Washington — Vice President Kamala Harris is riding a wave of voter enthusiasm into the Democratic National Convention that has transformed the race against former President Donald Trump three months before the election.
The four-day convention in Chicago begins Monday, about a month after President Biden ended his reelection campaign as a growing number of Democrats questioned the octogenarian’s ability to handle the duties of commander in chief for another four years.
Democrats quickly united behind Harris, who named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
When is the 2024 Democratic National Convention?
The convention begins Monday and runs through Thursday.
Keynote speeches and programming begin at 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. CT) on Monday. Evening programming begins at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) Tuesday through Thursday.
Each night’s festivities are expected to end around 11 p.m. ET, or 10 p.m. CT.
Where is the Democratic National Convention?
This year’s convention is in Chicago, a Democratic stronghold that last hosted the nominating convention in 1996, when then-President Bill Clinton was running for reelection. Events will be held at two venues — the United Center, which will host speeches and other events in the evening, and McCormick Place, which will host official party business and meetings during the day.
Chicago is not in a battleground state, but the city is about an hour’s driving distance Wisconsin and Michigan — two battlegrounds that are likely pivotal to Democrats’ ability to win the White House in November. Wisconsin and Michigan, both considered “blue wall” states, have historically supported Democrats but went for former President Donald Trump in the 2016 election before Mr. Biden took them back in 2020.
Nearby Minnesota, though not considered a battleground state, was seen as being competitive for Republicans this year, before Harris named Walz as her running mate.
When Democrats announced Chicago as the host city, they noted the region played a crucial role in Mr. Biden’s 2020 victory.
“The Midwest reflects America,” DNC chairman Jaime Harrison said last year.
What’s happening at the convention?
More than 4,000 delegates will convene in Chicago to recognize Harris as the Democratic nominee and approve the party’s platform.
Typically, the convention includes a roll call vote to formally nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates. But Harris officially cemented her status leading the presidential ticket earlier this month when she earned a majority of delegates in a virtual roll call. The vote was held in early August in order to avoid potential issues with ballot access in Ohio. A ceremonial roll call is still expected to take place at the convention.
What’s the speaker schedule for the 2024 DNC?
The official schedule has not yet been released. However, Democratic National Convention officials have confirmed that President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will speak Monday. The theme on Monday will be “For the People,” and the speakers will pay tribute to Mr. Biden, DNC officials said.
According to a source familiar with the planning, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the 2016 nominee, is expected to be among Monday’s speakers.
Former President Barack Obama is planned for Tuesday, which will have the theme “A Bold Vision For the Future.”
On Wednesday, which will be titled “A Fight For Freedom,” former President Bill Clinton and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi of California will speak Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the schedule. A spokesman for Rep. Tom Suozzi confirmed the New York congressman, who flipped a red seat to blue in a special election earlier year, is also in the lineup.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will also speak this week, DNC officials said.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will address the convention Monday, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will speak Tuesday.
Walz is expected to take the stage Wednesday to officially accept the vice presidential nomination. Harris will formally accept the presidential nomination during her speech Thursday in a night dedicated “For the Future.”
What is the Democratic Party platform for 2024?
Democrats unveiled a draft of their platform in July, when Mr. Biden was still running for president.
It mentions Trump dozens of times, seeking to draw a sharp contrast between Democrats’ priorities and the positions of the former president and “Project 2025,” a conservative blueprint for the next Republican president.
The Democrats’ platform proposes raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, making the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit permanent, making child care affordable and lowering health care costs.
It also proposes a minimum income tax for billionaires, raising the corporate tax rate, banning “junk fees” and ramping up clean energy projects.
On reproductive rights, the platform says Democrats are committed to passing legislation to codify abortion protections, strengthening access to contraception and protecting access to IVF and FDA-approved medication abortion.
Democrats also want to expunge federal marijuana-only convictions, strengthen democracy, secure the border and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
The platform also mentions support for “a negotiated two-state solution that ensures Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state with recognized borders and upholds the right of Palestinians to live in freedom and security in a viable state of their own.”