Article VII - National Delegate Selection Rules
A. Delegates
1. In presidential years, the Party shall hold a presidential preference primary election (the "presidential primary") at the same time, in the same manner, and using the same ballot as for the general primary election (the "first primary"). (Texas Election Code §191.004)
2. To qualify for a place on the presidential primary ballot, a candidate must:
(a) Timely file all documents, if any, required by the Texas Affirmative Action Plan, or the Texas National Delegate Selection Plan.
(b) File an application for a place on the presidential primary ballot in accordance with he same Election Code provisions applicable to a candidate for the United States Senate, including submission of an appropriate petition subject to the limitations of Section 191.002 of the Texas Election Code or payment of the same filing fee. The oath on the application of a presidential candidate shall be:
"I, ______________ of __________________, __________ County/Parish, _____________, being a candidate for the Office of President of the United States, swear that I will support and defend the constitution and laws of the United States. I further swear that I will fully support the Democratic nominee for President whoever that shall be."
3. The names of all candidates qualifying to appear on the presidential primary ballot shall be certified in accordance with Article III.C.1. of these Rules, except that the State Chair also shall certify all presidential preferences to the Secretary of State. The SDEC shall, at the meeting required in Article III.C.1., decide by majority vote whether to include "Uncommitted" as an alternative on the presidential primary ballot. (Texas Election Code §191.004)
4. Results of the presidential preference primary election shall be canvassed at the same time and in the same manner as for the first primary, except that the SDEC also shall certify the results of the presidential preference primary election totaled by senatorial district.
5. The total number of Delegates and Alternates to the National Convention shall be that number allocated by the National Committee in its official Call to the Convention.
6. The process for selection of Delegates and Alternates to the National Convention shall be governed by the Texas National Delegate Selection Plan adopted by the SDEC for the presidential year. If the Plan and these Rules conflict as relates to the selection of Delegates and Alternates to the National Convention, the Plan shall be considered to supersede these Rules for that purpose alone.
7. Each elected Delegate shall be entitled to cast one vote at the National Convention, and the total vote permitted the State's delegation shall not exceed the number of its Delegates in attendance at the Convention.
8. (a) At least 75% of the base number of Delegates, not including designated Party and Elected Official Delegates, shall be elected by Senatorial District Caucuses at the State Convention. The exact number (between 75% and 100%) to be so elected shall be determined by majority vote of the SDEC at its meeting in January of presidential years and shall be included in the official Call to the State Convention of that year.
(b) Such Delegates shall be apportioned among the 31 senatorial districts by a formula giving equal weight to (a) the Democratic vote in the last gubernatorial election and (b) the Democratic vote in the last presidential election. The formula may be stated mathematically as follows:
Let P equal a given district's percentage of the statewide Democratic vote in the last gubernatorial election, and let V equal that district's percentage of the total statewide vote for the Democratic nominee in the last presidential election (district vote/state vote). ( P + V) divided by 2 = that district's percentage of the total number of Delegates to be elected by the senatorial districts, as opposed to the number to be elected at-large.
(c) To apply the apportionment formula, multiply the resulting percentage times the total number of Delegates to be elected from all Senatorial District Caucuses. Assign each Senatorial District Caucus the whole number of Delegates resulting from this product. Assign remaining Delegates to Senatorial District Caucuses in descending order of fractional remainder, until all allocated Delegates have been assigned.
9. The remaining Delegates to the National Convention (between 0% and 25%) shall be elected at-large by majority vote of the State Convention as a whole. Such At-Large Delegates shall be nominated by the Convention's Permanent Nominations Committee for At-Large Delegates and/or from the floor, in accordance with these Rules.
10. The explicit number of National Convention Delegates to be elected by each senatorial district and the explicit number to be elected at-large by the Convention according to the above procedures shall be announced by the State Chair and certified to the Secretary of State at least 30 days prior to the Precinct Conventions.
