Democrats to review nominating process

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Writer Wed Aug 20, 5:28 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Democratic Party leaders want to regain control of the primary calendar and reduce the number of superdelegates through a new commission announced Wednesday.

They also want to review the caucus system, which presumed nominee Barack Obama used so successfully this year. The commission would work over the next year and make recommendations by January 2010.

All the issues are potentially troublesome, with few easy solutions.

"As we look to the future, we must continue to strengthen the process and ensure a fair process in which the diverse voices in our party and our nation have a chance to be heard," Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement. "That is the essential role that the Democratic Change Commission can and will play, and we look forward to their recommendations."

The review came from discussions between Obama's campaign, DNC officials and representatives of Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, Obama spokesman Nick Shapiro said.

The commission is to be formed at the party convention in Denver. The convention's rules committee will take up the matter at a meeting Saturday, two days before the convention starts.

The Democrats' primary calendar was disrupted this year when Florida and Michigan violated party rules by holding primaries before Feb. 5. A goal of the new commission would be to establish a calendar in which only a handful of states would be allowed to hold nominating contests before March.

Michigan and Florida were initially stripped of all their delegates for violating the rules. The delegates were reinstated in May, but given only half votes. Since Obama has wrapped up the nomination, he has asked that they receive full voting rights. The convention's credentials committee is expected to take up the issue Sunday.

Party leaders in Michigan and Florida complained that traditional early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire carried too much power for such small homogeneous states. Officials in those states, however, are very protective of their early voting traditions.

Michigan DNC member Debbie Dingell said she is glad the primary calendar will be reviewed.

"We have been assured that no specific state has been given a preference as far as a time for their primary or their caucus in this resolution," Dingell said.

The Republicans are also considering plans to revamp their primary calendar, perhaps allowing rotating groups of states to vote early.

The epic nominating battle between Obama and Clinton led to questions about the role of superdelegates and the way party causes were conducted.

Superdelegates are the party and elected officials who automatically attend the convention and can support whomever they choose, regardless of what happens in the primaries. There will be about 820 at the convention, about 20 percent of all delegates.

The race between Obama and Clinton was so close that neither candidate could claim the nomination without help from the superdelegates.

Obama, who led among pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses, said the superdelegates should support the candidate with the most pledged delegates. Clinton said the superdelegates should exercise independent judgment.

In the end, most superdelegates followed the voters and supported Obama.

"We want to look at ways to ensure that voters decide who the nominee is and not party insiders," Shapiro said. "It was close this year."

Obama won most of the party caucuses, drawing complaints from some Clinton supporters that they weren't as democratic as primaries. Caucus rules are often complicated, requiring voters to attend hours-long gatherings and to vote in public. Most don't allow absentee voting.

Nevertheless, many Democratic caucuses were overwhelmed this year by higher than expected turnout.

The new commission is expected to work on standards for the caucuses to ensure they are held in adequate venues with proper ballot procedures. The commission will also look at methods for absentee voting at caucuses, so those unable to attend can participate.

___

Associated Press Writer Kathy Barks Hoffman in Lansing, Mich., contributed to this report.