National Democratic leaders draft proposal to reshape presidential calendar, threatening Iowa caucus

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Des Moines Register

Iowa Caucuses

National Democratic leaders draft proposal to reshape presidential calendar, threatening Iowa caucuses

Brianne Pfannenstiel
Des Moines Register
Published 7:00 a.m. CT March 11, 2022 Updated 7:11 a.m. CT March 11, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- National Democratic leaders have drafted a proposal that could significantly reshape the party's presidential nominating process and put an end to Iowa's prized first-in-the-nation caucuses -- a tradition that has shaped presidential politics and boosted Iowa's place in the American spotlight for the last half-century.

A draft resolution, obtained and corroborated by the Des Moines Register, would set new criteria for early-voting states that favor primaries over caucuses and diversity over tradition.

If the proposal advances, it would upend the party's presidential nominating calendar by requiring states to apply to hold their nominating contests before the rest of the country and expanding the number of early voting states to as many as five. Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, which currently lead off the process, would not necessarily be given preferential consideration over other states that apply.

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Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2022/03/11/dnc-plan-end-iowa-caucuses-first-place-presidential-calendar-democrats/9433481002/

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David Weigel Retweeted

https://twitter.com/daveweigel

SCOOP: National Democratic leaders have drafted a proposal that could significantly reshape the party's presidential nominating process and put an end to Iowa's prized first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Link to tweet

National Democratic leaders draft proposal to reshape presidential calendar, threatening Iowa...
The Democratic National Committee's rules committee is meeting in Washington, D.C., and may move forward on key changes to the presidential calendar.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Wouldn't impact how Iowa does it

But would give the party base a chance to speak up earlier.

If the resolution passes, it wouldn't prevent Iowa from applying for a waiver; nor would it directly eliminate caucuses. However, it would make the “ability to run (a) fair, transparent and inclusive primary” one of its core considerations in the waiver process. Iowa is required by state law to hold presidential caucuses.

Other considerations would be a state’s diversity, “including ethnic, geographic (and) union representation,” as well as the state’s general election competitiveness.

Ninety percent of Iowa’s population is white, and a Republican, former President Donald Trump, carried the state by 8 percentage points in 2020. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 6.5% of Iowans are members of unions.

Mo Elleithee, a member of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, outlined those same priorities during the group’s January meeting. "Three of the four current early window states satisfy at least two of those criteria," he said then. "One does not satisfy any of them, at least in recent years."

I seriously don't pay attention until South Carolina and Nevada. The 'look' like me, and share the same perspective.

I have my early favorites (this last election was Castro, Buttiegieg, and Klobuchar) but the past few elections how South Carolina votes - is how I make my decision. As a black woman voter in NJ - my voice is 'heard' in National Elections. South Carolina's black women - who vote overwhelmingly Democratic have zero voice in State and National elections.

Their vote in the Primary is a prayer for what kind of country they would like to live in - so I answer it.

[groundloop]

2. Agreed. Sadly, living in Alabama, my vote never counts.....

Being an old white fat guy, appearance wise at least I fit right in. But politically I'm the polar opposite from most of my neighbors, and it feels almost pointless to bother voting.

In any case, I've always felt it kind of pointless to lead off the primary with the Iowa caucus and believe this proposal is a step in the right direction.

[2naSalit]

4. Same as Montana.

[BlueIdaho]

6. Idaho Here...

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

15. And California.

Our only function is to be a piggy bank for the DNC to be a place to run to for those sweet West Coast dollars.

[JustAnotherGen]

8. Ahh - but then there are also

Democratic Party members in terminally Red States.


I'm in NJ - near the VERY end of the process. Believe me - your vote is a 'prayer' sent out to me too. Even if it doesn't matter that far along in the process -

One day NJ just MIGHT be able to make an impact on the Primaries.

[Rebl2]

3. Iowa being

first primary state should have changed years ago. Never have liked caucuses.

[Grins]

13. Never liked a state so unlike the rest of the country getting 1st shot.

[Rebl2]

14. Same here

[BlueGreenLady]

5. As an Iowan, I find the Caucus process a real PITA

I attended a Precinct Caucus last week, in my very red county. There were no Democratic candidates opposing each other to vote for. There were no candidates lined up to speak. There was very low attendance and many precincts had zero turn out. Since we did not get enough signatures for some candidates to qualify to run for office, local Democrats had to hold another event on the town square to flag down and to call Democratic voters off the street to sign the petitions that are required to get candidates on the ballot. County, District and State Caucuses are yet to be held. The Caucus process is antiquated and so cumbersome that it almost amounts to voter suppression, imho. I would love to see them changed to a Primary election system.

