Iowa Democratic Party Publishes 2016 Delegate Selection Plan for 30-day Public Comment Period

Iowa Democratic Party publishes 2016 Delegate Selection Plan for 30-day public comment period

Des Moines – The Iowa Democratic Party has published the 2016 Delegate Selection Plan for the 30-day public comment period as required by the delegate selection rules for the 2016 Democratic National Convention. The plan is online at www.IowaDemocrats.org. All comments are welcome and will be included in the final draft of the plan submitted to the Democratic National Committee’s Rules & Bylaws Committee in May.

“This plan strives for increased participation in the process of selecting delegates from Iowa to the Democratic National Convention,” said Dr. Andy McGuire, Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party. “We have designed several new components to expand participation in the 2016 Precinct Caucuses, which is the first step in the delegate selection process. Those initiatives include:

Satellite Caucuses for those Iowa Democrats that cannot participate due to either limitations of mobility, distance, or time. This option would be available to a group of Democrats who demonstrate a need to add an additional caucus site.

A Military Tele-Caucus for Iowans serving in the military. This tele-caucus would be no different than a normal caucus. Participants would break into preference groups and allow for realignment.

The Iowa Democratic Party is also continuing to push for legislation that would require employers to allow non-essential workers to take time off to attend their precinct caucus. This step gives working men and women greater flexibility to participate. Senate File 437 passed the Iowa Senate on March 18.

The Party is also making it easier for Iowans with children to participate. Many county parties already provide some form of activity for children. The Iowa Democratic Party will work with county parties across the state to expand these opportunities at caucus sites. The Party is also hiring a position that will serve as an accessibility director, working with counties across Iowa to ensure that each caucus site is as accessible as possible.