NEW YORK: Kamala Harris has officially received the necessary number of delegate votes to become the Democratic presidential nominee of the United States and the first woman of color to lead a major party's ticket, the chair of the Democratic National Committee said on Friday.
“I am very proud to confirm that Vice President Harris has earned more than a majority of the votes of all convention delegates and will be the Democratic Party's nominee after voting closes on Monday,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said in Chicago, the site of the Democratic National Convention from August 19-22.
“The fact that we can say today, just one day after we opened the vote, that the vice president has crossed the majority threshold and will officially be our nominee next week is simply extraordinary. You returned your nominating petitions with lightning speed. You made your voices heard and what you said was clear: we are not going to back down. We have to send Kamala Harris to the White House,” he added.
Harris then thanked delegates for their support and said she will officially accept the nomination during the convention in Chicago.
“Later this month we will gather in Chicago, united as one party, and we will have the opportunity to celebrate this historic moment together. We will win this election,” the vice president said.
Although Harris has secured enough delegates to confirm her candidacy, official results will not be announced until Monday, August 5, which is the last day for delegates to return and cast their ballots.
Virtual voting began on Thursday, August 1, and Harris crossed the threshold after just one day of voting.
Nearly 4,700 delegates were supposed to cast their votes electronically from wherever they were, as voting was conducted virtually.
