Kamala Harris will be confirmed as the Democratic US presidential nominee in an electronic vote starting Thursday that replaces the fanfare of in-person balloting that usually kicks off the party’s national convention.
Less than two weeks after Joe Biden ended his reelection bid, his 52-year-old vice president is in full control of the party, having emerged as the only Democrat in the running to challenge Republican Donald Trump in November.
Just under 4,000 delegates, the grassroots activists and politicians allocated during the primary process, sent in signatures backing Harris to be on the ballot for the five-day electronic vote.
No other Democrats have stepped forward to challenge her elevation to the top of the ticket, making her confirmation as the first Black and South Asian woman ever to secure a major party’s nomination a formality.
She won the support of 99 percent of the delegates who signed petitions, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) said in a statement, while no one else met 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.
“Our party has met this unprecedented moment with a transparent, democratic and orderly process to unite behind a nominee with a proven record who will lead us in the fight ahead.”
As well as the “pledged” delegates there are around 700 so-called “superdelegates” who get to vote because they hold elected office — such as state governors or members of the US Congress — or are party officials.
The roll call launches at 9:00 am (1300 GMT) Thursday and delegates have until 6:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Monday to return their votes via an online platform run by the DNC.
AFP
