Democratic Party of Oregon District and State Convention rules for the 2016 delegate selection process

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 Democratic Party of Oregon District and State Convention rules for the 2016 delegate selection process As adopted, Nov. 22, 2015, with corrections Part 1: Rules and Definitions I. Rules These conventions will be conducted in compliance with the 2016 Oregon Delegate Selection Plan, these rules, and the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. II. Definitions District convention(s): Each of the five congressional districts will hold conventions on June 4, 2016 at places to be determined. The 1 st District will elect nine delegates to the national convention, the 3 rd District will elect 11, the 4 th District will elect eight, and the 5 th District will elect seven. The 2 nd District will elect a total of six, and be split into two subdistricts: Subdistrict 2a, the northern half of the district, will elect three delegates, and Subdistrict 2b, the southern half of the district, will elect three delegates. People participating at this convention are district delegates, and can participate by filing an online registration form with the Democratic Party of Oregon by May 20, 2016. State convention: To be held June 18, 2016, at a place to be determined. The convention will elect 20 delegates to the national convention and four alternates. Electing those national delegates will be 313 state delegates elected from the district conventions, with 300 apportioned among the four congressional districts and two subdistricts based on the same formula used in the Delegate Selection Plan to apportion the number of delegates each district elects to the national convention. The convention will also include the 13 automatic delegates to the national convention. People participating at this convention are state delegates, and can participate by filing an online registration form with the Democratic Party of Oregon by May 20, 2016, and then being elected at their congressional district convention on June 4, 2016. National convention: To be held in Philadelphia, July 25-28, 2016. Oregon will send 74 national delegates and five alternates. * Forty-one national delegates will be elected at the four congressional district and two subdistrict conventions. All will be pledged to presidential candidates. * Twenty national delegates and five alternates will be elected at the state convention: Seven of them will be Pledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials (PLEO), and 13 will be elected as at-large delegates. All of them, and the five alternates, will be pledged to presidential candidates. * Thirteen national delegates are automatic: Our Governor, our two U.S. Senators, our four U.S. representatives, and our six members of the Democratic National Page 1 of 10

45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 Committee. These national delegates are officially known as Unpledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials. People wishing to run for delegate to the national convention must file an online registration form with the Democratic Party of Oregon by May 20, 2016, and must face election in the district or state conventions. Unpledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials, who serve as automatic delegates to the national convention, may participate at the district and state conventions without filing the registration form. Online Registration form: People who wish to participate at any level of the delegate selection process must file online with the Democratic Party of Oregon office by May 20, 2016. The registration form will be available on the DPO website (www.dpo.org) by March 1, 2016. Registrants must select one presidential candidate. The form can be re-submitted, as long as the final version reaches the office by the deadline. Representation Goals: With the guidance of the DNC, the DPO has established representation goals designed to make sure the national convention delegation reflects the makeup of Oregon s Democratic electorate. Those goals are African American, three; Asian/Pacific Islander American, four; Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender, eight; Hispanic American/Latino, seven, Native American, two, People with disabilities, 11, and Youth, 12. Information on representation goals are in the Delegate Selection Plan. Threshold: Democratic National Committee rules require that a presidential candidate must win at least 15 percent of the vote in the May 17, 2016 primary in order to be entitled to national convention delegates. That applies at the state and district levels, and could mean a presidential candidate could win national delegates at a congressional district convention, but none at the state convention, and vice-versa. Delegate selection plan: This is the plan by which Oregon will choose its delegates and alternates to the Democratic National Convention. In cases of questions concerning these rules, the Delegate Selection Plan is the final authority. Part 2: District Convention Rules III. District Convention Voting Eligibility and Registration The Democratic Party of Oregon shall provide, on its website, a list of those who are eligible to participate as delegates to the district conventions. The list of eligible participants shall consist of registered Democrats residing in their particular congressional district who have returned the registration form to the DPO office by May 20, 2016. A. Any automatic delegate to the national convention may participate in the district convention in which they live. B. If a Democrat wishing to participate in a district convention as a district delegate or candidate for state or national delegate files in the wrong congressional district, the Democratic Party of Oregon will attempt to contact that person (using the information provided on the registration form) and will, if sufficient information is provided, file the form with the proper district. While the DPO will try to assist if the delegate candidate makes an error on the form, the final responsibility rests with the filer. Democrats who are unsure of their district should contact their county clerk, the chair of their county Democratic Party, or the Democratic Party of Oregon. Page 2 of 10

