US Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the “required number” of delegate votes in the Democratic Party to run for president, according to US media reports.

Harris announced in a statement on Monday night that she had received enough support from Democratic delegates to become the party’s nominee for the next presidential election, noting that she looked forward to formally accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention next month.

US media reported that the majority of the nearly 4,000 Democratic delegates tasked with officially selecting the party’s nominee have already announced their intention to support Harris.

The Democratic Party will begin its four-day national convention in Chicago on 19 August, where it will formally nominate its presidential candidate.