Democrats Will Select Nominee by Aug. 7 in a Virtual Vote

The Democratic Party will choose its presidential nominee in a virtual vote by Aug. 7, Jaime Harrison, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said Monday on a call with reporters. A date for the virtual vote has not yet been set.

His proclamation follows the party’s rapid consolidation behind Vice President Kamala Harris to replace President Biden. Minyon Moore, the chair of the party’s convention, said the nominating process would be “swift, transparent and fair.” She added that a contested nominating fight with voting at the convention was not possible given the constraints of state ballot deadlines.

“An in-person contested convention simply cannot accommodate the potential of a multi-round nomination process for the presidential nominee who then must select a vice-presidential nominee and still meet the ballot access certification requirements in each of the states necessary for the Democratic path to victory,” Ms. Moore said.

Party officials on the call said the nominee for vice president could be in place by Aug. 7 as well, though they said the presidential nominee — which at this point is all but certain to be Ms. Harris — would have input on when the running mate is selected and voted upon by delegates.

Nominating a presidential candidate during a virtual vote weeks before the party’s delegates convene in Chicago on Aug. 19 will relegate the convention to a purely ceremonial function.

Veronica Martinez Roman, the D.N.C.’s party affairs director, said a directory of the 4,600 delegates who will choose the nominee would be provided to any candidate who applied with the party to run for president. Candidates can qualify for the ballot if they acquire nominating signatures from at least 300 delegates, with no