Democratic delegates voting virtually for presidential nominee isn’t a first

CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Larry Bodine, who lives in the Catalina Foothills, is a national delegate for the Democratic Party and was one of the six delegates from Congressional District 6 to be elected back in April. President Joe Biden released delegates’ pledges when he dropped out of the presidential race last month.

“Some of them are very angry and they’re looking for someone else to lead us to victory,” Bodine said before Biden dropped out of the race, in an interview with KGUN9 News Foothills reporter Andrew Christiansen.

Recently, Bodine received a form asking his choice for the Democratic nominee. He wrote in Vice President Kamala Harris.

Last week, he got an official Democratic National Convention ballot through his email and pledged to support Harris. All 85 delegates from Arizona also nominated Harris.

However, this year was far from a normal election year for Democratic delegates.

“I’m finding that there’s a completely renewed enthusiasm,” Bodine said about the switch from Biden to Harris. “We were informed that no one else was really nominated, and so did we want to be pledged to Kamala Harris? And I voted yes.”

Both parties voted virtually during the pandemic in 2020. Bodine says it’s effective and delegates are more involved with meetings and phone calls this year.

“If you can get the formalities out of the way, democratically and honestly and transparently. It just makes good sense to do so,” he said.

Harris has said she is going to formally accept the presidential nomination this week. The Democratic National Convention begins Aug. 19 in Chicago.

Alan Nichols, who also lives in the Foothills, is the chairman of the Legislative District 18 Republicans. He was a state delegate who helped elect national delegates in person this year. He said their state convention was a great event and a great team-building opportunity.

Nichols said he would not have voted virtually during the pandemic if he didn't have to, and that many Republicans prefer to vote in person.

“There was a lot of camaraderie that was built. You’re trying to build a party that has a purpose for a candidate,” he said.