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 IV. National Convention Delegate Candidate Eligibility The Democratic Party of Oregon shall provide, on its website, a list of national convention delegate candidates who have been approved by each presidential campaign. Only candidates on the approved list of candidates are eligible for election. Democratic National Committee rules state that a presidential campaign can restrict the number of national delegate candidates. Presidential campaigns can restrict the number of candidates to no fewer than three for each delegate slot at a district convention. If a presidential campaign does not certify a list of approved national delegate candidates by the deadline set in the delegate selection plan, then all candidates who file to run for delegate to the national convention at the district level are eligible. V. Allotment of Delegates to the National Convention among the Presidential Candidates The Democratic Party of Oregon shall provide, on its website, the number and gender of national delegates allotted to each caucus within each district convention. VI. Allotment of Delegates to the State Convention The Democratic Party of Oregon shall provide, on its website, the number and gender of state delegates allotted to each district and caucus. The delegations sent to the state convention from each district must reflect the results of the presidential primary, and must be balanced by gender. VII. Democrats who have pledged to support presidential candidates who did not meet the threshold in their congressional district. A. A candidate for national delegate at the district convention is ineligible to run if his/her presidential candidate does not win enough votes to meet the threshold in that particular district. 1. Under no circumstances may a candidate for national convention delegate run for election for any presidential candidate other than the one he/she pledged to support on his/her registration form. B. Any person attending the district convention for the purpose of electing others for state or national convention delegate positions may join a caucus that is different from the one on his/her registration form by signing a new pledge form at the beginning of the district convention. C. Any person attending the district convention intending to run for delegate to the state convention may join a caucus that is different from the one on his/her registration form by signing a new pledge form at the beginning of the district convention. VIII. Selection of a district convention chair The DPO will, in consultation with the congressional district chair, nominate the chair and vice chair of the district convention. The convention delegates will vote whether affirm the nomination. If the nominee is rejected, the convention will nominate and elect a chair and vice chair. The chair and vice chair will appoint a convention Page 3 of 10

135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 secretary, a parliamentarian, and any other officials necessary to conduct the business of the district convention. IX. Caucus for National Convention Delegate Elections A caucus is made of the district delegates who have signed a pledge statement for a presidential candidate who has met the threshold in their district and is entitled to state and national delegates. District delegates become a member of the caucus by filing their registration form with the Democratic Party of Oregon by May 20, 2016. A district delegate s caucus choice can be amended at the beginning of the district convention, but they are not eligible to run for delegate to the national convention from a caucus that is different from the one on their registration form. A. The DPO, in consultation with the presidential campaigns, will appoint the chair of each caucus. The caucus chair will appoint a caucus secretary. B. Caucus members can only vote for state and national delegate candidates from their caucus. C. Separate elections will be held to elect male and female national delegates. D. Caucus members will be allotted one vote for each national delegate or alternate slot to be filled. E. Caucus members will be provided with a paper ballot, listing the names of all national delegate candidates eligible to run. 1. A ballot must be signed by the district delegate in order to be counted. 2. If there is only one candidate for a national convention delegate position, the election may be held by acclamation. 3. The following language from the Delegate Selection Plan will be posted at each convention and printed on each ballot, right above the space for the delegate s signature: In the selection of the at-large delegation, priority of consideration shall be given to African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian/Pacific Americans, members of the Gay/Lesbian//Bisexual/Transgender (GLBT) community, youth, people with disabilities, and women. In order to continue the Democratic Party s ongoing efforts to include groups historically under-represented in the Democratic Party s affairs and to assist in the achievement of full participation by these groups, priority of consideration shall be given other groups by virtue of race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. The election of at-large delegates and alternates shall be used, if necessary, to achieve the equal division of positions between men and women, and may be used to achieve the representation goals established in the Affirmative Action section of this Plan. F. Each national convention delegate candidate shall be allowed to address the caucus for a time not to exceed one minute. The caucus may vote to shorten the time limit. 1. No candidate for national delegate may speak more than once. 2. Surrogate speakers are not allowed, unless the caucus, by a two-thirds vote, agrees to allow them. Page 4 of 10

