ldp delegate selection plan

8/3/2019 LDP Delegate Selection Plan

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LOUISIANADelegate

Selection Plan

For the 2012 Democratic NationalConvention

Issued by the Louisiana Democratic Party

APRIL 2011


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The LA Delegate Selection Plan

For the 2012 Democratic National Convention

Table of Contents I. Introduction & Description of Delegate Selection Process 4

A. Introduction 4

B. Description of Delegate Selection Process 5

II. Presidential Candidates 6

III. Selection of Delegates and Alternates 7

A. Selection of Delegates and Alternates 7

B. Unpledged Delegates 13

C. Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) Delegates 14

D. At-Large Delegates and Alternates 17

E. Replacement of Delegates and Alternates 20

IV. Convention Standing Committee Members 23

A. Introduction 23

B. Standing Committee Members 24

V. The Delegation 26

VI. General Provisions and Procedural Guarantees 27

VII. Affirmative Action and Outreach Plan 31

A. Statement of Purpose and Organization 31

B. Efforts to Educate on the Delegate Selection Process 33

C. Efforts to Publicize the Delegate Selection Process 34

D. Representation Goals 35

E. Obligations of Presidential Candidates to Maximize Participation 37


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VIII. Challenges 37

A. Jurisdiction and Standing 37

B. Challenges to the Status of the State Party and Challenges to the Plan 38

C. Challenges to Implementation 39

IX. Summary of Plan 41

A. Selection of Delegates and Alternates 41

B. Selection of Standing Committee Members 43

C. Selection of Delegation Chair and Convention Pages 43

D. Presidential Candidate Filing Deadline 43

E. Timetable 44

Exhibits to the Affirmative Action Plan 46

Attachments to the Delegate Selection Plan


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Section 1

Introduction & Description of Delegate Selection Process

A. Introduction

1. Louisiana has a total of 71 delegates and 5 alternates. (Call, I. & Appendix B.)

[Louisiana s district-level delegates and alternates are apportioned among the districts based on a formula giving equal weight to the vote for the Democratic candidates in the 2008 presidential election and the most recent gubernatorial elections. Following the October 22, 2011, gubernatorial election, the State Party will convey the apportionment of male and female district-level delegates and alternates to the Rules and Bylaws Committee.]

2. The delegate selection process is governed by the Charter and Bylaws of the Democratic Party of the United States , the Delegate Selection Rules

for the 2012 Democratic National Convention (Rules), the Call for the2012 Democratic National Convention (Call), the Regulations of the

Rules and Bylaws Committee for the 2012 Democratic NationalConvention (Regs.), the rules of the Democratic Party of Louisiana,the Louisiana election code, and this Delegate Selection Plan. (Call, II.A.)

3. Following the adoption of this Delegate Selection Plan by the State PartyCommittee, it shall be submitted for review and approval by the DNCRules and Bylaws Committee (RBC). The State Party Chair shall beempowered to make any technical revisions to this document as requiredby the RBC to correct any omissions and/or deficiencies as found by theRBC to ensure its full compliance with Party Rules. Such correctionsshall be made by the State Party Chair and the Plan resubmitted to theRBC within 30 days of receipt of notice of the RBCs findings. (Regs. 2.5,2.6 & 2.7)

4. Once this Plan has been found in Compliance by the RBC, any amendment

to the Plan by the State Party will be submitted to and approved by theRBC before it becomes effective. (Reg. 2.9)


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B. Description of Delegate Selection Process

1. Louisiana will use a proportional representation system based on the results

of the primary for apportioning delegates to the 2012 DemocraticNational Convention.

2. The first determining step of Louisiana s delegate selection process willoccur on March 24, 2012, with a primary

3. Voter Participation in Process

a. Participation in Louisiana s delegate selection process is open to allvoters who wish to participate as Democrats.

b. The Presidential Preference Primary will be held Saturday, March 24,2012. Under Louisiana election code, the last day to register tovote is 30 days prior to the election. That date is February 22,2012.

c. Louisiana registers voters by party. (Democrat, Green, Libertarian,Reform and Republican). Democrats and registered voters who areNOT registered with the Green, Libertarian, Reform or RepublicanParty are eligible to vote in the primary.

d. At no stage of Louisiana s delegate selection process shall any person

be required, directly or indirectly, to pay a cost or fee as acondition for participating. Voluntary contributions to the Partymay be made, but under no circumstances shall a contribution bemandatory for participation. (Rule 2.D. & Reg. 4.4.)

e. No persons shall participate or vote in the nominating process for theDemocratic presidential candidate who also participates in thenominating process of any other party for the correspondingelections. (Rule 2.E.)

f. No person shall vote in more than one meeting which is the first

meeting in the delegate selection process.(Rule 3.E. & Reg. 4.6.)

