Democrats use virtual roll call to nominate Kamala Harris as party's next presidential nominee

WASHINGTON, DC: The Democratic Party officially began to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris for president in a virtual roll call on Thursday, August 1. 

The Democratic National Committee is holding an electronic vote to choose their party's standard-bearer for 2024 less than two weeks after President Joe Biden abruptly halted his reelection campaign and backed his vice president to succeed him at the head of the ticket. 

DNC's virtual roll call will conclude on August 5

The DNC is employing a virtual roll call that will end on Monday, August 5, two weeks before the party's convention begins on August 19 at the United Center in Chicago. This is in contrast to the Republicans who held their roll call in person during their convention in Milwaukee last month.

However, there isn't any drama, much like when former president Donald Trump won the GOP nomination, because the vice president is the only contender who met the Tuesday night deadline to be included on the roll call.

President Joe Biden's debate performance led to growing calls for him to step down

Joe Biden's dismal performance against Donald Trump during a late-June Atlanta debate raised concerns about his suitability for another four years in the White House, both physically and mentally. It has sparked a growing chorus of demands for the 81-year-old president to give up on running for a second term in office from members of his own party. 

Joe Biden's immediate backing of Kamala Harris ignited a surge of endorsements 

The moment Joe Biden endorsed Kamala Harris, Democratic governors, senators, House members, other party leaders and elders poured in their support for the vice president. After receiving the verbal support of most of the roughly 4,700 convention delegates, Harris declared in less than 36 hours that she had secured her party's candidacy.

The DNC chose to stage a virtual roll call, akin to the one they held four years prior to nominate Biden amid the coronavirus outbreak in order to legitimately have a nominee leading their ticket ahead of Ohio's ballot access deadline of August 7. 

"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," DNC chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement earlier this week, according to Fox News. 

Almost 4000 delegates petitioned to put Kamala Harris on the ballot 

According to the DNC, 3,923 delegates signed a petition to get Kamala Harris on the Democratic primary ballot; no other candidate was able to obtain the required 300 delegates' signatures to be eligible for the vote. A formal roll call will take place during the convention in Chicago, according to the Democratic National Committee, even if the delegates' official nomination vote is taking place virtually. 

The vice president's choice for her running mate has been increasingly speculative in the last week, even if Harris' nomination is certain. The Harris team declared that the vice president will begin a tour of all seven of the crucial battleground states on Tuesday in Pennsylvania, accompanied by her soon-to-be running mate.

Kamala Harris' deputy could be announced as early as August 5

It's possible that Kamala Harris' running companion will be revealed as early as Monday night, August 5. That is anticipated to be the time that Harris announces her candidacy after the virtual roll call concludes at 6 pm ET. Then, she is permitted under DNC rules to submit her running mate's name for nomination. 

According to the DNC, the convention chair would then declare that candidate to be the party's vice presidential nominee.

Internet mocks Democrats for choosing their party's nominee in a seemingly undemocratic way

Netizens took multiple shots at the Democrats for choosing their party's presidential nominee via a virtual call next week. One X user tweeted, "So, they will make their installed candidate official. The party of democracy being so democratic." 

Another wrote, "They're going to rig it just like they did to Bernie in 2016 and just like they did the Trump in 2020." "Ever since biden dropped out they've been promoting that's she was already the candidate and they're just now voting???" remarked one. 

"I still do not get it, We NEVER VOTED FOR HER! When the public does vote, they say NO! she had to drop out the last time she ran for President because nobody wants her," wrote someone else.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.