Due to the public health crisis precipitated by the COVID-19 Virus, the State of Maryland has made changes to its plans for conducting its Primary Election. On March 5, 2020 Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. issued a proclamation rescheduling Maryland’s Primary Election date from April 28, 2020 to June 2, 2020. The election is to be principally conducted by mail with provisions made for limited in-person voting for those who find it necessary to do so.
Consequently, the Maryland Democratic Party must make changes to its Delegate Selection Plan for the 2020 Democratic National Convention. This addendum details the changes that have been necessitated by the Governor’s proclamation, the ongoing public health crisis, and the Party’s concern for the safety of health of its members and the General Public.
Date of Presidential Primary Election
The “first determining step” of Maryland’s delegate selection process will occur on June 2, 2020, with a Primary as part of a Two-Part Presidential Primary. (all other references to the April 28 Primary are changed to June 2)
Immediately upon the certification of the results of the Primary Election, the MDP will submit to the Presidential campaigns who have reached the 15% statewide threshold a list of the winning district-level delegate candidates and demographic information to assist with selecting PLEO and At-Large delegates to meet our goals.
Postponement of Meeting of the Democratic State Central Committee of Maryland
The rescheduling of the Primary Election will require a postponement of the Spring meeting of the State Central Committee (DSCCM). That meeting is tentatively rescheduled to June 20, 2020 and may take place virtually. At that time the DSCCM will vote to elect:
- Any delegates that need to be elected pursuant to Section III, 6. c. in support of presidential candidates who reached the 15% threshold in a district in the primary election.
- Ten (10) pledged Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) delegates, twenty-one (21) at-large delegates and eight (8) at-large alternates. An individual can qualify as a candidate for one of these positions by filing in person a declaration of candidacy with the State Party at 275 West St., Suite 305, Annapolis, Maryland 21401, between the hours of 9am & 5pm, or online at mddems.org from June 10 through June 16, 2020. The State Chair shall convey to the presidential candidate, or that candidate’s authorized representative(s), not later than 5:00 pm on June 17, 2020 a list of all persons who have filed for these positions to that presidential candidate.
- Each presidential candidate, or that candidate’s authorized representative(s), must file with the State Democratic Chair, by 5:00 pm on June 19, 2020, a list of all such candidates they have approved, as long as approval is given to at least one (1) name for every position to which the presidential candidate is entitled.
Selection of Convention Standing Committee Members
- We need to select three temporary members to each of the Convention Standing Committees – Credentials, Platform, and Rules, for a total of nine temporary members.
- The MDP Chair will present to the MDP Executive Committee a slate for these nine temporary members for the Convention Standing Committees, which will be voted on and approved by the MDP Executive Committee at a virtual meeting on April 30, 2020.
- Any Democrat who would like to be considered for the Chair’s slate of temporary members must submit an application, available online at www.mddems.org, between April 20 and April 24, 2020.
- The permanent members of the standing committees shall be elected by a quorum of Maryland’s National Convention delegates, at a meeting to be held on or about June 25, 2020 which may take place virtually.
- Each presidential candidate, or that candidate’s authorized representative(s), must submit to the State Democratic Chair, by 5:00 pm on June 24, 2020 a minimum of (1) name for each slot awarded to that candidate for members of each committee.
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Click here to view the Chair’s Slate for Temporary Members for the DNC Standing Committees
Click here to view this addendum in PDF form.
Click here to view Maryland’s Delegate Selection Plan.