What you need to know about how the Democratic presidential nomination process could unfold
US President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
Despite Biden’s endorsement, it remains unclear whether Harris will become the Democratic presidential nominee, or what process the party will follow to choose a choice.
Below are some answers to the most frequently asked questions:
Has Harris already become the nominee? No, although Biden already endorsed his vice president for the appointment, there is no succession protocol for the presidential nomination, just like for the position. Harris will have to win a majority of the convention like anyone else.
What is “virtual roll call voting”?
Democrats are developing a system for remote voting on their presidential nomination ahead of next month’s party convention.
Under a plan presented Friday, delegates would receive notice 24 hours before voting begins, and voting would be done using digital ballots emailed to delegates.
However, the party took no action to approve the plan at Friday’s meeting. It is not yet clear whether the party will retain the absentee voting plan or scrap it and allow a formal vote at the convention.
How will other candidates enter the race?
According to party rules, candidates must meet certain requirements to be nominated as the party’s presidential candidate.
They must collect hundreds of signatures from representatives from several states (at least 300, but no more than 600).
Candidates must also meet several requirements set forth in the party’s rules, including that they be “true Democrats” and have “established sufficient support to warrant their nomination as the Democratic candidate” for president. Although that determination is up to the chair of the Democratic National Committee, the party has not yet released more details about how qualified candidates will be determined.
What are representatives?
There are two separate groups of representatives.
There are 3,949 committed delegates. These are delegates selected through various state processes. About 99% of them committed to vote for Biden based on his performance in primaries and caucuses across the country. Those who pledged to vote for Biden also received support from his campaign.
There are about 750 (747 according to the latest news from the Democratic National Committee; this number may change) automatic delegates. Also known as “superdelegates,” these are people who serve as delegates by virtue of some other position they hold. These delegates are free to vote for the candidate of their choice, but under normal circumstances, they cannot vote in the first vote if their vote could affect the results of the nomination (it’s not very clear whether they will be able to participate in the first vote at this time).
Are Democratic delegates obligated to vote for the candidate who defeated them?
No, according to Democratic Party rules, committed delegates must “faithfully reflect the sentiments of the people who elected them.” However, the right to candidate review means that delegates can be expected to be loyal to the candidate they are committed to.
But now that Biden is no longer the candidate, his delegates are free to vote for whomever they want. You don’t need to formally “release” your delegates.