One of the processes of the Missouri Democratic Party state convention is the election of at-large delegates allocated by the results of the March presidential primary. Individuals who would like to be selected as national delegates must file paperwork declaring their intent to do so and must also be approved by the campaign of the candidate they wish to represent. Before Saturday’s state convention eighty-eight individuals had submitted and were approved by Hillary Clinton’s campaign to run for eight at-large delegate slots (allocated to four women and four men). Over one hundred individuals had submitted and twenty-one were approved to run for seven at-large delegate slots allocated to Bernie Sanders’ campaign.

After the preliminaries at the convention the Hillary Clinton caucus (county level delegates allocated to Hillary Clinton who had also signed a Form B stating support for their presidential candidate) adjourned to another hall to hear the speeches of the individuals seeking to be selected by the caucus as at-large delegates. The Bernie Sanders caucus remained in the main hall for the same process.

All of the eighty-eight individuals did not speak. For one reason or another – travel difficulties, personal considerations, the expense of attending the national convention – a number of individuals self selected out of the process.

Those who remain have the opportunity to speak to the caucus. It’s heartening to hear the stories of long time party activists and newcomers who have committed to the process and have spent decades or years or months on the ground in campaigns – going door to door, working phone banks, stuffing envelopes, and everything else in support of Democratic party candidates. New activists, long time activists, office holders – all alike – face the caucus and tell their story.

Some individuals are nervous and soft spoken. Others are dynamic and polished in their presentation. Some are halting. Their stories, though, are similar. They’re Democrats and they’ve been working to elect Democrats. The caucus is always supportive of everyone as they speak.

After the speeches the caucus returned to their congressional district seating in the main hall to mark their ballots.

Representative Stacey Newman.

Listening to at-large delegate candidate speeches.

Representative Gail McCann Beatty

Doug Brooks, a member of the DNC.

Previously:

Your $27.00 won’t get you into heaven anymore (June 19, 2016)

Yesterday evening in each of Missouri’s eight congressional districts the Missouri Democratic Party held conventions with township and county level delegates to elect allocated delegates to the Democratic National Convention. The delegates allocated to each of the two presidential candidates was determined by the vote for those candidates in the March presidential primary within each of those congressional districts. That distribution of delegates does not change no matter who shows up.

An important part of the process is the documentation. Each county level delegate must have proper documentation on file. Each individual seeking to run for an already allocated national delegate slot for a particular candidate must also file (Form F) and must have been vetted by their chosen candidate’s campaign. In the Congressional District Convention the Hillary Clinton county level delegates (they signed a Form B of support) can only vote for the national delegate candidates running for the allocated Hillary Clinton national delegate slots. Likewise, the Bernie Sanders county level delegates can only vote for the national delegate candidates running for the allocated Bernie Sanders national candidate slots. There is no such thing as delegate “flipping” in the Missouri delegate selection process.

Getting ready to sign in congressional district delegates.

Because there several hundred people involved (county level delegates and alternates) the sign in process has to be methodical and accurate. If an elected county level delegate doesn’t show up an elected alternate is assigned to take their place. This takes time. In Warsaw the local Democrats hosted a barbecue (the brownies were top notch) starting two and a half hours before the schedule start of the meeting. It’s an opportunity for individuals running for the national delegate slots to work the room and campaign for votes. At this point everyone was in the same room, regardless of which candidate they supported.

Waiting to sign in.

Conversation.

Campaigning for a national delegate slot.

One statewide candidate, one congressional district candidate, and several General Assembly candidates took the opportunity to work the room.

Judy Baker, a Democratic Party candidate for State Treasurer.

Gordon Christensen, the Democratic Party candidate in the 4th Congressional District.

Conversation.

Bought the t-shirt, actually showed up.

The respective groups of delegates and alternates for the two candidates met in two separate rooms to elect their candidate’s national convention delegates.

Waiting in the Hillary Clinton caucus.

With the delegate sign-in, the seating of alternates, and short speeches by candidates for the national delegate slots the process (officially) took two and a half hours.

Collected ballots.

The Missouri Democratic Party met by congressional district across the state on Thursday evening to select delegates to the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina in early September. Delegates and alternates to the congressional district meetings were selected at county meetings in March. The 4th Congressional District meeting took place in Warsaw with 119 delegates voting to select three female and two male delegates to the national convention.

Delegates and alternates were required to sign in before 7:30 p.m.

with many arriving over an hour before the start of the meeting for a potluck dinner.

Delegates and a representative of the Missouri Democratic Party (center) in conversation before the meeting.

Delegates can campaign for themselves or others seeking one of the coveted congressional district national delegate spots.

Campaigning.

Holmes Osborne, the Democratic Party candidate in the 53rd Legislative District.

Members of the 4th Congressional District Democratic Committee (consisting of county chairs and vice chairs

and legislative district chairs and vice chairs) held a brief meeting before the start of the election of national delegates.

Alternates who were selected as voting delegates (as replacements for those delegates who were not able to attend)

are registered as delegates and receive their orange ballot card before the start of balloting.

Candidates for the three female delegate slots (as well as candidates for the two male delegate slots) were given the opportunity to make a one minute speech before the vote.

Counting the ballots cast for female delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

Holding up orange delegate cards – waiting to receive ballots to vote

for the male delegates to the Democratic National Convention.