[Bettie]

17. Caucuses are SO much work

for a few people.

I just want a primary, but, I doubt they are willing to give it up any time soon, no matter how cumbersome and awful it is.

[Historic NY]

7. Iowa doesn't seem to represent Democrats as it once did..

the caucus has developed a circus-like atmosphere. Let's do something else, like primaries.

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. Good- and make March 1 the earliest primary date.

Too many good candidates run out of money before Super Tuesday, and all candidates start campaigning way too early.

Letting otherwise meaningless and unrepresentative primaries in IA and NH drive the media narrative has been ridiculous for decades,

[nitpicker]

19. Even March 1 risks weather problems

Just think about the storms that are about to hit the East Coast on Saturday.

[question everything]

10. About time! Neither Iowa nor New Hampshire represents the country

Unfortunately, many candidates drop after these two.

Rotating regional primaries!

In 2020 Democrats spent $100 million! with nothing to show for.

And while there, dear DNC, change the way candidates are selected to participate in the debates.

Getting the highest votes on Socils Media for promoting freebies is not the way to go.

Thankfully Joe Biden survived this process. Were it not for him Ukraine by now would be back at the bosom of mama Russia.

[JT45242]

11. Great ideas as former Ohioan and current Iowan

When I lived in Ohio -- rarely did the primary matter. The nomination was usually a foregone conclusion by the time it got to Ohio.

BUT Ohio is a key state to win for the actual Presidential election. We had little to no influence on who the Democratic candidate would actually be, and a large role in who actually won the election. Lots of electoral college slots and a swing state. Need to pick a candidate that is likely to increase voter turnout in Northeast Ohio because the Repug haters in Hamilton County (Cincy) and the surrounding areas will show up. Ohio's population is pretty close to national averages of black and other minorities, so it is fairly representatve. We have rural areas in the appalachian areas. Urban areas -- lots of sprawling suburbs. Good representtaive population of the country as a whole.

Now, I live in Iowa. The caucus is a huge PITA. My caucus site is the junior high school need me. So it has parking for a junior high. Try to get cars for 1,000 adults in a JH parking lot. Same all over town -- small churches, elementary schools, etc and of course no decent public transportation for most of the state because -- you know Iowa -- brown people use public transportation so the legislature doesn't fund it. So, such a pain not really worth showing up.

Now, all of Iowa is smaller than at least 3 metro areas in Ohio (Cincinnati, Cleveland/Akron, Columbus and surroundings). It has few EC votes and you can guarentee that NW Iowa who elected Steve King for years will not vote for a Democrat ever.

Oh yeah, there is the overwhelming whiteness of Iowa. And Iowa usually sends it handful of EC to the repugs anyway.

NH always votes D and is also way too white to give us any real indication of what representative voters want.

Start with swing states that are diverse: SC, Ohio, Pennsylvania.

That will give us a better chance of getting candidates who will inspire a wider swath of the party.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. We need to get rid of the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary should not be first

Iowa has a caucus in part because it wants to be first in the national and New Hampshire will not let another primary to occur prior to the New Hampshire primary. Caucuses are dinosaurs and are undemocratic. I help run a caucus back when the Texas two step was in effect and there are games that can be played

Neither Iowa nor New Hampshire represent the demographics of the party. That was clear in 2000 when the winners of the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary did not win the nomination. Democrats need to redo process to ignore 90+% white states. I do not care who wins the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary

[rsdsharp]

16. There is the little matter of Iowa law to be considered.

Delegates to county conventions of political parties and party committee members shall be elected at precinct caucuses held not later than the fourth Monday in February of each even-numbered year. The date shall be at least eight days earlier than the scheduled date for any meeting, caucus, or primary which constitutes the first determining stage of the presidential nominating process in any other state. . .

Iowa Code Section 43.4(1).

[Slammer]

21. laws vs rules

Yeah but that's subject to the rules of the DNC because the DNC doesn't have to seat any delegates at the convention who are selected in a way that violates its rules.

So Iowa law can compel delegates to be picked in that way. But they'd basically be giving up their seat at the table by doing so because their delegates would be disqualified, likely not even being allowed inside the convention hall.

