Sponsored by: Jo Six and Patrick Maguire, Washington County Approved: 08/12/2018
A RESOLUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON
WHEREAS, in recent presidential nominating processes the final vote to select a nominee has included participation by delegates elected for that purpose and also by a substantial number of party officials and leaders who were not elected for that purpose and who are not bound by the results of any primary or caucus (“superdelegates”);
WHEREAS, the participation of these superdelegates has caused many party members to harbor serious concerns over the legitimacy and probity of the nominating process and has hindered efforts to expand our party membership and unify against the current administration;
WHEREAS, the Unity Reform Commission and the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) have conducted a lengthy examination of how best to accomplish the goal of reducing or eliminating the influence of superdelegates in the presidential nominating process;
WHEREAS, proposed reforms calling for removing the ability of superdelegates to vote on presidential nominations have been scheduled for consideration by the full DNC in the near future; and
WHEREAS, in a recent public letter to current DNC Chair Tom Perez, former DNC Chair and 2016 Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Kaine wrote that superdelegates “are given undue influence in the popular nominating contest and make the process less democratic” and therefore urged the party to “do away with superdelegates”;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: We hold that the selection of a presidential nominee must be accomplished solely by delegates bound to the proportional results of each state’s nominating process.
Section 2: We urge all DNC members to trust in the wisdom of democracy by completely ending the influence of superdelegates on the presidential nominating process.
Section 3: We particularly urge delegates to the DNC who represent the Democratic Party of Oregon to heed the voices of party members and vote in favor of the upcoming proposal of the Rules and Bylaws committee to be presented at the August 2018 DNC Meeting to reduce the influence of superdelegates on the presidential nominating process.
