Here’s what’s next for WA’s Democratic Party delegates as Harris seeks the nomination

Delegates at the Washington State Democratic Convention listens to attendees comment on proposed amendments to the party platform. (Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)

Washington’s 111-person delegation to the Democratic National Convention will meet Thursday to consider endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to replace President Joe Biden as the party’s presidential nominee.

If it does, as expected, it will join counterparts from a growing list of states – including Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Florida. Delegates around the country are coalescing swiftly behind Harris after Biden stepped aside over the weekend.

“There is a joy in the Democratic Party that I have not felt in over a decade,” said Bill Phillips of Terra Firma Consulting and a former Snohomish County Democratic Party chair. “It’s genuine.”

Even so, the state’s delegation may not be unanimous when it comes time to vote.

Washington has two uncommitted delegates headed to the national convention. Leaders at the Uncommitted Washington campaign said Monday they would continue to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to military funding to Israel. They did not say whether they would back Harris.

“Regardless of who the Democratic nominee is, Palestinians and our many allies in the ceasefire movement will continue to push for a permanent ceasefire and an end to military funding to Israel,” Yazan Kader, an uncommitted Washington delegate, said in a statement. “ We will support the nominee if they commit to these goals.”

Leaders of the Democratic National Committee are aiming to complete a virtual roll call and nomination before the party’s national convention begins Aug. 19 in Chicago.

The timing concerns some in Washington. The state has an Aug. 20 deadline for political parties to submit their nominee names to Secretary of State Steve Hobbs so they can be printed on ballots. Hobbs is not concerned.

“Washington voters will be able to choose between presidential candidates nominated by the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, and by any additional parties that qualify for this November’s ballot under state law,” Hobbs said Monday.

What to know about Washington’s delegation and the evolving situation with the Democratic presidential nomination

How many delegates does Washington get?

Washington is sending 111 voting delegates to the Democratic National Convention next month.

Of those, 90 were pledged to Biden, and two are uncommitted. Washington has 19 “superdelegates” who don’t get to vote on the first round and will only do so if a candidate fails to receive a majority on the first ballot.

How are delegates in Washington chosen?

Any Democrat can submit themselves as a candidate to be a delegate representing the district in which they vote.

From there, it’s a long process of narrowing down the list through votes at the legislative district level, the congressional district level and the state central committee level.

The 19 superdelegates are considered automatic delegates, who are party leaders or elected officials who don’t need to go through a vote to represent Washington at the national level.

Did Biden get all of Washington’s delegates?

In Washington, delegates are awarded proportionally based on primary votes, though a candidate must receive at least 15% of the votes to receive a delegate. Biden received just under 84% of the primary vote in Washington statewide.

Because none of the other candidates received 15% of the vote, Biden received almost all of the delegates. In King County, there were enough votes for “uncommitted” to secure two of the 92 delegates.

What does an uncommitted delegate do?

A delegate who is pledged to a specific candidate must support that candidate at the national convention, but an uncommitted delegate has the ability to decide who to vote for.

When does Washington need to finalize names on the ballot?

In order to meet printing deadlines, the secretary of state needs the names of presidential candidates by Aug. 20 and names for vice president by Aug. 22.

Which presidential candidates are certified so far to be on the presidential ballot in Washington?

None. The first candidate to submit the required paperwork for Washington’s ballot was Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The state Republican Party submitted former president Donald Trump’s name to the secretary of state on Monday, according to party chair Jim Walsh.

Can I run for president as a write-in candidate?

Yes. There is a form to fill out on the Secretary of State website. It must be turned in by election day, Nov. 5.

And what about the Electoral College?

The Electoral College is the process by which the states and District of Columbia elect the president of the United States . Each state is represented by a number of electors equal to the size of its congressional delegation. There are 538 electors in total. To win the Electoral College, a candidate must receive a majority—at least 270—electoral votes. Washington has 12 electors.

Key Dates

Wednesday: Democratic National Committee will hold a meeting of its rules committee to consider the process for selecting a new nominee for president.

Thursday: Washington state delegates to the Democratic National Convention will meet to consider endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris or another candidate.

Aug. 1: Democratic National Committee has said this is the earliest date for the start of virtual voting by Democratic delegates on a nominee for president.

Aug. 19: The Democratic National Convention begins in Chicago, Illinois. It will conclude on Aug. 22.

Aug. 20: Statutory deadline for political parties to submit names of presidential nominees to Washington’s secretary of state. State law allows for substitutions for vice president up until Aug. 22.

Aug. 22: Deadline for the Washington secretary of state to certify results of the August primary election.

Aug. 23: Statutory deadline to certify names for the general election ballot.

Sept. 21: Military and overseas ballots mailed for the general election .

Oct. 18: Voters in Washington can expect to start seeing their general election ballots arrive in the mail as the state’s 18-day voting period begins.

Oct. 28: Online and mail voter registration ends.

Nov. 5: It’s Election Day. By 8 p.m., all ballots must be postmarked or placed in a dropbox, and any in-person voter registration or updates must be completed.

Dec. 17: Electors meet in their respective states and vote for president and vice president on separate ballots.

Jan. 6, 2025: Congress counts the electoral votes.

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