1. 2008 Democratic
National Convention
August 25-28, 2008
Denver, Colorado

2. Nominating the Next
President of the
United States
Be There!

6. Virginia Delegate
Selection Plan
• How it works
– Primary
– Local Caucus
– District & State Conventions
• Your part in it
– Voter
– Volunteer
– District/State Convention Delegate
– National Convention Delegate

7. Delegate Selection Plan Summary
• Presidential Preference Primary
– February 12, 2008
– Allocates delegate totals
• Caucus/Convention Process
– City/County Caucuses elect 2000 delegates,1000
alternates to District and State Conventions
– District/State Conventions elect 103 delegates,14
alternates to National Convention

8. Delegate “Pyramid”
/
National: 49 At Large (State conv.)
/
National: 54 District (District conv.)
/
State: 2000 city/county caucus

9. National Convention Delegates &
Alternates Summary
Type Delegate Alternate
District Level 54 11
Unpledged PLEO 18 --
Unpledged Add-on 2 --
Pledged PLEO 11 --
At Large 18 3
TOTAL 103 14

10. Delegate Selection – Resources
• Democratic Party of Virginia (DPV)
– www.vademocrats.org
– 1710 East Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23223
Phone: 804-644-1966 (toll-free 1-800-322-1144)
Fax: 804-343-3642
Materials:
– Delegate Selection Plan
– Brochure
– Workshop Presentation

11. Step 1 – Register to Vote
• Contact Local Registrar or State Board of
elections:
• www.sbe.state.va.us
• 800-552-9745
• Must be 18 by Election Day, U.S. Citizen
• Register at courthouse, DMV, other sites
• You can register by mail
• Fill out form completely and verify
• No party registration

12. Step 2 –Volunteer
• Presidential candidates:
– Help candidates get their petitions signed
• (December 14, 2007 Deadline)
– Turnout for February 12, 2008 primary
– Organize for caucuses/conventions
• Volunteer to help your local party
– Contact DPV

13. Sign & Date for 8
• Candidates Need 10,000 Signatures
– DNC Rules mandate 5,000 max
• We agreed to collect 5,000
– One form, 8 Candidates
• Let’s get it done now
• Contact state party

14. Presidential Campaigns
Hillary for President- http://www.hillaryclinton.com/
John Edwards for President-
http://www.johnedwards.com/
Mike Gravel for President- http://www.gravel2008.us/
Kucinich for President-
http://www.dennis4president.com/
Obama for America- http://www.barackobama.com
Bill Richardson for President-
http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/

15. Step 3 – Presidential Primary
• When?
– February 12, 2008; 6 am to 7 pm
• Where?
– Usual Precinct Polling Place
• Who Can Vote?
– Any Registered Voter
• You will be entered in the Democratic
Poll book

16. Presidential Primary – Allocation
of Primary Results
• The Presidential Primary Result totals will be
used to allocate district/State Convention
delegates & National Convention delegates
• Candidates must receive 15% of primary
vote
• State Party will provide lists to each
jurisdiction with numbers of district/State
Convention and National Convention
delegates for each candidate

17. Step 4 – City/County Caucuses
• City/County caucuses elect district/state
convention delegates and alternates
• May be assembled or unassembled
caucuses
• April 19, 12:00 noon or April 21, 7:30 pm
• Absentee voting (optional) – April 17, 7 pm
• Delegate filing deadlines – April 14 or 16
• Caucuses must be publicized and locations
must be accessible

18. City/County Caucuses
• Jurisdictions will have a list of the
number of delegates allocated to each
presidential candidates
• If only enough delegates pre-file, local
party can cancel caucus
• Slate voting is permitted
• Jurisdictions may use city or county
conventions as an intermediate step

19. City/County Caucuses
• To participate in a city or county caucus:
– Be a registered voter
– Reside in the jurisdiction
– Sign a Democratic pledge form
• To be a district/State convention delegate
– Prefile
– Voluntary Administrative Fee of $25 max to cover
expenses (can be waived)

