Final discussion and vote on Delegate Selection Rules
Rule 20 & 21- A Florida representative complained that the rules don’t provide clear guidance and objective standards re “provable positive steps” needed to obtain a waiver of DNC Rules, including those regarding calendar. The proposed new language to para 20(c)(7) changing requirement to three steps, not all five. Rule 20(b) sets forth steps: Drafting of corrective legislation, endorsement of legislation by state party, education of public, active support, and encouraging consideration of legislation. This proposal would make it easier to argue for a waiver, but does not make the process any more “objective.” The proposal would not apply to only Florida, but perhaps make it easier for any state to cut in front of the line and reject the calender we are about to approve. This is a bad idea, introduced late, which the RBC properly rejected (after too much discussion). After the 2012 election, the RBC will revisit calendar issues (appropropriately so).
The RBC unanimously voted to adopt the rules. Note that the DNC staff is evaluating Cleveland, Charlotte, Minneapolis, and St. Louis as the site for the 2012 convention. I will be posting on tomorrow’s final vote, other DNC activities, and some interesting things about St. Louis. The RBC will next meet to draft the regulations for the Delegate Selection Rules – these must be adopted by the end of the year and transmitted to state parties, so they can begin drafting the state delegate selection plans.
The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee met today to finalize the 2012 Democratic National Convention Call and Delegate Selection Rules. They will be voted on at tomorrow’s DNC General Meeting. I will post the final documents this weekend.
Stages – 1: 1st tuesday in March to March 31, 2: April 1 to April 30; 3: May 1 to June 12
States who move to stage 2 get 10%, stage 3 20%; states that stay back – 5% for stage 2 0r 10% b0nus for stage 3
Regional cluster bonus – 15% – only if contests cheduled after the first Tuesday in March
Proposed change – 10 or 20% bonus whether move or stay ; cluster only if 3rd tuesday in March
Increases in delegate numbers — Approach 1 would result in an increase of 100 to 700 delegates; Approach 2 would result in an increase of 200 – 800. This is on on top of the draft Call’s 3,700 delegates, which has been increased from 3,000 delegates.
15% is added on top of staging bonus under draft – revised to apply the percentages to the current base vote (additive, not compounded)
Potential max vote increases of 45% – may actually encourage states to move back and cluster. GOP requires states to move later if they want to retain the winner take all – otherwise delegate allocation is proportional.
“Adjoining state” – to be defined in regulations (to deal with, e.g., HI and ME).
Issue – changes will distort process to benefit states with Democratic governors/legislatures who can implement DNC rules. But – the process is distorted because early states get disproportionate attention; incentives for moving back increases relative the states receive.
Proposed change adopted (10% or 20% if move or stay; 15% cluster bonus only if after 3rd Tuesday in March).
Also proposed change (I, E) so territories (American Samoa, Guam, and Virgin Islands), Democrats Abroad – no longer get 1/2 votes – change to all full voting delegates (and double the number of delegates). Concern raised that these are small entities and don’t actually vote for President. Noted that these people are citizens. Change approved.
Article 7 — Discussion re raising minority report threshold from 20% to 25% or 30%. Last minority report was 1992. But note that in 1980, there were 50 minority reports, but many were withdraw by agreement of Carter and Kennedy campaigns. Support for increase in threshold to avoid peripheral, frivolous issues that, by definition, our nominee doesn’t want. Proposal to increase to 25% approved.
The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee convened today to finalize the draft Call to the 2012 Democratic Convention and consider a proposed charter amendment. The RBC will take a final vote on the Delegate Selection Rules and Call in St. Louis on August 19 at 12:30 pm and forward to the full DNC for consideration on August 20.
Co-Chair Roosevelt announced that the RNC adopted a delegate selection timing rule that tracks the proposed DNC schedule.
