Democratic National Committee approves
2012 Call To Convention and Delegate Selection Rules

Friday 20 August 2010


The Democratic National Committee approved the "Call for the 2012 Democratic National Convention" and the "Delegate Selection Rules for the 2012 Democratic National Convention" during their 20 August 2010 meeting in St. Louis.

The party set dates for the pre-window states: Iowa-- may begin no earlier than 6 February 2012, New Hampshire-- 14 February 2012, Nevada-- 18 February 2012, and South Carolina-- 28 February 2012. The pre-windows states are designated with a ‡ in the table below. All other states may begin on Tuesday 6 March 2012 (Stage I).

The Democrats will award states who begin their process in April (Stage II) with a 10% bonus. For those beginning in May or June (Stage III), a 20% bonus. Starting on the Tuesday 20 March 2012 (Stage I cluster), a 15% bonus is awarded when clusters of 3 or more neighboring states begin on the same date.

The category of unpledged add-on delegates is eliminated for 2012. There were 81 add-ons in 2008.

The number of base pledged delegates is increased from 3,000 to 3,700 (before bonuses and territorial delegates).

Delegates from American Samoa, Guam, and Virgin Islands, and Democrats Abroad will have 1 delegate vote each. In 2008, these delegates cast a fractional vote. For example, in 2008 American Samoa had 9 delegate votes and 12 delegates.

The Democratic jurisdictions are listed below in chronological order according to their "First Determining Step" (based on either current information or the 2008 dates adjusted to the corresponding dates in 2012). Many of these events are primaries whose dates are established by state law. Hence, it would take an act of the state legislature to move the date. Furthermore the February dates were set to comply with 2008 party rules. Where could this all lead?

  • State legislatures might change their election laws and state parties might change their caucus dates to comply with the new rules.
  • States could ask for a waiver to be "grandfathered" to the date set by law prior to the adoption of this rule.
  • If any state retains their February date, the "pre-window" states are likely to move their dates into January. For example, New Hampshire law [RSA 653:9] states that their Presidential primary is held "... on a date selected by the secretary of state which is 7 days or more immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election...". A 23 August 2010 report by Stateline.org indicates New Hampshire is already planning to go earlier.
  • States currently starting on the first Tuesday in February (the earliest date from 2008) might simply move to the first Tuesday in March (the earliest date for 2012). If this happens, those states would join the states already starting on the first Tuesday in March resulting in a 2012 "National Primary" that encompasses more states than the 5 February 2008 "National Primary".

 
Democratic
Chronologically
(sort)
Jurisdiction
(estimated delegates)
(sorted by)
Estimated
Start Date
Start Date
Issue
Stage Date
Bonus
Cluster
Bonus
Delegate
Selection
IowaTuesday 3 January 2012before 6 February   CC
New HampshireTuesday 10 January 2012before 14 February   PP
NevadaSaturday 21 January 2012before 18 February   CC
South CarolinaSaturday 28 January 2012before 28 February   PP
MissouriTuesday 7 February 2012before 6 March   PP
American SamoaTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  CC
ColoradoTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  CC
GeorgiaTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  PP
MaineTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  CC
MassachusettsTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  PP
MinnesotaTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  CC
OhioTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  PP
OklahomaTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  PP
TennesseeTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  PP
VermontTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  PP
VirginiaTuesday 6 March 2012 Stage I  PP
HawaiiWednesday 7 March 2012 Stage I  CC
AlabamaTuesday 13 March 2012 Stage I  PP
MississippiTuesday 13 March 2012 Stage I  PP
UtahTuesday 13 March 2012 Stage I  PP
IllinoisTuesday 20 March 2012 Stage I cluster  PP
LouisianaSaturday 24 March 2012 Stage I cluster  PP
ArizonaSaturday 31 March 2012 Stage I cluster  PP
District of ColumbiaTuesday 3 April 2012 Stage II cluster10% PP
MarylandTuesday 3 April 2012 Stage II cluster10% PP
WisconsinTuesday 3 April 2012 Stage II cluster10% PP
AlaskaTuesday 10 April 2012 Stage II cluster10% CC
IdahoSaturday 14 April 2012 Stage II cluster10%15%CC
KansasSaturday 14 April 2012 Stage II cluster10%15%CC
NebraskaSaturday 14 April 2012 Stage II cluster10%15%CC
WyomingSaturday 14 April 2012 Stage II cluster10%15%CC
WashingtonSunday 15 April 2012 Stage II cluster10% CC
TexasSaturday 21 April 2012 Stage II cluster10% CC
ConnecticutTuesday 24 April 2012 Stage II cluster10%15%PP
New YorkTuesday 24 April 2012 Stage II cluster10%15%PP
PennsylvaniaTuesday 24 April 2012 Stage II cluster10%15%PP
Rhode IslandTuesday 24 April 2012 Stage II cluster10%15%PP
DelawareTuesday 1 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
Democrats AbroadTuesday 1 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
FloridaSaturday 5 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% CC
GuamSaturday 5 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
MichiganSaturday 5 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% AP
IndianaTuesday 8 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
North CarolinaTuesday 8 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
West VirginiaTuesday 8 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
OregonTuesday 15 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
ArkansasTuesday 22 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
KentuckyTuesday 22 May 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
Virgin IslandsSaturday 2 June 2012 Stage III cluster20% CC
Puerto RicoSunday 3 June 2012 Stage III cluster20% CC
CaliforniaTuesday 5 June 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
MontanaTuesday 5 June 2012 Stage III cluster20%15%PP
New JerseyTuesday 5 June 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
New MexicoTuesday 5 June 2012 Stage III cluster20% PP
North DakotaTuesday 5 June 2012 Stage III cluster20%15%CC
South DakotaTuesday 5 June 2012 Stage III cluster20%15%PP
UnassignedAugust 2012    CC
 
Democratic Delegate Selection
KeyDelegate SelectionJurisdictionsDelegates
in these
Jurisdictions
Percentage
of
Delegates
PPProportional Primary373,97571.60%
CCCaucus/Convention191,37424.75%
APAdvisory Primary12033.66%
 
 


  Election 2012 - Presidential Primary, Caucus, and Convention Home  
 
  Presidential Candidates  
 
Rule Making and Process
  30 December 2009 - Democratic Change Commission's Recommendations for the 2012 Presidential Nominating Process  
  20 August 2010 - Democratic National Committee approves 2012 Call To Convention and Delegate Selection Rules  
  6 August 2010 - Republican Temporary Delegate Selection Committee's Recommendations for the 2012 Presidential Nominating Process  
 
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  Democratic Quick Reference   --   Republican Quick Reference  
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  Democratic Delegate Selection and Voter Eligibility   --   Republican Delegate Selection and Voter Eligibility  
 
  Primaries at a Glance  
 
Documentation
  Historical Analysis of the Presidential Nominating Process  
  Historical Analysis of the apportionment of delegate votes at the National Conventions of the two major parties  
  Primary/Caucus/Convention Glossary  
  Statutory Election Information of the Several states / Presidential Primary  
  Dates of PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES re: selection and/or allocation/distribution of Delegates to Major Party National Conventions  
 
  Major Third Party (Constitution, Green, Libertarian) Presidential Nomination Process  
 
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