What will Democrats do now that Biden is not in office? Key dates to remember.

With President Biden stepping aside, the Democratic Party is already looking towards the future, eagerly anticipating what’s next in the race for the White House. While there is no official Democratic nominee yet, Vice President Kamala Harris has emerged as a frontrunner with the support of a significant number of delegates, including Mr. Biden himself and other prominent Democrats.

In her first statement following Mr. Biden’s decision, Harris expressed her determination to earn and secure the party’s nomination, signaling her readiness to take on the role of the Democratic nominee.

To officially become the nominee, candidates must garner the necessary support from the party’s delegates. This endorsement can occur during an upcoming virtual roll call, anticipated to happen in early August, or through an open convention. The DNC Rules Committee is scheduled to convene this Wednesday to deliberate on the next steps in the nomination process.

Stay tuned to find out about these forthcoming events and other crucial dates to keep an eye on.

DNC Rules Committee meeting: July 24

The Rules Committee, responsible for ensuring a smooth presidential nomination process, will meet virtually to establish the procedures for selecting the party’s next presidential nominee. The session is set to take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET, and the public can tune in via the DNC’s YouTube channel.

Virtual Roll Call: Expected between Aug. 1-7

The virtual roll call is slated to enable a candidate to formally secure the nomination before the in-person Democratic National Convention. Although the exact date is yet to be finalized, the Rules Committee might disclose it following the July 24 gathering. During a press call on Monday night, chair Jaime Harrison informed reporters that the roll call is likely to happen before Aug. 7, ensuring that Democrats meet state deadlines for ballot inclusion.

David Becker, a renowned CBS News contributor and the driving force behind the Center for Election Innovation & Research, emphasized the importance of Democrats having a nominee by the end of August to comply with state laws. With varying deadlines across states, Becker underscored the necessity of resolving the nomination process before late August to meet all the legal requirements nationwide.

“If they leave their convention with a nominee, they will have met all the legal requirements for all 50 states,” affirmed Becker.

While Democrats had initially planned a virtual roll call vote to support Mr. Biden’s reelection bid, the situation has evolved following his withdrawal. The focus has shifted to Vice President Harris as the likely nominee. If she secures a majority of pledged delegates during the anticipated roll call vote, she will ascend to the position of the Democratic nominee before the convention. The prospect of an open convention, where candidates compete for delegate backing at the DNC, seems remote according to Becker.

“The possibility of that happening is about as likely as us having a beautiful 65-degree-with-no-humidity summer in D.C.,” he remarked. “With the state delegations that have already pledged to Kamala, it’s very likely this will be resolved fairly soon,” he added.

CBS News has been actively monitoring the delegate support for Harris, and as of Tuesday morning, enough delegates had aligned with her to secure the nomination. Notably, delegates previously pledged to Mr. Biden are not automatically bound to Harris and retain the freedom to vote for any candidate of their choice.

Democratic National Convention: Aug. 19-22

This year’s convention in Chicago is expected to draw approximately 70,000 attendees, including delegates, visitors, and members of the media. The convention activities will be distributed between two venues, with the United Center hosting evening events and McCormick Place staging daytime sessions.

DNC Chair Minyon Moore underscored the convention’s core objective, emphasizing the opportunity to showcase the Democratic Party’s values and identity to a national and global audience.

“Here in Chicago, our mission remains the same,” articulated Moore. “During the convention, we will have an opportunity to show the country and the world who Democrats are and what we stand for.”

VP and presidential nominees formally accept: Expected Aug. 21 and Aug. 22, respectively

If the convention adheres to past schedules, the vice presidential nominee is likely to deliver an acceptance speech on Wednesday, Aug. 21, followed by the presidential nominee’s address on the concluding night of the convention, Thursday, Aug. 22.

Second presidential debate: Planned for Sept. 10, but in question

The second presidential debate originally slated for Sept. 10 may face uncertainty following Mr. Biden’s exit from the race. The hosting network, participants, and schedule are contingent on the candidates’ agreement, rendering the event’s occurrence uncertain as per Becker.

“We’re not going with the Commission on Presidential Debates, as we have in the past,” remarked Becker. “So it basically depends upon the agreement of the candidates.”

In a recent post on Truth Social, former President Donald Trump voiced his preference for Fox News to host the debate instead of ABC in light of Biden’s withdrawal.

“Now that Joe has, not surprisingly, has quit the race, I think the Debate, with whomever the Radical Left Democrats choose, should be held on FoxNews,” he opined.

Election Day: Nov. 5

With varying early voting periods across states, Election Day is marked on Nov. 5, 2024, culminating in the nation’s final decision. As in previous elections, the outcome may not be immediately clear, and some states might require additional time to finalize ballot counts.

Other key dates:

First state to mail out absentee ballots (North Carolina): Sept. 6

Deadline to mail ballots to military and overseas voters: Sept. 21 (45 days before Election Day)

As the Democratic Party navigates the path towards a new presidential nominee, all eyes are on Vice President Harris, poised to assume the role of the Democratic standard-bearer. Stay tuned for the latest updates on the nomination process and upcoming key events shaping the race for the White House.