180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 G. There will be a maximum of two rounds of ballots cast to elect national delegates. 1. Candidates who win a majority of the votes cast in the first ballot will be declared elected. 2. If, after the first ballot, there are still national delegates to be elected, a second ballot will be cast. After removing the name of any candidate who won a majority, the second ballot will consist of the top finishers on the first ballot, equal to twice the number of national delegate (and/or alternate) positions still remaining to be elected. 3. An example: If a caucus is to elect four national delegates, and one candidate wins a majority of the vote on the first ballot, the second ballot will consist of the candidates who finished in second through seventh places. The winners of the second ballot will be the people who finish first, second, and third. X. State Convention Delegate Elections A. After each caucus has selected its national convention delegates, the caucuses will elect delegates for the state convention. Separate elections will be held for male and female candidates. District convention delegates will be allotted one vote for each state convention delegate slot to be filled. B. There will be 300 delegates elected to the state convention, apportioned among the congressional districts and subdistricts based on the same formula used to apportion the number of national delegates each district elects. The number of state delegates allotted to each congressional district will then be allotted to each presidential candidate who qualifies for national delegates, based on the results of the presidential primary. A majority is not necessary to elect. C. There are no alternates, but the caucus chairs, in conjunction with their congressional district chair, may make appointments to fill vacancies, provided that the person filling the vacancy was a member of that particular caucus. XI. Assistance from the Democratic Party of Oregon The DPO will assign someone to the district convention who will assist the convention chair with convention rules, and be responsible for getting convention records and results to the DPO office. That person will also be charged with reminding district delegates of their responsibility regarding representation goals (see Section 9 of these rules and the Delegate Selection Plan). XII. Tentative Agenda Approval of Agenda Appointment of the district convention chair and other convention officers Division into caucus(es) Appointment of caucus chair and secretary National delegate elections State delegate elections Reconvene to announce results Other business deemed appropriate by the convention Page 5 of 10

226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 Adjourn XIII. Apportionment Apportionment of national delegates among the districts (41 total) District Female Male 1 st 5 4 2a 1 2 2b 2 1 3 5 6 4 4 4 5 4 3 Total 21 20 Apportionment of state delegates among the districts (300 total) District Female Male 1 30 31 2a 11 10 2b 12 12 3 41 41 4 30 29 5 26 27 Automatic 6 7 Total 156 157 Part 3: State Convention Rules XIV. State Convention Voting Eligibility and Registration The Democratic Party of Oregon shall provide, on its website, a list of those who are eligible to participate as delegates to the state convention. A. In order to serve as a delegate to the state convention, Democrats must have filed a registration form with the Democratic Party of Oregon by May 20, 2016, and have been elected from their caucus at the district convention on June 4, 2016. B. The state convention will consist of 313 delegates. 1. Three hundred (300) are elected from their districts. The state delegates will be apportioned among the four congressional districts and two subdistricts based on the same formula used in the Delegate Selection Plan to apportion the number of delegates each district elects to the national convention. 2. Thirteen are the automatic delegates to the state convention, officially known as Unpledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials. XV. National Convention Delegate Candidate Eligibility Democrats wishing to run for delegate to the national convention must have filed a registration form with the Democratic Party of Oregon by May 20, 2016, which includes a pledge of support for a presidential candidate. They are eligible to run as a Page 6 of 10

254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 national delegate if their presidential candidate wins enough votes to be entitled to delegates, and if they are approved by the campaign of the presidential candidate they are pledged to support. Presidential campaigns can restrict the number of candidates to no fewer than two for each delegate slot at the state convention. A. If a presidential campaign does not certify a list of approved national delegate candidates by the deadline set in the Delegate Selection Plan, then all candidates who file to run for delegate to the national convention at the state level are eligible. B. A candidate who has been elected as a delegate to the national convention from their district convention is not eligible to run as a national delegate at the state convention. That person s name will not appear on any ballots at the state convention. XVI. Apportionment of Delegates to the Democratic National Convention among the Presidential Candidates The Democratic Party of Oregon shall provide, on its website, the number and gender of national delegates allotted to each caucus. XVII. Democrats who have pledged to support presidential candidates who did not meet the threshold in presidential primary. A candidate for national delegate at the state convention is ineligible to run if his/her presidential candidate does not win enough votes to meet the threshold in the presidential primary. XVIII. Selection of a Convention Chair, and other convention officers The Chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon shall serve as a temporary chair for the state convention, and shall preside over the convention until the permanent chair has been elected. The election shall be by majority vote. A. The permanent chair shall not be a candidate for delegate to the Democratic National Convention at the state convention. B. The chair shall nominate a vice chair, who must be affirmed by majority vote. If the vice-chair is rejected, nominations will come from the floor. C. The chair will appoint a convention secretary, a parliamentarian, and any other officials necessary to conduct the business of the convention. XIX. Presidential Campaign Caucus Procedures A caucus is made of the state delegates who have been elected from their congressional district to represent their presidential candidate. A. The DPO will, in consultation with the presidential campaigns, appoint a chair for each caucus. The caucus chair will appoint a caucus secretary. B. Caucus members can only vote for national delegate candidates from their caucus. C. Separate elections will be held to elect male and female delegates. D. Caucus members will be allotted one vote for each delegate slot to be filled. E. Caucus members will be provided with a paper ballot, listing the names of all national delegate candidates eligible to run. Page 7 of 10

