The CNN presidential debate in Atlanta on Thursday was the first in modern U.S. history to take place before the party conventions chose their official candidates.
It is easy to forget that while President Joe Biden and his rival, former President Donald Trump, are the clear front-runners in their parties, their official choice will not be decided until later this year, when delegates meet at the Democratic and Republican conventions to choose their candidates.
Some in Biden’s own party are calling for other options to be considered after what many consider to be a disappointing performance against Trump. With just seven weeks to go before the DNC in Chicago, delegates would have to deviate from protocol to nominate and elect a new candidate for the White House.
When is the Democratic National Convention?
The Democratic Party Convention, which will take place in Chicago from August 19 to 22, begins in less than 60 days.
Where will the congress take place?
The convention will take place at the United Center, a 20,000-seat arena that is home to the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks.
This will be the first time since the 2016 presidential election cycle that the Democratic National Convention will be held in person, after being held virtually in Milwaukee in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Delegates from all 50 U.S. states and seven territories that awarded delegates in the Democratic primaries will come together to vote on the party’s nominee.
“Chicago has a long history of hosting safe and successful major events, including the 2012 NATO Summit and the 1996 Democratic National Convention. This year’s DNC will be no exception,” said Alex Hornbrook, executive director of the Democratic National Convention Committee, in a May 14 opinion piece.
The Windy City famously hosted the 1968 Democratic National Convention, which saw large and controversial protests against the Vietnam War. Robert F. Kennedy Sr. was considered the favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination before he was assassinated just months before the convention.
What will happen at the Democratic National Convention?
Barring a major upset, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are considered fairly certain to be the nominees, but a vote among delegates would make that official.
There are more than 4,600 delegates, and a candidate must secure 1,968 of them to be the Democratic nominee. Joe Biden is currently allocated 3,397 delegates.
These delegates have pledged to vote for Biden as their candidate unless he drops out of the race.
Did other candidates win delegates in the primaries?
Of those, 27 have not yet made up their minds. Many of these undecided delegates were allocated as part of a campaign to protest U.S. support for Israeli military action in Gaza, particularly among Arab-American voters in Michigan.
Three delegates were awarded to Jason Palmer, who was tied with Biden in American Samoa, and three to Dean Phillips, who dropped out of the primary race after Super Tuesday.
This article originally appeared in the Fort Smith Times Record: The 2024 DNC in Chicago: What you should know about the convention
