The selection of a running mate is a crucial decision for any presidential campaign, and Vice President Kamala Harris may have just two weeks to finalize her choice. Democrats have set an Aug. 7 deadline to finalize their ticket, which could push Harris to vet, meet with, select, and announce her running mate in a short time frame. There are many factors to consider in this decision, such as electoral calculus, personal chemistry, and ideological alignment. Despite the tight timeline, there is already a consensus among many Democrats to rally around Harris after President Joe Biden endorsed her.
The deadline to finalize the ticket stems from concerns about potential legal issues in Ohio, where the Republican-led legislature did not amend the state’s deadline for parties to submit their nominee names. The deadline falls before the Democratic National Convention, prompting Democrats to plan a pre-convention virtual roll call for Aug. 7 to ensure they meet the legal requirements. While a law was eventually passed to push back the deadline to September 1, delays in the process mean the fix won’t be effective until later. Ohio’s Secretary of State, a Republican, insists that there is no threat to Democrats’ ballot access despite the deadline issue, but Democrats remain wary and feel pressured to meet the original deadline.
Conservative groups and Republican lawmakers have signaled their intention to exploit the Ohio deadline issue with potential election litigation that could impact Democrats. The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project is actively seeking plaintiffs in Ohio, and some Republican leaders have openly discussed plans to challenge the deadline. Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison has emphasized the need to finalize the ticket by August 7 to avoid any legal complications. The DNC Rules Committee will meet to consider a plan for a virtual roll call vote for the presidential nominee, with a draft rule stipulating that the window for delegates to vote will open on or after August 1.
While the draft rule does not specify a deadline for selecting the vice presidential nominee, it indicates that a separate roll call vote to announce the running mate is not needed. This may provide Harris with more time, possibly until August 7, to make her decision and announce her choice. Many Democrats are hopeful that Harris will decide on her running mate by August 1 so that delegates can know the full ticket during the virtual roll call. At the national convention in Chicago later in August, delegates will hold an in-person vote to affirm the Vice Presidential nominee. Despite the tight timeline and legal concerns, the Democratic Party is working to ensure that their ticket is finalized in time for the upcoming election.
