DNC Rules Committee Conditionally Approves 2020 Iowa Delegate Selection Plan
Satellite caucus system will increase voter participation and expand accessibility on caucus night

DES MOINES — Today, the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) Rules and Bylaws Committee gave conditional approval to the Iowa Democratic Party’s (IDP) updated Delegate Selection Plan. This plan creates satellite caucuses for the 2020 cycle – a new mechanism for Iowans to participate in the 2020 caucuses who could not otherwise participate in their precinct caucuses.

The IDP’s updated delegate selection plan for the 2020 Iowa Caucuses fulfills the party’s goals of increasing voter participation and securely expanding accessibility, while meeting the requirements of the DNC rules governing the 2020 Presidential Selection Process. 

The Iowa State Central Committee voted unanimously in favor of the proposal, and the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee unanimously approved it on Friday. The Rules Committee’s action today means that Iowa’s plan has met the spirit of the DNC rules, and will be moved into full compliance after further review by DNC staff.

“With this approved plan, we can get back to the task at hand: electing a Democrat who will defeat Donald Trump and move our country forward. Iowa Democrats have worked incredibly hard to bring more voters into our party, and a satellite caucus system is the best solution for us to build on that work while increasing participation on caucus night,” said IDP Chair Troy Price.

“Maintaining the spirit of the caucuses while expanding participation has always been our goal. I am confident that our 2020 caucuses will be the most successful in our state’s history. We look forward to working with Iowans across the state to implement this plan and grow our party in all 99 counties.”

About the proposal:

  • The 2020 satellite caucus proposal will allow for additional caucus locations on February 3 to expand participation for people who cannot attend their in-person precinct caucus.

  • The IDP will expand the constituency engagement team to ensure the party is reaching communities across the state, as well accessibility staff to make sure the caucus system works for all Iowans.

  • Iowa Democrats can apply to hold a satellite site at places like factories, group homes, or community gathering places, to better accommodate people who cannot attend their in-person caucus. This option will be especially useful for shift workers, Iowans with disabilities, Iowans serving overseas, and students.

  • The IDP will create a special satellite caucus review committee that will review applications and determine approval. The committee members will be appointed by the IDP Chair, and it will be comprised of SCC members who have pledged neutrality in the presidential race.

  • Just like precinct caucuses, each satellite location will have a trained captain who is charged with overseeing the room, managing volunteers, and reporting the results on caucus night.

  • The results will be reported using the same method as precinct caucus locations. The satellite caucuses will create one additional county in each Congressional District. 

This plan builds on the work that Iowa Democrats have already been doing to organize the most successful caucuses in history. The IDP has secured nearly 80% of the precinct locations and there are nearly 1,000 people in the caucus leadership pipeline – putting the party ahead of the pace set by previous years. To ensure all of the precinct caucus locations are accessible, the party put in place a rigorous location recruitment process, which requires every location to be scouted and checked for accessibility issues including restrooms and parking spaces. The party has rebuilt infrastructure in places where none existed just a year before. The procedures in place will ensure the 2020 caucuses are the most transparent and accessible caucuses in our state’s history.

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