The proposed Charter Amendment would reflect one of the changes re super delegates (specifically, elimination of the unpledged add-on delegate positions). The RBC endorsed it and it will be voted on by the DNC Executive Committee and then the DNC in St. Louis. Read the rest of this entry »
This weekend, the Republican National Committee adopted a rule providing for a 2012 Delegate Selection calendar which mirrors the proposed DNC rule. See Steele Memorandum. Specifically, RNC Rule 15 allows for February dates for NH, IA, SC, and NV, with other states to hold contests after the second Tuesday in March. The RNC rule is contingent on the DNC adopting the same schedule, and assuming it does so at its upcoming August meeting, the stage is set for moving back – and spreading out – the 2012 primary process. Neither the DNC nor the RNC, of course, actually control contest dates – state parties, and more importantly state governments, typically fix primary dates. But the parties now have an opportunity to work together with the state governments to move back the contest dates of about 30 states.
The RNC Rules change also provides for proportional representation for March primaries only – this may also draw out the process. (The DNC has required proportional representation for all contests for years). The proposal actually received only 103 of 144 votes, barely reaching the required 2/3 majority. Some Republicans apparently were concerned that a more drawn out process would put them at a disadvantage because Democrats would quickly unite around President Obama. Maybe, but the Democrats’ drawn out 2008 process didn’t hurt them. You can speculate about short term effects on different candidates, but a process that gets fully underway in March and allows more states to participate meaningfully is good public policy.
The DNC will hold its 2010 Summer Meeting in St. Louis on August 19-20. The DNC will hold general, regional caucus, and constituency group meetings, adopt its 2012 National Convention Call and Delegate Selection Plan, and consider the attached resolutions. I’ll be posting from St. Louis.
Economic recovery, small business, education; anniversaries of Medicare and the Americans with Disabilities Act; and Republicans block the DISCLOSE Act.
Wall Street Reform and Government Waste Reduction. If folks would quit hating and evaluate what this administration has accomplished, they would be impressed.
The Democratic National Committee is holding its summer meeting in St. Louis on August 18 and 19. Below are the agenda, an update on the 2012 Rules process, and a DNC Charter amendment. The primary work of the meeting will be to adopt the 2012 Call to Convention and Delegate Selection Plan. The Charter amendment implements one of the delegate selection changes – the elimination of 80 unpledged, add-on delegate positions. (We will tell the full story of the unpledged, add-on delegates at some point). St. Louis is also one of the cities (along with Cleveland, Charlotte, and Minneapolis) under consideration for the 2012 convention. See DemConWatch for the latest on the site selection process. I hope that we have a visit from my law school classmate and the next Senator from Missouri Robin Carnahan. I plan to attend and post from the meeting.
Wall Street reform, economic recovery, and the following statement on the DNC Rules and Bylaws Commitee on the 2012 National Convention Delegate Selection Plan. (see recent posts for coverage of the meeting).
2012 Presidential Nominating Process: Last weekend, members of the DNC‘s Rules and Bylaws Committee made progress toward finalizing the Party‘s delegate selection rules for the 2012 Presidential nominating process. The new rules recommended by the Rules and Bylaws Committee would increase the number of delegates elected by the states, District of Columbia, and territories – increasing their influence at the Democratic National Convention and giving grassroots activists across the country even more opportunities to participate in the Presidential nominating process. The new rules will be put to a vote before the full DNC membership at the DNC‘s August meeting in St. Louis. Following the Rules and Bylaws Committee vote to recommend the rules, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine said:
―I applaud the significant improvements to the presidential nominating process recommended this weekend by the Democratic National Committee‘s Rules and Bylaws Committee, which builds on the work of our Democratic Change Commission. These new provisions represent an important step towards increasing grassroots activists‘ involvement in our presidential nominating process. They guarantee that Democratic primary voters and caucus participants will have a larger voice in the nomination of our Party‘s presidential candidate, while at the same time respecting the important role that party leaders play in our nominating and political processes. Perhaps most importantly, the new rules open up the nominating process to even greater participation. I want to thank the RBC and the Democratic Change Commission for working so diligently on these important issues and focusing on ways to strengthen our Party and the presidential nominating process.
August 19, 2010 
Posted in 2012 Convention, DNC, News, Rules 
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