history-making ballots for Vice President Harris, ensuring that she will be on the ballot in every state this November,” said DNC chair Jaime Harrison. He emphasized the party’s transparent, democratic, and orderly process to unite behind a nominee with a proven record.
In addition to the pledged delegates, around 700 superdelegates—elected officials and party leaders—will also vote. The roll call begins at 9:00 am (1300 GMT) Thursday, with delegates having until 6:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Monday to submit their votes via an online platform managed by the DNC.
The results of the electronic vote are anticipated to be announced late Monday, coinciding with Harris’s campaign tour across seven crucial battleground states. Although her running mate has not yet been announced, US media reports suggest she will start her tour in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.
This year’s nominating process mirrors the 2020 system when the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated a virtual convention. The DNC opted for a virtual process due to Ohio’s deadline for major parties to submit certified candidates’ names for the November election, which is Wednesday next week.
While the DNC has not disclosed whether the vote will be livestreamed or if a rolling tally will be made public, the virtual roll call officially launches the 2024 convention. The convention festivities will kick off in earnest when thousands of the party’s grassroots activists gather in Chicago on August 19. Illinois will host ceremonial votes for Harris and her running mate, anticipated to be a jubilant celebration of Harris’s historic rise from state politics to the top of the ticket.
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, speaking to a 10,000-strong crowd at Harris’s rally in Atlanta, highlighted her unique American journey. “Think about this: her dad is of Jamaican descent, her mother’s of South Asian descent and then she went to the great Howard University, worked in California, worked in the United States Senate,” Warnock said. “That is the American story. She brings all of those strands together. She sees us because in a real sense she is all of us.”
As Harris prepares to embark on her campaign trail, her nomination marks a historic moment for the Democratic Party and the nation. Follow [@ThisIsHipHopHQ](https://x.com/ThisIsHipHopHQ) on Twitter for more updates and share this story to celebrate this significant milestone in American politics.
