This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, the Democratic National Committee is taking steps to prepare for a virtual convention. On Tuesday, the party's rules committee will vote on giving convention officials the authority to alter key processes, including switching to remote voting for delegates.
The committee's decision comes after the D.N.C. moved its convention from Milwaukee in mid-July to late August, hoping that the pandemic would have subsided enough to allow for an in-person celebration of Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s presidential nomination.
However, with the number of coronavirus cases in Milwaukee County continuing to rise, it appears increasingly unlikely that a traditional convention can be safely held in August. As of Monday night, 4,022 people had tested positive for the virus in the county, and 231 had died.
While Democrats have discussed alternatives to a traditional convention, Republicans have said no such planning has taken place for their nominating event, scheduled for the last week in August in Charlotte, N.C.
The D.N.C.'s rules committee is also expected to approve waivers for five states, including New York, that have moved their presidential primaries past June 9. New York will hold its presidential primary election on June 23, after a federal judge ordered it restored to the ballot last week.