11. (a) The procedure for nominating and for electing Delegates within the Senatorial District Caucuses shall be as follows: Each Senatorial District Caucus may choose, by majority vote, any of the following methods to nominate such officers, Delegates, Alternates, and members of permanent Convention Committees which the Caucus is entitled to elect: elect a Nominations Committee(s); direct the Caucus Chair to appoint a Nomination Committee(s); or act as a Committee of the Whole, with all nominations made from the Caucus Floor.
(b) Regardless of the method chosen, however, all persons eligible to participate in a Caucus shall be permitted to nominate themselves or other eligible persons for any office to be filled by the Caucus. If a Nominations Committee is appointed, such nominations may be made by submitting them in writing to the Nominations Committee of the Caucus and/or by proposing them from the floor after a Nominations Committee has made its report and before a vote is taken.
(c) Election shall be by majority vote of the duly elected Delegates in attendance at the Caucus, each casting a proportionate share of the full voting strength allotted to the county represented, and each entitled to vote for as many Offices, Delegates and Convention Committee members as there are positions to be filled by the Senatorial District Caucus.
12. No Texas Delegate to a National Convention may be selected by any method, whether called "direct election primary" or otherwise, which has the effect of being a winner take all Primary.
B. Alternates
1. The total number of Alternates shall be allocated among the senatorial districts in the same manner specified for Delegates, except that the exact number of Alternates to be elected by the Senatorial District Caucuses (between 75% and 100%) need not be set by the SDEC at a percentage identical to that set for Delegates.
2. After the Senatorial District Caucuses elect Delegates to the National Convention, they shall nominate and elect their Alternates in the same manner. A person nominated for Alternate by a Senatorial District Caucus shall be eligible for election as an At-Large Delegate. When the Nominations Committee selects an Alternate from a Senatorial District Caucus to serve instead as an At-Large Delegate, the Nominations Committee shall declare such Alternate position vacant and shall fill it as if it were an At-Large Alternate position.
3. Following the election of At-Large Delegates by the Convention, At-Large Alternates shall be elected in the same manner.
C. Succession of Alternates to Delegate Status
Alternates shall succeed to Delegate status according to the procedures outlined in Article IV.A.17 of these Party Rules.
D. Guidelines for Representation of the Delegation
1. The Convention shall make every feasible effort to encourage representation on the National Convention delegation of women, minorities, and youth in reasonable relationship to their presence in the population of the state.
2. Candidates for Delegate or Alternate shall be required to make known their presidential preference or uncommitted status to the relevant assembly prior to their election.
HOW TO BE A DELEGATE TO THE 2008
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
Texas will send 228 delegates and 32 alternates to the Democratic National Convention in 2008. These Texans will help choose the Democratic nominees for President and Vice President, and they will also express opinions on key national issues. We encourage you to participate and to run for national delegate. What follows is, in general terms, an explanation of how to be a delegate to the National Convention. If you want more information, read the "Texas Democratic Party National Delegate Selection Plan for 2008" and the "Rules of the Texas Democratic Party." Both are available on the Texas Democratic Party website, www.txdemocrats.org.
FILING REQUIREMENTS
To become a delegate to the National Convention you must:
1. Vote in the 2008 Democratic primary;
2. File a Statement of Candidacy with the State Chair no earlier than April 21 and no later than May 21, 2008. Filing forms will be available from the Texas Democratic Party by April 5, 2008; and
3. Be elected by the State Convention in Austin June 6 - 7, 2008. If you participate in all stages of the convention process and campaign among delegates to the State Convention, you will have a better chance to become a delegate.
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
Texas will hold a presidential primary on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. The Primary will be open to any registered Texas voter who does not vote in another party's primary and who does not attend another party's political convention.
A total of 126 delegate positions (three-quarters of the base delegation) will be distributed to presidential candidates based on the results of the primary. Forty-three delegate positions (one-quarter of the base delegation) will be distributed based on the number of people attending the party's conventions. The delegates themselves will be elected at our State Convention June 6-7, 2008, in Austin.
CONVENTION SYSTEM
Texas Democratic Party has a three-level convention system:
Level 1. Precinct Conventions;
Level 2. County Conventions (or Senatorial District Conventions in urban areas); and
Level 3. State Convention.
