Summary of 8/26/25 DNC Rules Committee Meeting

Hilton
Minneapolis, Minnesota
DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee
Tuesday, August 26,2025
Salon E & F
4:30pm - 8:15I attended my first meeting of the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee (RBC) meeting as a representative of the Western States Caucus of the DNC.As promised, and as had been my custom during my term on the DNC Executive Committee, as a representative of the Western States, below is my summary of the August 26, 2025, RBC meeting:There were nine (9) proposed Charter / Bylaws Amendments, eight (8) of which were part of Chair Martin’s platform to democratize the DNC.The report itself is here:https://mcusercontent.com/b575b9e5364b5673b6f9df3f1/files/8dad9c6d-6eac-3ca1-4627-b2d5d695b2b2/RBCReportAugust2025MeetingProposedCharterandBylaws_Amendments.01.pdfI will discuss these individually below:Proposal #1:Exempts the DNC Vice Chair who is from of the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) from the gender balance requirement imposed on DNC officers, due to the fact they are selected by a different organization.Proposal #2:Further democratizes the DNC by taking 22 of the 75 at large appointments by the Chair of the DNC and provides for their election by the Regional Caucuses, demographic Caucuses, and Youth Council.Proposal #3:Another part of the democratization package. This one sets a maximum of 30% of the membership of the Credentials, Resolutions, and Rules and Bylaws Committee members from amongst the at-large appointments and a minimum of 25% of them from ASDC, and 25% from amongst the 200 elected by the States. Previously, the at-large appointments were a significantly greater percentage than those of either State Elected or ASDC Chairs and Vice-Chairs.Proposal #4:Makes the Immediate Past Chair of the DNC a member of the DNC.Proposal #5:Adds President of High School Dems and Immediate Past Chair of the DNC to the Executive Committee. The addition of several other ex-officio members to the Executive Committee are dependent upon the adoption of an amendment to the Charter of the Democratic Party effecting the numerical balance between Regionally elected members and others.Proposal #6:Codifies the tradition of Officer and staff neutrality in Democratic Primary contests, requires the Chair to develop a written policy.Proposal #7:Changes the name, duties, reporting and requirements, of the Budget and Finance Committee members (now Budget Oversight and Review). Requires DNC chair approval for contracts exceeding $100,000 annually per vendor.Additional Actions:RBC Chairs to form a subcommittee to a conduct review of the Charter and Bylaws for updating, consistency, and reform.MSP to require 2028 Call to Convention to utilize 2024 call language with regard to voting rights of the Automatic Delegates as pertains to the first ballot for President of the United States.MSP to refer to the above mentioned subcommittee a proposal on Officer succession to specify the Vice-Chair on Civic Engagement and Voter Participation as next in line as opposed to the current system of the Chair of the DNC designating a particular Vice-Chair in the event of a vacancy in the office of Chair.As side notes: a question was raised as to1. The eligibility of the Vice-Chair selected by the ASDC to be the successor to the Chair due to the fact the Charter / Bylaws note the successor is to be selected from amongst the elected Vice-Chairs; and,2. The specification in the Charter / Bylaws of there being five (5) elected Vice-Chairs as opposed to the currently four (4) elected Vice Chairs.Democratically Yours,Garry S. Shay
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