Democrats nearing Kamala Harris' nomination finalization ahead of DNC
4 Min Read
The Pro-Trump Heritage Foundation says it is investigating legal alternatives to oppose attempts to replace Biden with Harris on state ballots, even though deadlines are frequently waived.
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Campaign staff put up signs at Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Del., on Monday, July 22, 2024 (Pool/AP)
A group of Democrats will convene on Wednesday to finalize the amendment to the rules that will permit Vice President Kamala Harris to accept her party's presidential nomination many weeks ahead of the party convention in Chicago.
Held in the first week of August, the virtual roll call would officially announce the outcome of an incredible 32-hour blitz during which Harris garnered the endorsement of most delegates without facing any opposition.
Party leaders stated that the virtual roll call first surfaced in May to ensure that the Democratic ticket would have enough time to appear on the ballot in several states with early filing deadlines.
The rule change was sparked by Ohio's deadline of August 7. Although the state moved it to September 1, it is unclear if the previous deadline still holds for the 2024 election.
During the convention week, there are deadlines in Washington State, California, Virginia, Montana, and Oklahoma.
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The Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization that aims to shape policy in any potential Trump administration, has stated that it is investigating legal alternatives to oppose attempts to replace Biden with Harris on state ballots, even though deadlines are frequently waived.
According to Dana Remus, a lawyer for the Democratic Party at Covington & Burling, any challenge to the Democratic ticket that appears on the ballot would be "at best a distraction and a delay."
Meanwhile, Minyon Moore, the former White House political director under President Bill Clinton and the chairwoman of the convention, expressed, “We will not allow technicalities or MAGA extremists to disrupt the electoral process."
Due process
Just two days ago, in a memo to members that ABC News was able to obtain, Democratic National Committee Chair Jamie Harrison and Moore announced that instructions for the formal nomination procedure in the wake of Biden's withdrawal from the race will be provided "in the coming days."
The memo read, “While this situation is unprecedented, the DNC is ready to undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party and select a nominee."
"This process will be governed by rules and procedures of our Party, and we know that all of you are ready to take your responsibility seriously to swiftly nominate a candidate who will defeat Donald Trump in November. In the coming days, you will hear more from us on the next steps to formally select our nominee. As we move forward, our values as Democrats will remain the same – protecting our basic freedoms, fighting for working families, and saving our democracy from the threat of dictatorship."
With an early nomination vote potentially happening as soon as August 1, Harris will have even more incentive to choose a running mate in advance. Ohio law mandates that the party certify in writing the names of the presidential and vice presidential candidates to appear on the ballot, even though party leaders have not committed to a timeline for the vice presidential nomination.
Before, a virtual roll call was used. The party had planned to hold an in-person convention in Milwaukee in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic interrupted those plans. As a result, the party nominated Biden via a state roll call designed for television, which allowed each delegation to emphasize notable local monuments.
Democratic officials have stated that the delegates will still cast in-person votes on the party platform during the ceremonial roll call during the Chicago convention in the week of August 19.
Last week, former US President Barack Obama advocated for a voting to take place in order to make Harris officially a candidate for the Democrats.
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He expressed his trust in the Democratic Party's ability to set up a process to select the best candidate for president, declining to endorse Harris.
The same day, NBC News revealed that rather than nominating Harris right away, Democrats in the US Congress stated they would like to have an open election to select the Democratic nominee to succeed Biden.
Meanwhile, in a statement, former US President Bill Clinton and his spouse Hillary said that they are "honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris."