Those who attend their Precinct Convention will elect delegates to the County/Senatorial Convention; those who attend their County/Senatorial Convention will elect delegates to the State Convention. Those who attend the State Convention will elect delegates to the National Convention.
PRECINCT CONVENTIONS
A convention will be held in your precinct at 7:15 p.m. on March 4, 2008, the same day as the Presidential Primary. The convention is usually held at the polling place and is open to anyone who votes in the Democratic Primary that day (or during the early voting period). There will be a sign at the polling place telling exactly where the convention will be held. If you can't find a sign, ask your election clerk where the convention will be held.
The convention begins at 7:15 p.m. when the Precinct Chair calls the convention to order. If the Precinct Chair is absent, anyone participating may start the meeting. The convention is governed by Robert's Rules of Order and Texas Democratic Party Rules. If you are late to the convention, you can still participate; however, you can't change what has already happened.
The first item of business is for everyone attending to sign in and indicate the presidential candidate (including undecided) you support. This is not a secret ballot. The State Party will provide your Precinct Chair with forms to use.
Next, the convention elects a Chair and Secretary to run the convention.
Third, the Chair announces:
1. The number of delegates to the County/Senatorial Convention the precinct will elect;
2. The percent of people attending the Precinct Convention who support each candidate; and
3. The number of delegates the supporters of each candidate are entitled to elect. Delegates are awarded to presidential candidates based on a candidate's share of supporters at the convention by using the following formula:
E-Z Math Formula to Determine Threshold
Number of People at Precinct Convention
Divided By
Number Of Delegates To County/Senatorial
Convention To Which The Precinct Is Entitled
Equals
Threshold (Number of People
Required for a Candidate Caucus)
(Always Round Up)
EXAMPLE:
31 people attend a Precinct Convention which is entitled to 6 delegates to the County/Senatorial Convention. Divide 6 into 31 for an answer of 5.1. Since you always round up, the threshold for this Precinct Convention would be 6.
Fourth, supporters of each candidate gather in a group and elect delegates and alternates to the County/Senatorial Convention. Anyone who supports a candidate who did not win enough of the convention to elect one delegate may join the supporters of the candidate who is their second choice.
Voting within the group is done at one time. The group first secures enough nominations to fill all of the delegate and alternate positions. Each person casts as many votes as there are delegates to be elected. For instance, suppose you support Jane Doe for president and she is entitled to 4 delegates and 4 alternates to the County/Senatorial Convention. Your group must first make at least 8 nominations. Then, one vote is taken and you cast 4 votes. You may cast your votes for one person or split them among several people. The top highest vote getters are selected in rank order until all delegate and alternate positions are filled.
The Precinct Convention may take positions on issues.
COUNTY/SENATORIAL CONVENTIONS
If you are elected a delegate or alternate at your Precinct Convention, you may attend your County Convention on Saturday, March 29, 2008. In some urban counties, Senatorial District Conventions will be held instead of a County Convention.
The County Convention is called to order by the County Chair, who calls for the report of the Credentials Committee. The Credentials Committee is a committee of the convention that decides disputes over who has been elected a delegate or alternate. The committee is elected by the County Executive Committee before the convention.
You will first elect a Chair and Secretary to run the convention.
Next, a poll is taken of all the delegates to figure how many delegates of the convention support each candidate. The Chair will announce the results.
Fourth, delegates in each precinct, or sometimes a group of precincts, gather together to elect delegates and alternates to the State Convention. Within the group, the delegates and alternates are elected at one time, but you cast only one vote. The highest vote getters are the delegates and the next highest are the alternates. For example, suppose your precinct gets to elect one delegate and one alternate to the State Convention. Only one election is held and you get to cast only one vote. Thus if 10 supporters of John Smith are present and all 10 vote for one delegate to the State Convention while 8 supporters of Jane Doe are present and all 8 vote for another delegate, then the John Smith person will be the delegate and the Jane Doe person will be the alternate.
