(WFLA/NEXSTAR) — President Joe Biden has announced that he is dropping out of the 2024 race following calls from former supporters and high-ranking Democrats that he step aside to allow another candidate to challenge former President Donald Trump for the White House.
Biden, in previous weeks, had insisted he would continue his campaign, despite concerns over his age and mental acuity. Primary ballots around the nation have already been cast, too, and the Democratic National Convention is just around the corner.
So what happens now that Biden has dropped out?
Since President Biden withdrew ahead of the formal nomination, scheduled to take place during a virtual roll call in early August ahead of the Democratic National Convention, it means that the 3,900 or so pledged delegates would meet at the convention to cast their ballots for a new nominee.
If a candidate wins a simple majority, that person becomes the new Democratic nominee. If one candidate is not agreed on, then the “superdelegates” will also vote.
Under party rules, pledged delegates are basically required to vote for the candidate chosen by voters. Unpledged delegates, or “superdelegates,” are free to support the candidate of their choosing.
There are nearly 740 such superdelegates, according to Ballotpedia.
The superdelegates plus the pledged delegates will all continue to hold votes until a candidate receives a winning majority.
More information on the delegation selection process is available at the Democratic Party website.
The Democratic National Convention will take place Aug. 19–22 in Chicago, Illinois.
“This summer, Democrats will come together to build on our progress, lay out what’s at stake in this election, and unite around our shared values of democracy and freedom to create a future for all Americans,” reads a message that was posted to the DNC’s website.
