CHICAGO, IL (WENY) -- Monday officially kicked off the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where the party will formally nominate Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

There are close to 5,000 delegates from all over the country; people chosen by their party to represent their state at the DNC. At least four of them are in the Southern Tier, who will pledge their support later this week for Harris to formally be the party nominee. 

For Steuben County Democratic Party chairman Shawn Hogan, he's attended each convention since the mid 1990's.

"This is my 7th convention. And I've never felt the enthusiasm, other than Obama, than I feel today so I feel it bodes well for the democrats up and down the ballot and hopefully we'll be successful, we have to get out and work," Hogan said.

Hogan's first convention was in 1996, and the last time the convention was held in Chicago. While elected during the presidential primary to serve as a delegate for President Joe Biden, he says New York's delegation is throwing its full support behind Kamala Harris. 

"Obviously it was the Biden-Harris ticket, we were all delegates committed to Biden, but he released all of the delegates and we all unanimously supported Kamala Harris," Hogan said.

Hogan is joined by other Steuben County Democrats, Hilda Lando and Margie Lawlor. It's their second DNC, but their first in person, after the 2020 DNC was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"This is very exciting because we're here, and there's thousands of people we're all of a like mind, and it's very interesting and very exciting, it hasn't even started yet and we're excited," said Lando. 

The delegates say they were honored to be elected by their fellow democrats in the 23rd Congressional District to represent their home district at this national event, and make history by doing so.

"It's very exciting to know that we knocked on doors to get signatures, me, Hilda, and Shawn, two weeks before Christmas, out in the snow, and here we are as part of making a historic nomination of the first woman of color to be nominated for President of the United States," said Lawlor. 

Tioga County Democrat Max Della Pia is at the DNC for the first time. He says it's a responsibility to support the Harris-Walz ticket, but also bring the energy from the convention back to the Southern Tier, and encourage people to get out and vote. 

"We're looking for each county and every democrat to work hard to get people out to vote because that's the future of our democracy that's at stake and we really need people to do that," Della Pia said.

On Thursday, the pledged delegates will formally nominate Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party choice for President. 

The local delegates on Monday all expressed a note of sadness that President Joe Biden made the decision to step aside, and not seek a second term in office. However, they all said the move to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris has created such a buzz that they look forward to standing behind her with the support of the Democratic Party.