In a unique departure from tradition, Vice President Kamala Harris was officially declared the Democratic presidential nominee nearly two weeks prior to the party’s convention in a virtual vote, a first in history. The lack of customary celebrations and fanfare during the remote selection process left party delegates feeling a sense of detachment from the momentous occasion.

To inject a sense of festivity and normalcy back into the nomination process, Democratic party leaders have organized a ceremonial vote at the Democratic National Convention commencing in Chicago on Monday. The highlight of the agenda will be a symbolic reenactment of the presidential nomination vote that occurred earlier in August. This roll-call vote is set to emulate the lively and spirited atmosphere typical of in-person party conventions spanning nearly two centuries.

Dubbed the “celebratory Roll Call” by the Democratic National Committee, this event aims to provide delegates with an opportunity to rejoice in the historic nomination of Harris, a woman of color leading a major party’s presidential ticket. Delegates will converge on the convention floor Tuesday to cast their symbolic votes in a format mirroring traditional roll calls, albeit with modern stylistic elements and state-themed musical accompaniments.

The roll-call vote sequence will predominantly follow an alphabetical order of state delegations, with some deviations crafted to underscore the transition of leadership from President Joe Biden to Vice President Harris and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz. While a protest vote may surface during the ceremonious roll call, it will hold no sway over the previous official nomination results that solidified Harris’s candidacy.

The convention will feature symbolic acceptances of the presidential and vice presidential nominations by Harris and Walz, respectively, through keynote speeches. Although the official vice presidential nominee is customarily chosen by acclamation at the convention, this year’s selection process deviated slightly due to virtual proceedings.

To ensure compliance with Ohio’s ballot deadline, the Democratic National Committee opted to hold the nomination vote before the convention, a strategic move to avoid potential obstacles in Ohio. Despite the unconventional virtual nomination process and reduced in-person festivities, the convention is anticipated to showcase the diversity and spirit of America through multimedia presentations.