Biden Withdrew from the Race. How Will Democrats Choose His Successor?

President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race sets in motion a process that has not happened in American politics in more than five decades: The presidential nominee will now be chosen by delegates to the Democratic National Convention, without having to consider the outcome determined in annual primaries.

The convention is scheduled for August 19-22 in Chicago.

In a statement Sunday, DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison said the party would soon provide details on the next steps. But here’s what we know so far about how the process will work:

Do delegates still have to support Biden?

In accordance with DNC rules, Delegates are required to vote for the candidate chosen by their district in the preliminary elections. “in good faith”. But Biden’s withdrawal from the race changes that active, leaving delegates to merely attempt to reflect the desires of the voters who elected them.

The enormous majority of the 4,700 delegates are committed to supporting Biden. But just over two dozen are “undecided” after a protest movement over his administration’s policies in Israel.

Pennsylvania will send 159 delegates to the DNC. All were committed to Biden before his withdrawal.

Who has Biden endorsed to succeed him, and is that person guaranteed the nomination?

Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the modern nominee. But DNC ​​rules prevent him from giving her his delegates. And that endorsement doesn’t guarantee another candidate won’t enter the race.

After Biden’s announcement, Harrison, the DNC chairman, focused on the trial but stopped low of declaring support for Harris.

“In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a unified Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November,” Harrison said. “That process will be governed by established Party rules and procedures. Our delegates stand ready to take seriously their responsibility to swiftly deliver a nominee to the American people.”

David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, noted that Biden-affiliated delegates were chosen specifically for their loyalty to the president.

“These people will pay a lot of attention to what the president wants from them,” he said.

How will Democrats choose a modern candidate?

Under DNC rules, all presidential nominations must be filed by 6 p.m. the day before the scheduled vote.

Nominations must be accompanied by a petition signed by at least 300 delegates but not more than 600.

On nomination day, each candidate will be allotted 20 minutes for those nominating them to speak on their behalf before the public roll-call vote.

Democrats initially planned to hold a virtual nomination this month, but the party delayed the vote until at least August after pressure from congressional Democrats. The party could continue the process without Biden or wait until after its convention in Chicago.

It’s possible Harris will be the only nominee. If there are others, there will be a more extensive voting process.

To be nominated, a candidate must receive a majority of delegates. If no candidate receives a majority of delegates, a second ballot will be held. Superdelegates may begin voting if they advance to a second ballot. This process will continue until one candidate receives a majority of votes.

The same procedure would be repeated for the vice presidential candidate.

“Getting delegates to vote for you is not as easy as being the only person in the room. You have to actually reach out to those delegates or find alternates for those delegates and talk to them,” TJ Deluca, a DNC delegate from Delaware County, said in an interview last week.

Deluca said last week he expected a lot of activity at the convention, but also a lot of people willing and eager to aid.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and ally of former President Donald Trump, warned that Democratic efforts to replace Biden as the nominee may result in lawsuits, what some conservatives threatened.

Kevin Greenberg, an election lawyer who is a DNC delegate for Philadelphia’s 3rd Congressional District, said he’s “not at all” concerned about legal challenges because conventions are held to determine a candidate on the ballot in all 50 states. Historically, primaries haven’t always played a role in that process.

“That’s how it works, that’s how it should work, and that’s how it will work as it should,” said Greenberg, who plans to vote for Harris for president.

How is the vice president candidate selected?

The vice president is nominated on a separate ballot at the convention from the president. Usually, the vice president, once elected, is ratified at the convention.

Harris can choose a potential vice presidential candidate, but delegates are not obligated to accept that choice at the convention.

Has anything like this happened before?

Until the 1970s, presidential candidates were nominated at conventions. That changed after brokered the organization of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968. The Democratic Party changed its rules after that convention, requiring delegates to represent the presidential preferences of the voters who elected them.

This year’s convention will be the first test of the Democratic Party’s rules for selecting candidates at conventions since a 1972 change.

Delegate Deluca said the modern rules are intended to be lucid and force candidates to campaign to earn DNC delegate votes.

“There are no more smoky rooms in the back, and not only because a ban on smoking inside has been introduced,” he added.

What will happen to Biden’s campaign money?

Campaign finance experts generally agree that if Harris is nominated, she could take Biden’s campaign coffers, since they were also set up in her name. His campaign recently reported $91 million in cash on hand, and combined with affiliated Democratic campaign committees, he had access to more than $240 million.

Following Biden’s announcement on Sunday, Biden’s campaign wasted no time in donating the money to the vice president.

His campaign committee changed its name to Harris for President shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, and moments later Biden sent out a campaign email urging his supporters to donate to the Harris for President campaign.

Party accounts can still support a candidate if Democrats nominate someone other than Harris, but the Biden-Harris account would have more restrictions. Legal experts say the Biden-Harris account could become an independent political action committee, but it couldn’t simply transfer its balance directly to the modern candidate. Operating as an independent spending committee has its drawbacks, such as the inability to coordinate with the campaign on messaging, according to Greenberg.

Becker of the Center for Election Administration and Research said the campaign could also funnel funds directly to the Democratic National Committee or an existing PAC.

What will Pennsylvania delegates do?

State Sen. Sharif Street, the head of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party who also oversees the state delegation, said he expects the state delegation to meet in the coming days and encourage them to support Harris as the candidate. Street also expects the state party to endorse Harris soon.

However, delegates will not be required to vote for Harris.

This article was co-authored by Associated Press.