DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee Takes Up the 2024 Nominating Calendar

2022 Election Cycle [2024 Activity] « DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee Takes Up the 2024 Nominating Calendar

Democrats' Continue to Work on Schedule for Early Primaries in the 2024 Presidential Nominating Process

Party May Scrap FITN Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire Primary

(ema, revised Aug. 6, 2022) On April 13, 2022 the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) passed a resolution "on the principles and framework of a transparent and fair review of the presidential nominating calendar." The RBC is keeping the March to June primary window, when most contests are held, intact, while focusing on the early "pre-window" or "carve out" states that start off the nominating process. If its work is competed and adopted by the full DNC, the RBC could institute the most significant changes to the Democratic nominting calendar in years.

Since 1972 Iowa and New Hampshire have led off the Democratic nominating process. First-in-the-Nation (FITN) contests in the two states have become a well-established tradition, creating many memorable moments. The current calendar, adopted in 2006 (>) following the work of the DNC's Price-Herman Commission in 2005 (>), begins with four early (pre-window) states: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Iowa and New Hampshire, which play an outsize role by virtue of their position as the first contests, have drawn criticism as not being sufficiently representative (>). [Additionally, the debacle in reporting the results of the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses did not help Iowa's case for going first (>)].

Broadly the RBC resolution calls for "a 2024 presidential nominating calendar that (1) reflects
the principle that our party’s diversity is its strength; (2) puts Democrats in the best position to
win across the ballot in November 2024; and (3) contributes to a fair and sound electoral process." The task of developing the new line up or package of early states for the Democratic nominating calendar is an immense undertaking. In addition to its regular meetings, the RBC held four virtual listening sessions where stakeholders could speak to their concerns and priorities.

The RBC is starting from scratch when it comes to which states will be included in the pre-window period, It will select no more than five early states based on three key criteria or "pillars": diversity, competitiveness and feasibility. Diversity means racial, ethnic, geographic and economic diversity. Competitiveness means the process must produce a nominee who can win in November. Feasibility means there are practical considerations which must be taken into account. For example, iin some states setting or changing the primary date must be approved by the state legislature and might require Republican cooperation. Another example is the concern that including a large state among the early states might tilt the balance towards candidates with more resources and away from grassroots campaigning.

Following on the model of the Price Herman Commission, the RBC invited state parties to apply to hold their primaries early. Twenty state parties applied to hold their primaries in the pre-window period, and in June, after three were cut, 17 made presentations to the RBC. Party leaders spoke for 15 minutes and answered questions for 20 minutes. In July the RBC sent questionnaires to interested states, which were due back on July 15.

Over many hours, members of the RBC discussed and deliberated about what the new pre-window period will look like. Some members argued against "making change just to be making change," noting that the current system has produced a nominee who won the popular vote ever since it was instituted (i.e. 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020). Others argued against "tradition for tradition's sake." Ultimately the goal is to produce the strongest possible Democratic nominee for president. There are lots of moving pieces to consider, not only what states to include in the pre-window, but how many (4 or 5) and in what order.

By the beginning of August, the RBC was considering applications from sixteen states and Puerto Rico seeking to go in the pre-window period. The RBC was set to make a final decision on the early state line-up at its Aug. 5-6 meeting so that the proposal could then be presented to the full DNC for approval at its Fall meeting, Sept. 8-10.

However, in advance of the August meeting, the RBC decided it would postpone consideration of the early state question until after the mid-term elections, saying that "a broad number of states have some questions about election administration and feasibility that can't be answered with certainty until after the midterm elections" and noting "[i]t's important that Democrats remain completely focused on our efforts to elect and reelect Democrats up and down to ticket." The DNC proposes to take up the matter after the mid-terms, using the mechanism of waivers rather than spelling out specific states and dates in the delegate selection rules. Also, it is important to understand that any changes apply to the Democratic process; the RNC is not contemplating changes to its calendar.

______________

Transcript of Opening Remarks the Aug. 5, 2022 RBC Meeting

Co-Chair James Roosevelt, Jr.: ...Minyon and I would like to review the process moving forward to define the presidential nominating calendar. Our commitment has always been to conduct a fair and transparent process, resulting in a calendar that produces the strongest general election candidate for the Democratic Party. Beyond the eight meetings and four public hearings, you have all devoted your time and talent to, Minyon and I have also been directly in touch with state parties to relay your questions and investigate feasibility. These are important and delicate conversations as we don't want to distract from our electoral work with technical issues. As we wrote to you on July 30, we are very pleased with the progress states are making on answering these questions. The answers and additional questions are still in development, but things are definitely moving forward. Minyon?

Co-Chair Minyon Moore: Thanks Jim. That's correct. While much progress has been made, our conversations with our applicants have made clear that a broad number of states have some questions about election administration and feasibility that can't be answered with certainty until after the midterm elections and with the midterms 100 days away, probably less than that now, it's important that Democrats remain completely focused on our efforts to elect and reelect Democrats up and down to ticket. To best prepare our state parties for 2024, we've outlined a process by which we finalize the delegates selection rules and call to the convention so that they can be voted on by the full body in September, but postponed a committee decision on the pre-window lineup until after the midterm elections in November.

We committed to circulating a proposed version of Rule 12.A that sets the window for 2024 primaries, and includes placeholder language making clear that the DNC will vote on a proposed set of waivers soon after the midterm elections. This language was sent to you ahead of today's meeting, and it is also included in your membership package. We will put it on the screen now as well. We also stated that following the midterm elections, we will reconvene to update our evaluation of the applicant pool and work towards a final decision, which I'm sure everyone is anxious about, to present the full DNC for vote, which DNC leadership has assured us that they will make happen as soon as as soon as after the midterm elections— as soon as possible. Before we begin our work on delegate selection rules, I want to stop here and open it up for the session for the pre-window process and Rule 12.A.

______________

Old (2020) and New (adopted Aug. 4, 2022) Rule 12.A of the Delegate Selection Rules

2020 Delegate Selection Rules specified four pre-window states:

No meetings, caucuses, conventions or primaries which constitute the first determining stage in the presidential nomination process (the date of the primary in primary states, and the date of the first tier caucus in caucus states) may be held prior to the first Tuesday in March or after the second Tuesday in June in the calendar year of the national convention. Provided, however, that the Iowa precinct caucuses may be held no earlier than 29 days before the first Tuesday in March; that the New Hampshire priary may be held no earlier than 21 days before the first Tuesday in March; that the Nevada first-tier caucuses may be held no earlier than 10 days before the first Tuesday in March; and that the South Carolina primary may be held no earlier than 3 days before the first Tuesday in March.

2024 Delegate Selection Rules rely on waivers to determine the pre-window states:

No meetings, caucuses, conventions or primaries which constitute the first determining stage in the presidential nomination process (the date of the primary in primary states, and the date of the first tier caucus in caucus states) may be held prior to the first Tuesday in March or after the second Tuesday in June in the calendar year of the national convention. Provided, however, that the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee may provide waivers to State Parties to hold their first determining stage before the window, within the calendar year. All waivers of this rule as approved by the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee are subject to ratification by the DNC.