The results of all the elections within the precincts are added together and given to the Nominations Committee. This committee then distributes the "at-large" delegates among each of the presidential candidates so that the county's delegation reflects each candidate's fair share of the convention. For instance, if supporters of Jane Doe made up 50% of your convention, the Nominations Committee would work to see that 50% of the delegates to the State Convention from your county would be her supporters. However, a candidate who wins less than 15% of the convention doesn't have to be given any at-large delegates. The at-large delegation must also be used to make sure that the whole delegation is equally divided between men and women as far as mathematically practicable.
STATE CONVENTION
If you were elected a delegate at your County/Senatorial Convention, you may participate in the State Convention, held June 6 - 7, 2008, in Austin.
Although the State Convention will officially come to order about 6:00 p.m. on Friday, June 6, there will be issue caucuses during the day and Senate District Caucuses will meet from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Any Senate District Caucuses that do not finish their business will reconvene after the convention recesses for the evening.
Each delegate will officially sign-in indicating his/her presidential preference or uncommitted status when the delegate picks up his/her credentials. The sign-ins will be counted statewide and the totals will be used by the Nominations Committee on Saturday to distribute the pledged party and elected official delegates and the at-large delegates among the presidential candidates. However, any candidate who wins less than 15% of the whole State Convention will not get any at-large delegates.
The State Convention elects four types of delegates to the National Convention:
1. 126 pledged senatorial district delegates and 21 alternates;
2. 36 unpledged party and elected official delegates;
3. 25 pledged party and elected official delegates and 5 alternates; and
4. 43 at-large delegates and 6 alternates.
PLEDGED SENATORIAL DISTRICT DELEGATES
At the Senatorial District Caucus, supporters of each candidate gather to elect their share of delegates and alternates to the National Convention. These must be equally divided between men and women.
The number of delegates awarded each candidate is based on the results of the Presidential Primary in that district. However, any candidate who does not win 15% of the vote in that district will not get any senatorial district delegates.
UNPLEDGED PARTY AND ELECTED OFFICIAL DELEGATES
On Saturday morning, June 7, the Nominations Committee will meet to first nominate unpledged delegates. These are set by national party rules as:
1. Members of the Democratic National Committee from Texas;
2. The former Speaker of the United State House of Representatives and the former Chair of the Democratic National Committee; and
3. All Democratic Members of the United States House.
These delegates will be immediately ratified by the State Convention.
PLEDGED PARTY AND ELECTED OFFICIAL DELEGATES
The Nominations Committee will take a break for one hour after nominating the unpledged delegates to allow those people who are eligible to be "pledged party and elected official delegates" to file a Statement of Candidacy with the chair of the committee.
After the break, the committee will nominate "pledged party and elected official delegates." These are awarded to each presidential candidate based on the sign-ins made the day before.
These names will be immediately reported to the convention for a vote.
PLEDGED AT-LARGE DELEGATES AND ALTERNATES
After the convention votes on the pledged party and elected official delegates, the Nominations Committee will nominate "at-large" delegates and alternates. The "at-large" delegation is distributed among presidential candidates in the same way that the pledged party and elected official delegates are distributed. The entire "at-large" delegation must be used, if necessary, to make sure that the whole Texas delegation to the National Convention is equally divided between men and women. It will also be used to meet certain affirmative action goals.
The Nominations Committee will also nominate 3 unpledged at-large delegates.
NATIONAL CONVENTION
If you are elected a delegate or alternate by the State Convention, you may participate in the National Convention in Denver August 25 - 28, 2008.
The state party will advise you on fund-raising and on low-cost housing and transportation if you would not otherwise be able to attend.
SENATORIAL DISTRICT DELEGATES AND ALTERNATES
DISTRICT DELEGATES ALTERNATES
1 4 1
2 4 1
3 4 1
4 4 1
5 4 1
6 3 0
7 3 0
8 4 1
9 3 0
10 5 1
11 4 1
12 4 1
13 7 1
14 8 1
15 4 1
16 4 1
17 5 1
18 4 1
19 4 1
20 4 1
21 4 1
22 3 0
23 6 1
24 3 0
25 6 1
26 4 1
27 3 0
28 3 0
29 3 0
30 3 0
31 2 0
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