What awaits Democrats now that Biden is no longer running for president? • Nebraska Examiner

WASHINGTON — The Democratic Party has just weeks left before its delegates cast their votes for a presidential candidate in a virtual name-call in early August. That process became more complicated Sunday when President Joe Biden withdrew as the presumptive nominee.

The timeline, set in motion months ago, gives Democratic delegates in the 50 states a short window to coalesce around a single candidate — an uphill battle, even as Biden endorses Vice President Kamala Harris.

The delegates’ votes for the presidential candidate were supposed to reflect the will of voters in their home states. This is a feature of the Democratic primary process that is no longer possible.

Party leaders have been pushing for weeks for Democrats to formally nominate their presidential candidate before the Democratic National Convention in late August, to prevent their candidate from appearing on the Ohio ballot.

DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison released a written statement Sunday after Biden announced he would step down as the presumptive nominee following weeks of pressure from members of Congress and party loyalists concerned about the president’s cognitive abilities.

‘Established rules and procedures’

Harrison wrote that the party “will undertake a transparent and orderly process in the coming days to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”

“This process will be governed by the established rules and procedures of the Party,” Harrison added. “Our representatives are prepared to take seriously their responsibility to quickly deliver a candidate to the American people.”

Harrison’s statement made no mention of Harris herself or of a specific date when the Democratic Party would formally nominate a presidential candidate.

Harris wrote in a statement that it is her “intent to earn and win this nomination.”

“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, speaking to Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election,” Harris wrote. “And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead.”

“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party – and unite our nation – to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.”

Deadlines and requirements

Democratic National Convention Rules Committee co-chairs Bishop Leah D. Daughtry and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz released a letter Wednesday promising that the virtual roll call process would not be “rushed.”

The letter, obtained by States Newsroom, outlines the various deadlines and requirements states use to put a presidential candidate’s name on the November ballot.

“Payments for access to the ballot box are due in Washington state on August 20, the second day of the in-person convention. Deadlines in Montana and Oklahoma follow the next day, with California on August 22 and many states, including Virginia, on August 23,” Daughtry and Walz wrote.

“These applications require notarized signatures from candidates and party officials, and must often be submitted in hard copy,” the two added. “We cannot and must not allow these timing complications to jeopardize whether the Democratic ticket appears on the ballot in must-win states.”

Another meeting this week

A public meeting was held this weekend on how the process is likely to proceed. At least one more meeting is expected this week, but it will likely raise many more questions than before Biden withdrew.

Before the DNC can set the date for the virtual roll call, the Rules Committee must approve the convention rules, which will include the format for roll call voting. After that happens, the DNC chair and DNCC chair will announce the exact day of the roll call.