Biden to be formally nominated via virtual vote in early August
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced on Saturday that the party plans to formally nominate Joe Biden as its presidential candidate during a virtual vote in early August. He is ignoring calls to withdraw from the race for the highest office.
The DNC's rules committee decided a day earlier that the vote would take place between August 1 and 7. Parties usually nominate their candidates at national conventions.
Avoid legal disputes
Democrats planned it for August 19 in Chicago. According to party leaders, virtual voting is necessary no later than August 7 to avoid legal disputes in Ohio, where it is required that major parties have a presidential candidate 90 days before the general election on November 5.
My goal as counsel is to ensure we address and avoid all unnecessary legal risk on the way. And that's why we need a virtual nominating process. It's why the wisest, most prudent course is to have that process conclude in time to allow us to file a certified nomination in Ohio by August 7 – argued Dana Remus, a former White House advisor.
3,896 pledged delegates will participate in the national convention vote. If the presidential candidate does not get their absolute majority, the second round will involve 700 so-called "superdelegates." These are lawmakers from the House of Representatives and the Senate, governors, state party chairs, and DNC members.
Biden garnered 99% of the delegates' support in the Democratic primaries. So far, over 35 members of Congress have called on him to drop out of the race. However, he ignores their calls, and after the quarantine resulting from a COVID-19 infection, he is expected to resume his election campaign next week.