20. Step 5 – National Convention
Delegate Elections
• District Conventions
– Elect total of 54 delegates, 11 alternates – 4 to 7
delegates, 1 alternate per district
– May 10, 17 or 24, 2008
– Filing Deadlines: Apr. 25, May 2, or May 9, 2008
• State Convention
– Elect 18 At large dels, 3 alts, 13 Party Leader dels
(18 automatic)
– June 14, 2008, Hampton Virginia
– Filing Deadline: June 2, 2008

21. Delegation
• Virginia’s Delegation will be equally
divided between men and women at
the district and state levels
• All delegates must be pledged; there
will be no uncommitted delegates
• Presidential candidates have the right
to approve or disapprove all National
Delegate candidates

22. District Level National
Delegates
District Delegates Alternates
Males Females Total Males Females Total
#1 2 2 4 1 0 1
#2 2 2 4 1 0 1
#3 3 3 6 0 1 1
#4 3 2 5 0 1 1
#5 2 2 4 1 0 1
#6 2 2 4 0 1 1
#7 2 3 5 1 0 1
#8 3 4 7 1 0 1
#9 2 2 4 1 0 1
#10 3 2 5 0 1 1
#11 3 3 6 0 1 1

23. District Conventions – Business
• National Delegates/Alternates
Elections
• Elector – one per district
• Resolutions (optional)
• Congressional nominations (if not
nominated by primary)
• Other business

24. State Convention Delegates
• At large Delegates (18) and
Alternates (3)
• Unpledged Add-on Delegates (2)
(nominated by Party Chair)
• Pledged Party Leader and Elected
Official Delegates (11)
• Unpledged Party Leader and Elected
Official Delegates (18) – Automatic

25. State Convention – Business
• Delegate/Alternate Elections
• Election of DNC Members (four)
• Selection of two electors
• Resolutions
• Party Building Activities
• State Committees: Rules,
Credentials, Resolutions

26. 15% Threshold
• State delegates:
– Threshold applies at level at which state delegates
are selected
– Normally applies county-wide
– Where counties are split and hold separate
caucuses, allocation takes place at each caucus.
• National delegates:
– District delegates – 15% of District vote
– At Large/PLEO – 15% of State-Wide vote

27. Delegate Selection Issues
• If you want to be considered at both
the district and State levels, you
must file separately for each level.
• If a presidential candidate drops out
after the primary, the candidate still
gets delegates/alternates elected at
the district level, but at-large slots
are reallocated.

28. Affirmative Action – Policy
• All meetings are open.
• Discrimination is prohibited.
• Outreach to Democratic constituencies
including African Americans, Hispanics,
Native Americans, Asian/Pacific
Americans, women, ethnics, youth,
persons over 65 years of age, veterans,
lesbians and gay men, workers, persons
with a high school education or less,
persons with disabilities, and persons of
low and moderate income.

29. Affirmative Action Committee
• Publicize primary and delegate selection
process to all media
• Special efforts for minority, student,
constituency media, press and
publications
• Contact/inform constituency organizations
• Work with City, County, District
Affirmative Action/Outreach Committees

30. Affirmative Action Principles
• Welcome all into our Democratic
Party
• Outreach to all communities
• Increase participation of all
constituencies

31. Affirmative Action Methods
• Use Party Outreach/AA Committee
Structure
• Provide information
– Press, Websites, Newsletters, E-mail
– Events, Meetings
• Invite Participation

32. Affirmative Action Goals
• Representation goals
– 19 African-Americans
– 4 Hispanics
– 4 Asian/Pacific Americans
– 1 Native American
• Inclusion goals
– 12 Youth
– 6-7 Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender
– 5 People with Disabilities

33. National Convention Delegation
• Delegation Chair
• Committees (4 members per committee)
– Credentials
– Rules
– Resolutions
• Pages (3)
Volunteers are also always encouraged

34. Virginia Process Dates – 2008
• Jan. 14 – Voter registration deadline
• Feb. 12 – Primary
• Apr. 14 or 16 – caucus filing deadline
• Apr. 19 or 21 – city and county caucuses
• Apr. 25, May 2 or 9 – National Delegate
filing deadline for district conventions
• May 10, 17 or 24 – District Conventions
• June 2 – At-Large, PLEO filing deadline
• June 14 – State Convention

35. GET INVOLVED!

36. • Presented by:
Frank Leone
October 2007