298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 1. A ballot must be signed by the state delegate in order to be counted. 2. If there is only one candidate for a national convention delegate position, the election may be held by acclamation. 3. The following language from the Delegate Selection Plan will be posted at each convention and printed on each ballot, right above the space for the delegate s signature: In the selection of the at-large delegation, priority of consideration shall be given to African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian/Pacific Americans, members of the Gay/Lesbian//Bisexual/Transgender (GLBT) community, youth, people with disabilities, and women. In order to continue the Democratic Party s ongoing efforts to include groups historically under-represented in the Democratic Party s affairs and to assist in the achievement of full participation by these groups, priority of consideration shall be given other groups by virtue of race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. The election of at-large delegates and alternates shall be used, if necessary, to achieve the equal division of positions between men and women, and may be used to achieve the representation goals established in the Affirmative Action section of this Plan. F. Each national convention delegate candidate shall be allowed to address the caucus for a time not to exceed one minute. The caucus may vote to shorten the time limit. 1. No candidate for national convention delegate may speak more than once. 2. Surrogate speakers for candidates are not allowed. G. There will be a maximum of two rounds of ballots cast to elect these delegates. 1. Candidates who win a majority of the votes cast in the first ballot will be declared elected. 2. If, after the first ballot, there are still delegates to be elected, a second ballot will be cast. After removing the name of any candidate who won a majority, the second ballot will consist of the top finishers on the first ballot, equal to twice the number of national delegate (and/or alternate) positions still remaining to be elected. 3. An example: If a caucus is to elect four national delegates and two alternates, and one candidate wins a majority of the vote on the first ballot, the second ballot will consist of the candidates who finished in second through 13th places. The people who finished in first, second, and third place will be the delegates, and the people who finish fourth and fifth will be the alternates. XX. Procedures for the election of Pledged Party Leader and Election Official (PLEO) national delegates PLEO national delegate candidates must have filed the online registration form by May 20, 2012, and declared which presidential candidate they wished to support. A. There will be seven PLEO national delegates elected. B. Individuals shall be eligible for the pledged Party Leader and Elected Official national delegate positions according to the following priority: big city mayors and state- Page 8 of 10

343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 wide elected officials (to be given equal consideration); state legislative leaders, state legislators, and other state, county and local elected officials and party leaders. 1. Party leaders are officers of the Democratic Party of Oregon, congressional district parties, county parties, and officers of the special group caucuses recognized by the Democratic Party of Oregon. 2. All candidates who are eligible to run for a PLEO delegate position are eligible to be considered, regardless of the priority established by their position. C. National delegates will be allocated to the presidential campaigns based on the results of the May 17, 2016 primary. 1. The DPO will assign the number and gender for the PLEO national delegates in each presidential campaign caucus. 2. Presidential campaigns will have the right to restrict the number of national delegate candidates to two for each delegate slot available to their caucus. a. If a presidential campaign fails to restrict the number of national delegate candidates by the deadline specified in the delegate selection plan, then all who have filed for PLEO posts within that caucus are eligible for election. D. The election of national delegates will be done as described in Section XIX, except that no alternates will be elected in the PLEO elections. XXI. Procedures for electing At-Large Delegates and Alternates. At-large national delegate candidates must have filed a registration form by May 20, 2016, which includes a pledge of support for a presidential candidate. A. There will be 13 at-large national delegates and four alternates elected. B. National delegates will be allocated to the presidential campaigns based on the results of the May 17, 2016 primary. 1. Alternate slots will be apportioned separately. a. The results of the presidential primary will be used to apportion the alternates. Any presidential candidate entitled to a national delegate is also entitled to an alternate. b. The DPO will assign the number and gender for the at-large national delegates and alternates in each presidential campaign caucus. 2. Presidential campaigns will have the right to restrict the number of national delegate candidates to two for each national delegate position available to their caucus. a. If a presidential campaign fails to restrict the number of national delegate candidates by the date specified in the delegate selection plan, then all who have filed for at-large national delegate and alternate posts within that caucus are eligible for election. C. The election of national delegates and alternates will be done as described in Section XIX. XXII. Tentative Agenda Approval of Agenda Election of convention chair, and election and appointment of other convention officers Division into caucus(es) Page 9 of 10

389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 Appointment of caucus chair Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official elections At-large national delegate and alternate elections Reconvene to announce results Other business deemed appropriate by the convention Adjourn XXIII. Apportionment Apportionment of national delegates and alternates at the state convention Type Female Male PLEO 4 3 At-large 6 7 Alternates 3 2 Unpledged, automatic 6 7 From the Districts 21 20 Total delegation 40 39 Page 10 of 10