As previously mentioned, I was appointed by the Hillary Clinton campaign to the Dnc Rules Committee. Our meeting was yesterday – and what a meeting it was! I posted on my Facebook page various parts of it as it was occurring. What I want to cover here is the biggest piece of the meeting: the adoption of a resolution to establish a Commission to reform certain issues within the DNC.

This particular commission – originally named the “DNC Progress Commission” but ultimately named the “Unity Reform Commission” – was the result of negotiations between the Clinton and Sanders campaigns over issues that the primary season exposed. The Commission will have 21 members, down from the original 32 proposed, including chair Jennifer O’Malley Dillon and vice-chair Larry Cohen. Sec. Clinton will appoint 9 members, Sen. Sanders 7 members, and the DNC chair 3 members. The commission will issue its report to the Dnc Rules and Bylaws Committee by 1/1/2018.

The Commission is charged with:

Manner of Voting. The goal here is to increase voter participation in the primaries. To that end, the Commission is to “make recommendations to encourage the expanded use of” primaries. Where caucuses are used, voters’ ability to participate should be protected. In addition, the Commission should make recommendations to help those who “seek to join the Democratic Party” to participate through “same-day registration and re-registration.”

Delegates. Here’s the change that has made the news: a change to the so-called super delegates. The proposal is that members of Congress, governors and distinguished party leaders “remain unpledged and free to support their nominee of choice” but that the other super delegates be required to vote at the convention for the candidates in proportion to the vote received by the candidate in that state. This essentially makes these super delegate bound and reducing the influence of super delegates in the nomination process.

Party Reforms. I really read this as being a return to the 50-state strategy. Getting more people involved, supporting candidates at all levels, being more competitive – all are exactly what the party was trying to do before.

This resolution was adopted almost unanimously, with the support of both campaigns. No one spoke against it.

There is no guarantee that we will see these reforms. Our committee could only make the recommendation – it is up to the DNC to actually adopt it. I hope they will – and look forward to holding our Virginia DNC members accountable for this.

Oh – and if they need a Commission member, I’d be happy to serve