What to expect on Night 1 of the RNC

President Donald Trump speaks on stage during the first day of the Republican National Committee convention on Monday in Charlotte. Evan Vucci/AP

President Trump, a television producer at heart, is hoping for a convention this week that looks vastly different from the all-digital event Democrats have staged over the past days — including an emphasis on live programming and at least some type of audience who can respond to the multiple appearances he is planning.

Calling aides at all hours from Air Force One or the White House residence, Trump has conveyed last-minute ideas on venues or gimmicks and demanded progress reports on the speakers he wants during his nominating extravaganza, which he hopes will provide a boost to his poll numbers.

Early drafts of his nomination acceptance speech closely resemble two previous addresses that delved heavily in the divisive culture wars that Trump has aggressively stoked: his first convention speech in 2016, where he declared "I alone can fix" the country's ailments, and his July 4 address at Mount Rushmore, which seized upon recent racial strife to hammer a "law and order" message.

Even amid a national pandemic that has severely limited Republicans' ability to party, the convention ordered up by the President will still contain moments that are designed both to surprise viewers and trigger outrage from Trump's opponents — both defining features of Trump's political style.

Depending on how the election turns out in November — and how Republicans reshape themselves if the President loses —this week's proceedings could reflect either the last gasp of that brand of politics or an illustration of the new GOP formed in his image.

A member of the Georgia delegation walks out with their delegation placard after the vote on the first day of the Republican National Convention, Monday, August 24, in Charlotte. Chris Carlson/AP

Donald Trump was unanimously renominated by the Republican National Convention to be the party’s nominee for president in November.

All 2,550 delegates were able to cast their votes, though many were done via proxy. Each state and territory was offered six in-person spots at the convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Nevada cast the votes that put the President over the top at the convention.

Florida skipped their alphabetical spot. The state would have needed to cast their votes between Nebraska and Nevada to formally give the President enough votes to win the nomination during the roll call.

Instead, the Sunshine State cast their votes after South Dakota, immediately before the President spoke. In the announcement of their votes, Florida GOP Chairman Joe Gruters called the President, “our new favorite son,” acknowledging Trump’s change of formal residence from New York to Florida in 2019.

Here's some notable speakers who cast their state’s votes:

Republicans from all over the country are about to kick off night one of the Republican National Convention with a theme focused around the “Land of Promise.”

The convention begins as the first polls since last week’s Democratic National Convention show Joe Biden has gained popularity, but hasn’t widened his lead over Donald Trump.

CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf, alongside Leyla Santiago and Kelly Mena, gave a preview of what to expect in the nights ahead and took viewers' questions.

Watch:

Read more about why the US still has political conventions and what will happen in 2020 here.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence give a thumbs up after speaking during the first day of the Republican National Convention Monday, August 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chris Carlson/AP

The first day of the Republican National Convention kicked off in Charlotte, North Carolina, this morning – the city initially chosen to host the event – for an in-person event before moving the rest of the production to the nation's capital. 

The formal presidential nomination process was attended by six delegates from each state and territory, amounting to a total of 336 delegates, according to the RNC. RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel presided over the nomination process, which concluded with Donald Trump and Mike Pence being formally nominated as the party's nominee for President and vice president.

Trump and Pence appeared at the roll call in North Carolina to thank delegates.

Pence briefly addressed a friendly, fired-up crowd of delegates at the RNC ahead of Trump’s appearance.

A Trump victory, he said, will make America great again, again.

He called on the delegates to help with down-ballot races, and said the economy, law and order, freedom, and free markets are “on the ballot” this year, urging them to mobilize, phone bank, and door knock.

He thanked the delegates “for the honor of this day” and said he’d be speaking more about the nomination at Fort McHenry later this week.

Trump had voting on his mind Monday morning as he addressed his convention, kicking off his first remarks for the week with dark messaging lamenting the 2016 election and railing against mail-in voting, continuing to cast doubt on the election’s results.

“Now if you really want to drive them crazy, you say 12 more years,” he said as an enthusiastic crowd of delegates chanted “four more years.”

“Because,” he continued, “We caught them doing some really bad things in 2016. Let’s see what happens. We caught them doing some really bad things. We have to be very careful because they’re trying it again, this whole 80 million mail-in ballots that they’re working on. Sending them out to people that didn’t ask for them. They didn’t ask, they just get them, and it’s not fair, and it’s not right, and it’s not going to be possible to tabulate, in my opinion.”

There is no evidence that former President Barack Obama spied on Trump's campaign. You can read CNN's most recent mail-in voting fact checks here.

Still, Trump went on to claim Democrats "are trying to do it with the whole post office scam, they'll blame it on the post office. You can see them setting it up. Be very careful and watch it very carefully."

He closed his remarks with another warning about how important the election will be while telling the delegates not to “let them take it away from you.”

“Be very, very careful. This is going to be, and I really believe this, this is the most important election in the history of our country. Don't let them take it away from you. Don't let them take it away,” Trump said.

Trump's formal acceptance speech will happen remotely Thursday from the White House.

Watch: