Democrats took their roll call on the road this year, turning a mostly sleepy procedural moment into a heartwarming, virtual tour of the United States of America.
Convention roll calls — when each state comes forward and announces how many delegates they are awarding to each candidate — are known for being lengthy and sometimes tedious during the in-person event, as each state likes to use their brief speaking time to talk up their state.
But this year’s Democratic National Convention announced their delegate allocation with a video showing stunning views, personal stories, and even a few cows, as representatives of the state delegations took home viewers on a rapid tour of the country.
Representatives of the California delegation talked about ending pollution while standing on a windy beach, while Rhode Island became a prompt fan favorite when they stood on a beach and showed off a large platter of fried calamari.
“The calamari comeback state of Rhode Island casts one vote for Bernie Sanders and 34 votes for the next president, Joe Biden,” said Rhode Island’s representative.
For isolated Americans, it was a refreshing spin around the country.
A young woman in Montana saw plain winds overpowering her audio briefly while cows grazed behind her unaware of the national audience. Representatives from New Mexico and South Dakota’s delegations spoke Indigenous languages and English, while Puerto Rico’s representative made his remarks in Spanish, with English captions.
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., stood outside Biden’s childhood home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, announcing that state’s tally.
In Louisiana, a little boy holding a sign showing Biden’s famous aviator sunglasses won the Internet’s heart.
Some states elevated rising stars — South Carolina’s delegates were announced by the state’s Democratic Senate candidate Jaime Harrison — while others recalled tragic moments in the country’s history. In Florida, Parkland parent Fred Guttenberg spoke about how his daughter was murdered in a school shooting in 2018 and highlighted Biden’s record on gun control.
In Wyoming, the roll call was announced by the parents of Matthew Shephard, a young gay man who was tortured and murdered in 1998.
“Joe understands more than most our grief over Matt’s death, but we see in Joe so much of what made Matt’s life special — his commitment to equality, his passion for social justice, and his boundless compassion for others,” Shepard’s father, Dennis, said.
Iowa’s representatives spoke about a powerful storm that ravaged the state, asking for support.
“We also want to ask you to keep Iowans in your thoughts during this difficult time,” one of the the Iowa representatives said.
Standing by the Edmund Pettus Bridge where the late Rep. John Lewis was beaten for marching for voting rights, Alabama’s Rep. Terri A. Sewell called for the restoration of the Voting Rights Act while crickets roared in the background.
“The great state of Alabama casts 52 votes for the next president of these united states, Joe Biden!” she said.
Vice Presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., was a fan, too, according to husband Doug Emhoff’s tweet.
Delaware wrapped up the roll call at the train station that has marked Biden’s career, and his frequent commute, as Biden heard the news while “Celebration” played in the background.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you all,” Biden said. “I’ll see you all on Thursday.”
