Because it's 2020, nothing about this US election campaign will be normal.

That includes the conventions, which are due to kick-off next week.

Delayed from July in the hopes the coronavirus pandemic would be under control (spoiler — it's not), America's major political parties have been forced into a last-minute scramble to salvage something from their marquee events.

So, what's happened to the huge crowds, roaring speeches from Joe Biden and Donald Trump, rowdy back-room meetings and obligatory balloon drops for 2020? Here's what we know.

Officially, they're the event when the Democratic and Republican parties nominate their chosen candidate for president at the upcoming election.

It's also where a lot of other important (but rather boring) stuff happens behind the scenes, like working out a policy platform and determining rules for how the next primary contest should play out.

Unofficially, they're a huge spectacle where thousands of faithful gather to hear from party stars over four nights of events, capped off with a grand acceptance speech from the nominee (which of course, finishes with balloons).

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-12/how-the-coronavirus-democratic-republican-conventions-will-look/12541748