Skip to content

Rules

DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee – Conference Call – 8/12/2010

  • by

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 More »DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee – Conference Call – 8/12/2010

DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee – July 10, 2010 – # 1 Frontloading

  • by

The Committee reviewed the draft Call – Articles 1-5, to be completed (Articles 6-8) at August 18 meeting.

But first – clarified that unpledged delegates must declare their presidential preference, but “uncommitted” is a presidential preference.

Call Article 1 – Distribution of Delegate Votes– allocation among states, assignment of alternates, and discussion of “bonus delegates,” e.g., to reward states for moving back in the process.   Changes – increase number from 3000 to 3700 delegates, bonus delegates, eliminate add-on unpledged delegates, change alternate allocation to 1 alternate per 12 delegates: if a candidate meets a threshold in a state, but no alternates are available, DNC may award additional alternates.Read More »DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee – July 10, 2010 – # 1 Frontloading

Election Reform

Sorry to see the American Enterprise Institute/Brookings Institution Election Reform Project come to a close.  There was always interesting information in their newsletters, which I… Read More »Election Reform

DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee Meeting UPDATE

The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee is meeting today at the Capital Hilton in DC.  Here are the highlights, which I will update over the course of the afternoon.

Patrice Taylor set forth the calendar for now to 2012 (to be posted later).  The RBC will meet today and tomorrow and then on July 9-10, 2010 in DC to finalize the Convention Call, which will be approved at the DNC meeting in St. Louis on August 21, 2010.

DNC Co-Chair James Roosevelt reported that the RNC Committee on delegate selection had issued at least an initial report. The Committee’s proposed calendar tracks the DNC Change Commission recommendations – only IA, NH, SC, NV may have primaries/caucuses in February, others must be in March or later. To encourage early processes, in contests held before April, delegates will be awarded on proportional basis, not winner take all has been their usual procedure. (All Democratic contests are proportional, of course.)

The RBC then reviewed the proposed rules seriatum, and then approved or decided to discuss in more detail later.  [periodic updates to follow.]

UPDATE #1 :Clarified that votes taken today are “final,” but can still be amended between now and the final adoption of the whole set of rules.  (I will post draft rules ater today.)  The draft rules have the same structure as the 2008 rules.  Specific rules addressed below.Read More »DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee Meeting UPDATE

DNC Change Commission Report

Hot of the presses!  Here’s the report of the DNC Change Commission which recommends pushing back early primary and caucus dates and clustering states, making superdelegates pledged to candidates, and improving caucuses.  The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee will consider the recommendations and incorporate them (as appropriate) in the 2012 Democratic National Convention Delegate Selection Plan.   Chairman Kaine’s cover letter is below the fold. 

  DNC Change Commission Report (513.3 KiB, 1,605 hits)

Read More »DNC Change Commission Report

DNC Change Commission Adopts Report

  • by

The DNC Change Commission held its final (hour-long) meeting this afternoon (by conference call).  The Commission approved a draft report that recommends converting most automatic unpledged “superdelegates” to pledged delegates who will fill slots reflecting the voter preferences in their state’s primary or caucuses – thus becoming automatic, pledged, voting convention delegates.  The DNC Rules and Bylaws Commission (RBC) will consider the Commission’s report and then forward proposed delegate selection rules to the DNC for action later in 2010. Read More »DNC Change Commission Adopts Report

DNC Change Commission Nears Completion of Its Work

The DNC Change Commission held its final in-person meeting today in Washington DC.  The Commission discussed draft findings and recommendations regarding the timing of primaries/caucuses, the role of super delegates, and caucus issues.  The Commission will have a conference call prior to December 31, 2009 to complete its report.  The report will then go to the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) which will consider the Commission’s recommendations when the RBC drafts the 2012 Delegate Selection rules. Read More »DNC Change Commission Nears Completion of Its Work

DNC Change Commission # 3 – Caucuses

  • by

The 2008 caucus process generated an unusual amount of attention and controversy, largely because far more people participated in these processes than had ever done so in the past.  Those who favor having caucuses instead of primaries in their states argue that a mix of caucuses and primaries is appropriate, candidates can have more direct contact with caucus attendees and engage in “retail politics,” and caucus participants become Democratic activists.  Those of us who participated in caucuses (which we used in Virginia for decades until 2004) think that caucuses can be confusing to voters and severely limit participation. But the folks in Iowa and other states like their caucuses, they have long been part of the nomination process, and they will continue to be an option.Read More »DNC Change Commission # 3 – Caucuses