2020 Presidential Nominating Process & How to Be a Delegate to the State and National Conventions
April 22 UPDATE – Delegates and alternates have been elected to the District and State Conventions. All will be virtual online conventions.
May 2 & 16 2020 > District conventions.
1) May 2 @ 1 PM – Virtual Online 3rd District Convention.
2) May 16 @ 9 AM – Virtual Online 2nd District Convention.
3) Delegates to the National convention representing each District are elected. 2nd District = 2 male Biden, and 2 female Biden and 1 male Sanders delegates. No alternates.) 3rd District = 2 male Biden, 3 female Biden and 1 male Sanders, 1 female Sanders delegates. 1 male alternate). The number of delegates per candidate is based on March 3 Primary results.
3) Electors from the District are elected.
4) All District delegates are also delegates to the State convention.
Jun 20, 2020 > Virtual Online State Convention in Richmond. 1) Elect statewide 21 At-Large National delegates, 2 Alternates, and 13 Party Leaders (allocated based on March 3 Primary percentage). 2) Elect 2 statewide Electors.
August 2020 > Pending In-Person – Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee. Virginia has 124 National Delegates and 8 Alternates.
What You Need to Do to Be a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention:
- Your candidate must have received at least 15% of the vote in the March 5 Primary. This means you have to work really hard to turn-out your candidate’s supporters.
- You must file a form to be a delegate to the District & State conventions.
- You must file a form to be a delegate from the District or State. The filing deadline is Apr 17 or 24 or May 1 at 5 PM. Click HERE for form.
Here is a brochure on How to Participate. Here are some FAQs.
ALERT: If you are a delegate to the National Convention you pay your own way. You pay your own transportation, your hotel room (well over $200 a night), meals, etc. The convention usually starts on a Monday and adjourns on a Thursday night with the nomination of our candidate. 4 nights in a hotel. You can stay elsewhere, but all of the Virginia delegation is housed in the same hotel and there are many delegation activities such as a complimentary breakfast each morning. Virginia has a prime downtown hotel location which is within a block of the convention site. Housing is tight and some delegations are close to 40 miles away. The convention is not open to the “public.” If you bring your spouse/partner/significant other, they can apply (lottery or other method determined by the DPVA) for a credential to the night’s convention proceedings. (You do not sit together.)
Find out more on the DPVA’s 2020 Delegate Selection web page.