What to know about the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago: when, where, speakers, VP announcement

A month after the Republican National Convention brought a week of non-stop politics to Milwaukee, national attention is about to swivel 90 miles south — to the Democratic equivalent in Chicago.

The city, less than two hours from Milwaukee, is gearing up to host the Democratic National Convention next month. Though the RNC in Milwaukee was highly anticipated, coming just days after the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump, the DNC is also set to be a pivotal political moment. Weeks before the convention, President Joe Biden stepped down as the Democratic presidential nominee and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.

Here's everything we know about the DNC, from where it'll be to who's speaking:

What is the Democratic National Convention?

The DNC is a weeklong event where Democratic delegates from each state will officially select the party's nominees for president and vice president.

Traditionally, delegates vote at the convention for the nominee, but the DNC organizers are planning on a virtual vote this year, which could kick off as soon as this week.

When is the DNC in Chicago?

The DNC will run from Monday, August 19 to Thursday, August 22 — the same length as the RNC.

Where will the DNC be held in Chicago?

Like the RNC in Milwaukee, the DNC will be spread out across multiple venues in Chicago.

Daytime events, meetings and party business will be held at McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America, located on Chicago's lakefront. Hotels surrounding McCormick Place will serve as headquarters for the media and Democratic staff, according to the DNC website.

The evening activities, including prime-time speeches from the presidential and vice presidential nominee, will be held at the United Center. The arena is home to the NBA's Chicago Bulls and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and hosted the 1994 DNC.

Why is the DNC in Chicago?

The Democratic National Committee — the group that organizes the convention — decided Chicago was "the perfect place to tell the story of the Democratic Party to the American people," according to the convention website.

"It’s a union city that sits at the heart of the Midwest, and it’s a Democratic stronghold that was part of the “blue wall” crucial to the Biden-Harris victory in 2020," the DNC wrote.

Chicago's selection comes after Milwaukee was chosen to host the last DNC in 2020, but the convention was rendered largely virtual by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who's speaking at the DNC?

The convention hasn't announced a schedule of speakers. This information will likely become available closer to the start of the event.

For now, we know the presidential and vice presidential nominee will almost definitely address delegates. The presidential nominee usually takes the stage during the last night of the convention and the vice presidential nominee during the second-to-last night.

In previous years, politicians, celebrities and family members of nominees have also taken the stage to make a case for the Democratic agenda and presidential ticket. For the 2024 DNC, this likely means we can expect President Joe Biden, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff to be among the speakers.

Will Kamala Harris be the nominee?

Last week, less than a day after Biden dropped out of the race, Harris secured enough delegates to earn the Democratic presidential nomination. The widespread party support all but guarantees Harris will gain the nomination — she's the only Democrat to have entered the race, and the deadline for any other challengers to officially declare their candidacy was July 27.

Harris has secured endorsements from more than 1,976 delegates, which is how many a candidate needs to earn the party's nomination. In total, there are 3,936 Democratic delegates, including 95 from Wisconsin. So far, 89 of the Wisconsin delegates have declared their support for Harris's candidacy.

The DNC has said it'll kick off the virtual vote to confirm Harris as the nominee by Aug. 1.

When will the VP nominee be announced?

Though Harris is almost certain to the presidential nominee, it's unclear who will be joining her on the ticket.

The Harris campaign hasn't provided an exact date for when the vice presidential nominee will be announced, but reports indicate it'll be before the DNC. On Monday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told "CBS Mornings" that Harris will announce “probably in the next six, seven days."

Some of the candidates being floated for VP are Whitmer, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Is the DNC open to the public?

Like the RNC, the DNC is closed to the general public.

Only those with credentials will be allowed inside the convention venues, including members of the media, delegates, politicians and volunteers.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: DNC 2024 in Chicago: when, where, Kamala Harris, VP announcement