Washington — Republican governors, lawmakers and nearly 2,500 delegates are convening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the Republican National Convention, with former President Donald Trump slated to formally receive the party’s 2024 nomination for president during a roll call vote of the state delegations Monday.
The roll call will officially bring to an end the GOP presidential primary, though it’s been known for months that Trump would be the party’s choice to take on President Biden in November. The former president clinched the nomination in March, after he secured the 1,215 Republican delegates needed to become the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
Trump has not yet announced his running mate, but is expected to unveil his pick after the roll call naming his vice presidential selection to the ticket. Trump will also deliver a speech formally accepting the Republican presidential nomination to close out the convention Thursday.
Results of the RNC roll call of states for 2024
State delegations are announcing their votes for the presidential nomination.
- Iowa: 40 votes for Trump
- Nevada: 26 votes for Trump
- Oklahoma: 43 votes for Trump
- West Virginia: 32 votes for Trump
- New Hampshire: 22 votes for Trump
How does the RNC’s roll call of states work?
During the roll call, the head of each state’s and territory’s delegation will be called on to announce the votes of their state or territory’s respective nomination for president. If a state delegation passes when its name is called, it will be called again at the conclusion of the roll call.
Delegates are selected to represent their state or area at the convention, and most of those are bound to back Trump, as they’re required to vote in accordance with the outcome of their state’s primary or caucus. Roughly 150 delegates are unbound heading into the convention, since a small number of delegations, including those from Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota, are not required to vote for their state’s chosen candidate.
Trump comes into the convention with an estimated 2,243 delegates based on the results of primaries and caucuses held earlier this year, according to the CBS News Delegate Tracker.
What happens to delegates for candidates who have dropped out?
Though Trump cruised to victory during the primary elections, his former rival in the race, Nikki Haley, secured 94 delegates, according to the Delegate Tracker. Haley’s campaign said she earned 97 delegates during the primary process.
But Haley announced last week she would be releasing those delegates and encouraged them to vote for Trump at the convention. State party rules dictate whether Haley’s delegates are bound to her or whether they’re free to vote for a different candidate since she withdrew from the presidential contest.
In Iowa, for example, Trump, Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswaky secured delegates after the caucuses. But under state party rules, if Trump is the only candidate nominated at the convention, the entire 40-person delegation votes for him.