For 50 years, Iowa's caucuses have marked the start of the the primary election process, followed by New Hampshire's contest a week later. More recently, Nevada and South Carolina were exempted from the DNC's rule that no other state can hold a nominating contest prior to the first Tuesday in March. The four states currently make up the early voting window. If the resolution is approved, as many as five states could be part of that early process.
The proposal gives no formal weight in the application process to states like Iowa that have already been holding early contests. And members of the committee have been clear in previous meetings that they don't believe Iowa matches the criteria they've laid out.
More:'Status quo is not an option', Democrats discuss changes to calendar that could leave Iowa caucuses out
Still, committee members promised the application process would create a level playing field for any state wishing to apply.
"I think this resolution lays out the right process that not only achieves the goals of diversity, inclusion and transparency, but it does so in a fair and just manner," said committee member Maria Cardona of Washington, D.C. "And as we discussed a couple of weeks ago, all the states who have an interest in going early are going to have a chance to make their case, and I don't think anyone can argue that that isn't the fair way to put this forward — that no one is going to have a leg up on anybody else."
The proposal gives no formal weight in the application process to states like Iowa that have already been holding early contests. And members of the committee have been clear in previous meetings that they don't believe Iowa matches the criteria they've laid out.
More:'Status quo is not an option', Democrats discuss changes to calendar that could leave Iowa caucuses out
Still, committee members promised the application process would create a level playing field for any state wishing to apply.
"I think this resolution lays out the right process that not only achieves the goals of diversity, inclusion and transparency, but it does so in a fair and just manner," said committee member Maria Cardona of Washington, D.C. "And as we discussed a couple of weeks ago, all the states who have an interest in going early are going to have a chance to make their case, and I don't think anyone can argue that that isn't the fair way to put this forward — that no one is going to have a leg up on anybody else."
National Democrats voice support for plan that could upend Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses
Members of the Democratic National Committee expressed support for a plan to restructure the party's presidential nominating calendar.
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