2024 Democratic National Convention set to kickoff on Aug. 19-22 in Chicago

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT)- The 2024 Democratic National Convention is set to take place August 19 through 22, in Chicago.

Following President Joe Biden’s announcement ending his reelection campaign and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the democratic presidential nominee, democrats have worked to move forward preparing for the convention.

“The thing that ended up being the most crucial this time was setting the nomination process,” said Travis Sheive, Secretary for Potter County Democratic Party and Member of the Standing Committee on rules for the 2024 Democratic National Convention. “Normally, our process takes place at the convention through a roll call vote. But this year, because there was a threat of litigation from certain elements within the Republican Party, the Rules Committee opted to hold that vote a few weeks prior to the convention and a virtual, online roll call.”

According to the Democrats website, the earliest day electronic voting can begin for the presidential nomination is Aug. 1. That will happen if only one candidate declares their intention to seek the nomination and meets all requirements.

Sheive shared, “Joe Biden was never technically our 2024 nominee. He was the front runner for the nomination, but because we have not held our convention or a roll call vote yet that is still subject to change, just as it would be in any other election. The only thing that’s changed for me is I’ll be voting for a different Democrat. I was always going to vote to defeat Donald Trump and his radical agenda, regardless of who our nominee to do that would be.”

Following Vice President Harris becoming the frontrunner, Randall County Democratic Chair and Congressional District 13 Delegate, Karmyn Seaberg says there has been a wave of excitement.

“They feel regenerated,” said Seaberg. “They are looking forward to the election, the presidential election. I know a lot of the young women in this community, the Gen Z’ers and the millennials. I think we’re going to see them look around and say, we do have a candidate we can get behind, that supports the things that we feel are the most important to us in our lives.”

After the convention delegates and party members will return home and continue campaigning for democrats at the local, state and national level.

“We’re going to elect Democrats from the White House to the State House to the courthouse,” said Sheive. “We’re going to put David Martinez on the Potter County Commissioners Court. We’re going to put Timothy Gassaway in the state house, and we’re going to put Kamala Harris in the White House.”

There will also be a focus on registering people to vote and encouraging people who are already registered to vote.

“In Texas, there were 54.5% of registered voters that did not vote,” said Seaberg. “We’re going to talk to those people, and we’re going to see what does it take to get you to vote? Because this is a very, very important election, and we need to make sure that it counts.”

The DNC takes place in Chicago, August 19 through 22.

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