Virtual roll call to nominate Biden will happen in August, says DNC.

The Democratic National Committee has announced that a virtual roll call vote will take place in August to formally nominate President Biden as the party’s nominee. This decision was communicated in a letter sent by the heads of the convention rules committee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Leah Daughtry. The letter, which was obtained by CBS News, states that the vote is scheduled to occur before the in-person Democratic National Convention starting on August 19.

The letter confirms that the voting process will not commence before August 1, emphasizing the party’s commitment to transparency and adherence to established rules and traditions. The DNC Chair Jamie Harrison has expressed a desire for the vote to be completed by August 5 to meet the August 7 deadline for candidate certification in Ohio. The decision to switch to a virtual roll call was made in response to the previous deadline constraints.

Despite Ohio passing a bill to extend the deadline to September 1, the DNC opted to maintain its timeline for the virtual roll call due to concerns about potential litigation. This decision was supported by Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s indication that the September 1 deadline would still apply. Governor Walz expressed doubts about Ohio’s ability to effectively handle the certification process and highlighted the upcoming ballot access deadlines in other states, such as Washington.

Amidst discussions surrounding the virtual roll call, a group of congressional Democrats urged the DNC to cancel the virtual vote to ensure open debate about President Biden’s nomination. The DNC responded by affirming the virtual nature of the roll call, citing the need to avoid legal challenges and meet state ballot deadlines as primary reasons for conducting the voting process virtually.

The upcoming convention rules committee meeting will focus on operational aspects of the convention and finalize rules without initiating the virtual voting process. However, discussions on the implementation of a virtual voting system will take place to ensure a smooth and efficient process. The committee plans to convene for a second meeting next week to adopt rules specifically for the virtual roll call.

In summary, the DNC’s decision to conduct a virtual roll call vote in August reflects a commitment to transparency, adherence to party rules, and effective nominee selection. The virtual nature of the vote aims to streamline the process, avoid potential legal disputes, and ensure that the Democratic nominee is officially placed on all state ballots in preparation for the November election.