And that would turn their caucus into nothing more than a beauty contest.

Most candidates in that situation would prefer to not campaign at all in the state since not winning would hurt the campaign and winning would get them no delegates.

[reACTIONary]

23. Then the DNC, or whoever is in charge, can make their results....

... Advisory, like a straw poll, and not count the votes for the finish.

[rsdsharp]

26. So the DNC would disenfranchise a state for following a law

they are bound by, and the Republican legislature and Governor won’t change. Effectively, the Republican party would be able to decide that Iowa has no say in who the Democratic nominee is.

[reACTIONary]

28. Some where I heard about...

... the DNC threatening to not count the the votes from some state that was not following the official schedule, or otherwise was violating the rules that were laid out.

I'm not sure how the rules would be enforced if a state were to flout them. There must be some way.

I think that whole state law is just cover for the officials obstinacy. I think they could get around it. And if they were given some "incentive" they might try.

[rsdsharp]

29. You understand the statute applies to all political parties in the state?

There’s no such thing as a Democratic statute. To be sure, it was enacted to protect the first in the nation status, but it is still a law. Unless it’s changed there is no choice but to follow it.

[reACTIONary]

30. So, challenge it. And give the obstinate officials...

... who are hiding behind it good reason to do so.

[rsdsharp]

31. Why would they challenge it? The caucuses bring millions into the state.

It’s more likely the DNC rule would be challenged.

[reACTIONary]

32. They would if the DNC rules that ...

.... their results won't count if they don't. As I suggested above.

In other news, I can't find any law that dictates that Iowa be "first". The Iowa election law states:

43.7 Time of holding. The primary election by all political parties shall be held at the usual voting places of the several precincts on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in each even-numbered year.

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ico/chapter/43.pdf

So, just hold a lot of other primaries on the same date.

[reACTIONary]

33. In 2008 the DNC threatened to do just that....

... to Florida when it tried to move its primaries forward:

DNC strips Fla. of delegates -- primary wouldn't count

The Democratic Party has taken a swipe at the nation's fourth biggest state, stripping Florida of all of its '08 delegates as punishment for jumping the gun with its Jan. 29 primary. Florida's early date could force other states to move up and up to stay at the front of the pack.

https://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2007/08/dnc-strips-fla-of-delegates-primary-wouldnt-count-002744

So this is not out of the question.

[rsdsharp]

34. Maybe I missed it. Show me the quote that says it was a Florida statute that moved the date,

and not just the state Democratic party.

[reACTIONary]

36. This article gives some background...

... From this article it seems that they may have followed through on the threat.

Meanwhile, some charged that the DNC was being unfair, saying that Republicans, not the state Democratic parties, should be blamed for shifting the states’ primaries. The criticism stems from the fact that Florida’s Legislature is Republican-controlled, and its governor, which signed a bill to hold the primary in January, is Republican.

https://www.factcheck.org/2008/05/seating-floridas-and-michigans-delegates/

In other news:

Governor Signs Law Giving Nevada 1st Presidential Primary

Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak on Friday signed a law that would make Nevada the first state to vote in the 2024 presidential primary contests, bumping Iowa and New Hampshire from their leadoff spots... The national political parties would need to agree to changes in the calendar, or state parties could risk losing their delegates at presidential nominating conventions.

https://www.iowapublicradio.org/political-news/2021-06-14/governor-signs-law-giving-nevada-1st-presidential-primary

[rsdsharp]

37. My apologies.

[reACTIONary]

38. None necessary. I learned a few things I didn't know. Thanks!

[edhopper]

18. The Caucus has become irrelevant

except for pruning low hanging fruit.
If this means we can end the silly corn subsides, I am all for it.

[Slammer]

22. +1

Plus ending ethanol mandates.

Why we should pay farmers subsidies to pump irreplaceable water out of underground aquifers to grow corn to burn as fuel is beyond me.

Oil is replaceable with a large number of things.

Water isn't replaceable.

[reACTIONary]

24. +10 nt

[edhopper]

25. +1000

[Mawspam2]

20. Swap caucuses for mail-in ranked choice primaries.

It does the same thing as caucuses without excluding shift workers, braving snow storms, or getting Covid at some Gymnasium.

[BadGimp]

27. Dear God make it so!!

v

[Cha]

35. Iowa Caucuses are Not Democratic..

💙💛