For the first time in almost 30 years, Chicago will host the Democratic National Convention this August. With a record 25 Republican and Democratic conventions under its belt, the city is gearing up again for a frenzy of politicians, activists and volunteers to descend on its streets. To answer any pressing questions about the upcoming convention, the RoundTable created a crash course on what to expect.
What is the DNC?
Every four years, Democratic leaders, politicians and activists convene at the DNC to officially nominate the party’s presidential candidate. This year, it will be held from Aug. 19 to 22 at the United Center, where delegates from all 50 states and U.S. territories will nominate President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for re-election. The convention is also a celebration of the values, achievements and future of the Democratic Party, according to the DNC website.
The event is planned by the the Democratic National Convention Committee in collaboration with the 2024 Chicago Host Committee. Rachel Ruttenberg, the board president of the Democratic Party of Evanston, is Evanston’s neighborhood ambassador to the DNC. As an ambassador, Ruttenberg acts as a liaison between the DPOE and the Chicago Host Committee, helping Evanstonians get involved and excited about the upcoming event.
For information on DNC events, transportation, accessibility and logistics, visit demconvention.com.
What’s the deal with the delegates? Who will be representing Evanstonians?
This is where things get a bit complicated. Delegates are people – usually activists and leaders in the party – who choose their party’s presidential nominee. Similar to the electoral college, a presidential candidate is nominated by delegates, not the popular vote. In Illinois, voters select their delegates during the primary.
There’s two types of delegates who will be voting at the convention – pledged delegates, who must vote for the winner of the state’s primary or caucus (Biden), and unpledged delegates, who can support any candidate, regardless of primary results. At the DNC, unpledged delegates can only vote in the second round of voting.
Illinois has 177 delegates in total – 147 who are pledged and 30 who are unpledge –including Evanston’s State Sen. Laura Fine, State Rep. Robyn Gabel and Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita. All Democratic governors, members of congress and former presidents serve as unpledged delegates, including Evanston’s own congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky.
Why Chicago?
Stationed between multiple battleground states, Chicago is the Midwest’s liberal nucleus – a city that has led Illinois to vote blue in every presidential election since 1988.
In 2020, the “blue wall,” including Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota, were critical to Biden’s victory, making Illinois, and thus Chicago, a critical part of Biden’s campaign. Based on this ideology, and a variety of logistical factors like transportation, infrastructure and accessibility, the convention committee selected Chicago as its 2024 host.
What’s the significance of Chicago hosting?
In 1860, Republicans gathered in Chicago for the first time to nominate their presidential candidate, Abraham Lincoln. Since then, Chicago has become a political mecca. The city has hosted more political conventions than any other city in the nation, including the infamous DNC of 1968, marked by violent police crackdowns on demonstrators protesting the Vietnam war.
In many ways, the context of this year’s convention mirrors that of 1968. The Vietnam War fueled the 1968 convention protests, powered by young people like the students who effectively shut down Columbia University earlier that year.
Now, 56 years later, protests against the war in Gaza ignited campuses across the country this spring, with Columbia again taking center stage. The 1968 demonstrations also involved the ongoing civil rights movement and the recent assassination Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, Democrats are expressing their frustration over a perceived step back in civil and human rights, including the Supreme Court’s repeal of Roe v. Wade and affirmative action.
But Chicago leadership looks vastly different today than it once did. In 1968, Mayor Richard J. Daley denied protest permits to activist groups and called nearly 12,000 police officers, 15,000 troops from the Army National Guard and 1,000 Secret Service agents to the DNC for five days.
Protesters, reporters and volunteer doctors were brutally beaten by police, who often used tear gas and clubs. By the end of the convention, 589 people were arrested and more than 200 police and protesters were injured.
Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson says he’s far more tolerant of political unrest. He recently said he supports demonstrators’ right to protest, noting his background as a labor union organizer and leader of demonstrations.
“I understand the value of being able to express your political beliefs or ideas in order to move a government. That’s why I’m mayor,” Johnson said at an event in May.
However, in the wake of pro-Palestinian campus encampments and amid polarizing political climate, Johnson’s role is complicated. Multiple protest groups have already filed federal lawsuits and sued the city for denying protest permits again this time around. This past Wednesday, Chicago officials struck a deal with some protest organizers to allow demonstrations on Michigan Avenue.
The Chicago Tribune headline sums it up best: “‘This will not be 1968.’ Chicago police prepare for DNC as whole world watches once again.”
What role do Chicago and Evanston play?
As the host city, Chicago will be welcoming around 50,000 politicians, activists and citizens from all over the nation, according to the DNC website. The event will undoubtedly generate revenue for the city – the most recent in-person DNC was in Philadelphia in 2016, which created more than $230 million for the local economy. Chicago is very much leaning into the host role and is good at it, Schakowsky said.
“A lot of people will want to come because it will be so exciting as a political event, but also as a place to enjoy a great city,” she said, noting that Chicago is home to not only the convention, but also a plethora of restaurants, accommodations, sports teams, museums and other attractions.
Only 12 miles from the United Center, Evanston will play an important role, as well, Schakowsky said. With a need to house, feed and entertain the 50,000 people traveling to the area, Schakowsky hopes Evanston’s 9,000 businesses will benefit.
“This is going to be a great time for Chicago and the surrounding areas. We’re going to absolutely be on the world stage,” she said. “I am very optimistic that it’s going to be a convention like we had in 1996, which was spectacular.”
So, what does this mean for Evanstonians?
During the week of Aug. 19, you may not find a seat on the L. In fact, you may have to wait a bit longer for a table at your favorite local restaurant, too. But most importantly, Evanstonians have the opportunity to engage with one of the biggest events of the summer and take advantage of it, said Ruttenberg, Evanston’s DNC neighborhood ambassador.
“Famously, President Obama was an up and coming, emerging leader when he spoke at the DNC back in the day, and the rest is history,” she said. “It can often be an exciting glimpse into the future of the Democratic Party and folks who people might be excited about in future election cycles.”
The convention not only brings in key political players, but also those fighting for issues they care about, said Schakowsky, who is particularly looking forward to involvement from young people and Evanstonians.
“This will be a time for close up and personal history happening in our town and in our community,” she said. “This is the most significant, consequential, important election, certainly in the last century. This is the most significant history of our lifetime. The stakes are very high. The contrasts between the candidates could not be sharper. My view is that the election is a choice between fascism and freedom. It’s really important for people to become engaged.”
How can I get involved?
There are a number of ways Evanstonians can take advantage of the DNC coming to town, first and foremost by volunteering.
Volunteers will be filling a variety of roles, including helping guests check in and navigate both the DNC and the city of Chicago. People interested in helping out can apply directly through the Host Committee’s website. The application closes Monday, July 1.
Ruttenberg also encouraged Evanstonians to get involved in the DPOE’s new initiative, Operation Swing State, in which volunteers will take buses to Wisconsin and Michigan to knock on doors and talk to voters.
This is an incredibly exciting time for Democratic politics, Ruttenberg said.
“I want Evanstonians to be proud that we’re hosting the convention in our region,” she said, “and [we’re] able to share all the wonderful, progressive values and leaders we have grown in our area.”
To get involved with the DNC and/or Operation Swing State, contact the Democratic Party of Evanston at info@evanstondems.com. Applications to volunteer for the DNC are due July 1, 2024. Applications can also be accessed directly on the Host Committee’s website.
An Evanstonian’s guide to the 2024 Democratic National Convention is from Evanston RoundTable, Evanston’s most trusted source for unbiased, in-depth journalism.
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June 29, 2024 at 03:08PM
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