When is the 2024 Democratic National Convention?
Here’s what you need to know about the 2024 Democratic National Convention, where Kamala Harris will formally accept the party’s presidential nomination.
The Democratic National Convention is fast approaching. At the event, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz will accept the party’s nomination to officially become the presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Months before a presidential election, political parties hold their national conventions to finalize the process of selecting candidates for the highest positions in the land. This year, the Republican National Convention was held in July, while the Democratic Party’s convention will be held this month.
The Democratic National Convention takes place in Chicago, Illinois, from Monday, August 19 to Thursday, August 22.
Viewers will be able to watch the event from home on television or through streaming platforms. Broadcast and cable networks including ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox, NBC, MSNBC, PBS and others will broadcast the DNC. It can also be watched live on the official DNC channels on YouTube and X.
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Who will speak at the Democratic National Convention?
The list of speakers includes President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Biden is expected to speak on Monday during the convention’s opening night. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also likely to address the convention on Monday. Obama, meanwhile, is believed to be one of the speakers on Tuesday night, while former President Bill Clinton will take the stage Wednesday night before Tim Walz.
Kamala Harris will close out the convention with her acceptance speech on Thursday night. According to NBC News, President Jimmy Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, will also be in attendance to speak on behalf of his grandfather.
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How do national conventions work?
A national convention is the event where parties ratify their choice of candidates for president and vice president. To be nominated as a presidential candidate, the candidate must win a majority of delegates from all 50 states and territories, which normally occurs during state primaries and party caucuses.
The election is then confirmed by a vote of the delegates at the national convention. According to usa.gov, there are two main types of delegates at national political conventions: pledged and unpledged. Pledged delegates must support the candidate assigned to them during the primary or caucus process, while unpledged delegates can support the presidential candidate of their choice.
The candidate with the majority of delegates becomes the party's representative in the presidential election. However, if there is only one candidate with enough votes, generally, only the party's nomination is accepted at the convention.
In this year's case, Kamala Harris comes to the DNC with enough votes, as well as the backing of key Democrats, including Biden, members of Congress and former President Barack Obama.
Harris became the party’s standard bearer after President Biden dropped out of the presidential race. Weeks later, Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.