WASHINGTON — The Democratic Party plans to push forward with a virtual roll call in which delegates to its convention can choose a presidential nominee before they gather next month in Chicago — despite Vice President Kamala Harris being overwhelmingly favored to replace President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket.
The convention rules committee will meet Wednesday to approve how the virtual roll call will work, but a draft of the plan was obtained by The Associated Press on Monday night. It does not list a date for when virtual voting would begin, but Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said the process will be completed by Aug. 7 — or 12 days before the party's convention begins.
''We are living through an unprecedented moment in history and, as a party, we are tackling it with the seriousness that it deserves,'' Harrison said on a conference call with reporters. "We are prepared to undertake a transparent, swift and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a nominee who represents our values.''
He also said Democrats "can, and will, be both fast and fair as we execute this nomination.''
Biden dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday, ending weeks of fighting among Democrats, many of whom feared he was not up to the rigors the campaign — much less a second term — following his poor debate against Republican Donald Trump last month.
The president endorsed Harris to replace him on the Democratic ticket, but she won't formally do so until nominated by the party's convention delegates. The rules of the virtual roll call her party is planning require Harris, and any other potential Democrat willing to challenge her, to submit 300 electronic signatures from convention delegates, not more than 50 of whom can be from the same state.
The vice president, and any other candidate qualifying, would then have a few days to lobby delegates for their support before a virtual vote is held. Multiple rounds could be required, but the process would still be completed no later than Aug. 7.
That date is important because it was the original deadline to qualify for the presidential ballot in Ohio. Lawmakers there have since changed that, but the modification doesn't take effect until Sept. 1 — and DNC attorneys have warned that waiting until after the initial deadline to determine a nominee could prompt legal challenges.
