Democrat Committee To Meet On 'Virtual Roll Call' Today

Reuters reporting that a committee of the Democratic party will meet later today in order to discuss the 'virtual roll call' to officially nominate President Joe Biden as the party's nominee ahead of the Democratic National Convention starting 19 August. As Reuters reports "An online or virtual vote also means no chance of a live convention floor battle among delegates in Chicago that could embarrass Biden." A second meeting is set to take place early next week to officially set the rules of any online roll call.

• The virtual roll call was initially organised in order to mitigate the potential for Biden to be left off the ballot in Ohio due to state law requiring nominations to be confirmed by 7 August.
• However, the virtual roll call has now itself become a political wedge issue. Opponents argue that it is an attempt to ram through Biden's nomination even as the likelihood of the president withdrawing from the race increases.
• Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine has signed a bill extending the deadline to 31 Aug, well beyond the end of the DNC. However, supporters of the virtual roll call have said that it is still required in case of any political machinations on behalf of the Ohio state gov't.
• In the event of Biden's withdrawal from the race it is unclear how the nomination proceedings would take place.