What to know about ‘celebratory’ roll call vote at Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention hosted a “celebratory” roll call Tuesday night, but two states initially passed on casting their votes.

During the roll call process, each state and U.S. territory announces the votes its delegates will give to each candidate. In this case, the delegates votes were cast virtually ahead of the convention to avoid ballot challenges, but the organizers kept the convention tradition, allowing representatives from each state to say a few words in casting their votes in a party atmosphere.

California and Minnesota, the home states of Democratic nominees Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, initially passed before going again at the end to close out the roll call vote.

Harris was then streamed in to say a few words from a rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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What is the roll call vote?

During roll call, each state and U.S. territory announces the votes its delegates will give to each candidate. The Democratic National Committee opened a virtual roll call on Aug. 1, and by the following day she received the 2,350 majority of votes needed to secure the nomination.

The delegates are people who are chosen during primaries and caucuses to represent the party at the conventions. Candidates usually win delegates based on the party primary elections, but the this year delegates shifted their votes from President Joe Biden, who earned delegates in the primaries, to Harris after Biden dropped out.

The states typically go in alphabetical order, and the chair of the sate delegation gives a short speech while announcing their votes.

Watch the 2024 Democratic National Convention

The convention is taking place Monday through Thursday this week at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, will be the main venue for the DNC. Chicago has hosted the Democratic Convention 11 times, most recently in 1996 when the United Center saw President Bill Clinton was nominated for a second time.

The convention will air live on its website, from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m Central) on Monday, and 7 p.m to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the other days.

USA TODAY will provide livestream coverage on YouTube each night of the DNC, Monday through Thursday.

Contributing: Rebecca Morin, Joey Garrison, Maya Marchel Hoff, James Powel