Democrats to virtually nominate Harris—and her running mate—by Aug. 7

Democratic National Convention delegates can make Vice President Kamala Harris their presidential nominee—and even start approving her yet-to be-named running mate—in online voting beginning next week, as the party races to coalesce around a new top of its ticket heading into November.

The convention's rules committee on Wednesday passed a proposal where delegates from around the country will be able to vote on potential presidential nominees to replace President Joe Biden, who ended his reelection bid last weekend.

But Harris is the only major Democrat to announce publicly that she's seeking the nomination, meaning she'll almost-certainly be approved in a single round of virtual balloting beginning Aug. 1—some 18 days before the party's convention opens in Chicago.

Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison referenced the unprecedented shakeup in the presidential race left by Biden's bowing out, telling a virtual meeting of the convention's rulemaking arm, “In the darkness of night, we see our brightest stars.”

The plan was approved after more than 90 minutes of online discussion that featured little objection. The final vote to pass the full set of convention's rules was 157-3.