Kamala Harris clinches Democratic ticket for US presidential election

US Vice-President Kamala Harris has been formally nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate ahead of the election.

Harris became the nominee on Friday after securing the support of 2,350 delegates, the threshold required to earn the nomination.

Although the online voting process—known as a virtual roll call—does not formally end until Monday, Jaime Harrison, Democratic national committee chairperson, said Harris had garnered the needed number of votes to clinch the party’s ticket.

Harris said she will formally accept the nomination next week after the virtual roll call is complete.

The US vice-president had already secured the support of a majority of Democratic delegates, including former President Barack Obama after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, which set her on course to become the nominee of the party.

This means Harris will become the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead a major-party ticket.

Biden said one of the best decisions he made was picking Harris as his vice president.

“Now that she will be our party’s nominee, I couldn’t be prouder,” he said.

The US vice president is expected to name her running mate on Monday.