Vice President Kamala Harris has officially clinched the 2024 Democratic National Convention nomination on Friday, securing a majority of delegate votes.
Democratic Party officials formally announced her as the party's presidential nominee, concluding an unprecedented process following the withdrawal of the previous Democratic contender less than two weeks ago.
Harris expressed her gratitude on social media platform X, stating, "I am honoured to be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States."
"I will officially accept the nomination next week. This campaign is about people coming together, fueled by love of country, to fight for the best of who we are," she added.
President Joe Biden, who recently endorsed Harris, also took to X, expressing his pride in her nomination. "One of the best decisions I've made was picking @KamalaHarris as my vice president. Now that she will be our party's nominee, I couldn't be prouder," Biden shared.
The nomination process saw over 4,000 convention delegates submit their ballots by Monday, with Harris being the sole candidate to meet the qualifications. This formal nomination marks a historic moment, as Harris becomes the first woman of color to lead a major party's presidential ticket in the United States.
Harris acknowledged the efforts of her supporters and delegates in a call, saying, "I am honored to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for president of the United States. The tireless work of our delegates, our state leaders, and staff has been pivotal in making this moment possible."
Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison highlighted the swift process, noting that Harris crossed the majority threshold just one day after online voting began on Monday. "The fact that we can say today -- just one day after we opened voting -- that the vice president has crossed the majority threshold and will officially be our nominee next week, folks, that is simply outstanding," Harrison said.
On July 27, Harris officially declared her candidacy for the US presidential elections, emphasizing her commitment to a people-powered campaign. "Today, I signed the forms officially declaring my candidacy for President of the United States. I will work hard to earn every vote. And in November, our people-powered campaign will win," she posted on X.
Following Biden's unexpected exit from the race on July 21, Democratic leaders quickly organized a new nomination process. The revised process required candidates to secure 300 delegate signatures, including no more than 50 from any single delegation. Harris was the only elected Democratic politician to successfully meet these criteria.
By July 30, the Democratic National Committee reported that 3,923 delegates had petitioned to place Harris on the ballot, a significant majority of the total delegate pool. Party leaders had previously decided to use a virtual vote to finalize the nomination, avoiding a wait until the party convention in Chicago on August 19-22. This decision was initially influenced by Ohio's early ballot deadlines, although the state later amended its timeline.
Convention planners are now preparing a symbolic roll call for prime-time television coverage in Chicago, where each state's representatives will offer their votes for Harris.
Harris's nomination represents a milestone in American history, making her the second person of color and the second female to head a major party's presidential ticket. Her diverse heritage, being Black and Indian American, has recently come under attack from Donald Trump, though his claims about her identity lack evidence.