The group of 108 voting delegates from Georgia includes party leaders, state elected officials, activists, students, teachers and business owners. Some have years of political experience, while others are just starting out.

Devin Pandy, chairman of the Hall County Democrats, said the delegation reflects the diversity of the state, drawing from every region, race, gender and life experiences. As a disabled veteran, Afro-Latino man and first-time delegate, he checks off many of those boxes.

“We just wanted to make sure that we reflected the people that we are asking our leaders to represent,” Pandy said.

For Thelma Johnson of Albany, the opportunity to support Harris as the Democratic nominee represents her “ancestors’ wildest dream.” Johnson, 55, has worked on several political campaigns over the years and believes that because Harris was already on the ticket, it was a natural progression for her to step up when Biden stepped down.

“I ran to be a delegate to support Joe Biden, and I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be a delegate there being able to cast my vote for what could possibly be the first woman of color president of the United States of America,” Johnson said.

Other delegates told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Harris’ nomination shows Black women that they can run for high-ranking political positions, that the younger generation has a place in politics, and that America’s diversity is something to be celebrated.

Marcus Flowers, the former candidate for Congress whose profile rose after he ran against U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, said he is looking forward to watching Harris’ acceptance speech live in the United Center.

“I think she’s a phenomenal leader,” the Bremen resident said. “I think she’s accomplished a whole lot in her life. And I really think it’s time to elect our first female president.”

Nakita Hemingway, who became the first Black female Democratic nominee for agriculture commissioner in the state in 2022, explained that she often asked herself why before deciding to run. She believes women are frequently the most qualified candidates but don’t get the opportunity to run for high-level political positions. For her, Harris symbolizes progress.

“She’s giving hope to candidates like myself and the ones that are coming after to say, ‘Why not you? You’re good enough, so step up,’ ” said Hemingway, 48, of Loganville.

For Prachitha “Prach” Porika, 24, of Cumming, who was born in India and moved to the United States at age 2, having Harris as the nominee means seeing someone who looks like her on the ballot. Harris embodies the American dream her parents pursued when they relocated, she said.

With Harris leading the Democratic Party with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, the presidential race has seen some shifts. Amin Ghoneim, 28, of Suwannee said Harris has reshaped the race, creating a “future-versus-past dynamic.” He said she has brought an optimistic energy to the party and the upcoming election.

Ghoneim worked with the Biden campaign in 2019 before eventually joining Electica, a digital ad firm that partners with liberal candidates and organizations. He described the passing of the torch to Harris as a hopeful continuity of some of Biden’s policies and said he looks forward to hearing the president speak at the convention.

“It was a bittersweet moment (when Biden dropped out) because on the one hand, you’re very proud of a kind of noble decision that puts the country and the party first, but you’re sad to see go who I believe is the best president of my lifetime,” Ghoneim said.

Biden withdrew from the race after a disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump on CNN, which cast doubt on his ability to serve due to his age. Porika and Ghoneim are among many young delegates excited to see a younger candidate on the ballot. Harris will turn 60 in November.

Blake Robinson, 21, of Valdosta thinks his youth set him apart when running to become a delegate in the 8th Congressional District. He looks forward to connecting with other delegates in their 20s and early 30s to discuss how the party can attract young voters who have distanced themselves from the Democrats for various reasons, including disagreements over the Israel-Hamas war and concerns about the cost of living and public safety.

Robinson, a graduate student at Georgia State University and chair of the Young Democrats of Georgia Rural Caucus, said he believes Harris and Waltz have the potential to unite voters who were previously on the fence.

“For a lot of folks who originally have never voted, do not care to vote, have never been involved in politics, they’re starting to look at this and go, ‘Hey, this is historic. This is incredible,’ ” he said. “I think this has brought a lot of people off the couch and off the sidelines.”

And then there are the delegates such as Calvin Smyre, the former dean of the Georgia Legislature who is serving as a delegate for the 12th time. He’s been to every Democratic convention since 1980.

Smyre, who lives in Columbus, said he thinks there will be something special about this one.

“It’s just been so much energy and so much excitement,” he said. “And one of the missing poles and missing pieces in the Democratic tent has been the youth vote and the galvanizing of young people. And it appears to me that this campaign has lit the fire under them.”

DELEGATE VS. SUPERDELEGATE

Voters in every state and territory cast ballots for their preferred presidential candidate during the primary season. But it is the delegates who formally select their party’s nominees.

Both parties select delegates that cast the official votes for their party’s nominees based on the outcome of the primaries and their party rules.

But Democrats also have a separate category of unpledged delegates, formerly known as “superdelegates.” These unpledged delegates include all Democratic governors, U.S. senators and U.S. House members, current and former Democratic National Committee chairs, and former presidents.

Superdelegates only participate in the party nomination process if multiple rounds of balloting are needed to select a candidate. Vice President Kamala Harris secured the nomination on the first ballot with only voting delegates participating.

In total, Democrats have about 3,900 voting delegates and 700 “superdelegates.”

Source: The Associated Press