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:

  1. 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.
  2. You must file a form to be a delegate to the District & State conventions.
  3. 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.