4. Louisiana is participating in the state government-run presidential

preference primary that will utilize government-run voting systems. TheState Party will take provable positive steps to:

a. Promote the acquisition of accessible precinct based optical scansystems, wherever possible. (Rule 2.H.(1))


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b. Seek enactment of legislation, rules, and policies at the state and locallevel to ensure that direct recording electronic systems include avoter verified paper trail (Rule 2.H.(2))

c. Seek enactment of legislation, rules and policies at the state and local

level to ensure that both optical scan and direct recordingelectronic systems include recognized security measures. Thesemeasures include automatic routine manual audits comparingpaper records to electronic records following every election andprior to certification or results where possible; parallel testing onelection day; physical and electronic security for equipment;banning use of wireless components and connections; publicdisclosure of software design; use of transparent and randomselection for all auditing procedures; and effective procedures foraddressing evidence of fraud or error. (Rule 2.H.(3))

Section II

Presidential Candidates

A. Ballot Access

A presidential candidate gains access to the Louisiana presidential preferenceprimary ballot, or is eligible to participate in the Louisiana s first-tier caucuses, by:

A presidential candidate gains access to the Louisiana ballot by filing the followingmaterials with the Louisiana Secretary of States Office (Twelve United Plaza, 8585Archives Avenue, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809), any time from 8:00 a.m. onDecember 7, 2011, through 5:00 p.m. on December 9, 2011.

Notice of Candidacy for use by candidates for Presidential Nominee in the PresidentialPreference Primary Election a $750 qualifying fee and an additional fee of $375imposed by the State Central Committee of Louisiana, for a total of $1,125.

OR

Nominating Petition containing signatures of at least 1,000 registered voters affiliatedwith the Party from each of the 6 congressional districts.


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Write-in candidates are not allowed in the Louisiana Preferential Primary election. (Rules11.B., 14.A., 14.B., 14.D., 14.E., & 14.H.)

B. Each presidential candidate shall certify in writing to the State Democratic Chair, thename(s) of his or her authorized representative(s) by December 9, 2011 . (Rule 12.D.(1))

C. Each presidential candidate (including uncommitted status) shall use his or her bestefforts to ensure that his or her respective delegation within the state delegationachieves the affirmative action goals established by this Plan and is equally dividedbetween men and women. (Rule 6.I.)

Section III

Selection of Delegates and Alternates

A. District-Level Delegates and Alternates

1. Louisiana is allocated 42 district-level delegates and 4 district-levelalternates. (Rule 8.C., Call, I.B., I.I. & Appendix B.)

2. District-level delegates and alternates shall be elected in post-primary

Congressional District Caucuses on May 5, 2012.

Caucuses An election will be held in each Congressional District onSaturday, May 5, 2012. Only voters registered as a Democrat mayparticipate in the election held in the Congressional District in whichthey reside. Voters shall only vote for delegate candidates qualified inthe Congressional District within which they reside. No person shall beallowed to vote who has participated in the delegate selection process of another party in 2012.

Ballots The State Central Committee shall prepare pre-numbered

ballots for the Congressional District Elections. A separate ballot shallbe prepared for each presidential candidate or the uncommitted bracketwho qualifies for delegate positions. Upon each ballot will appear thename of the presidential candidate or the uncommitted bracket alongwith the name of each delegate candidate in each Congressional Districtpledged to that preference, in alphabetical order, with one listing formales and one listing for females. Also contained on the ballot shall bethe number of each Congressional District and instructions:


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a. In the case in which a presidential preference has been awarded one ortwo delegate positions in the Congressional District, you may vote forone man and one woman.

b. In the case in which a presidential preference has been awarded three

or four delegate positions in the Congressional District, you may votefor two men and two women.

c. In the case in which a presidential preference has been awarded fiveor six positions, you may vote for three men and three women.

Ballots shall be printed by the Democratic State Central Committee innumbers sufficient for each polling place. Unauthorized duplication of ballots shall not be allowed.

The State Chairman will appoint a Congressional District Chair for each of

Louisianas Congressional Districts. The Congressional District Chair shallnot be a candidate for delegate or alternate. Ballots will be prepared anddelivered to the Democratic State Central Committee office no later than 4:00p.m. on Thursday, April 12, 2012. At that time, the State Chairman and theCongressional District Chairs will inspect the ballots, after which theCongressional District Chair shall sign an affidavit setting forth the numbersof the ballots in their possession. If a Congressional District Chair cannot bepresent in person to receive the ballots, another member of the DemocraticState Central Committee may be designated to represent that CongressionalDistrict.

Conduct of Congressional District Caucus The Congressional DistrictChairs shall conduct the Congressional District elections in their respectiveCongressional District. The Congressional District Chair shall select theCaucus location with the State Chairman having final approval. Whenchoosing the Caucus location he or she must ensure that the location isaccessible to all, and will be most likely to encourage participation of allDemocrats. Congressional District Chairs may appoint poll commissioners ina number sufficient to assist in the conduct of the Caucus election. If aCongressional District Chair cannot be present to conduct the election, theState Chair shall appoint a replacement.

Whenever possible, copies of the most recent poll lists containing the namesand addresses of all registered Democrats in each Congressional District shallbe secured. The Congressional District Chairs and commissioners mustconvene the Caucus no later than 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2012. If nocommissioners are present within a reasonable time frame, those Democratspresent may be drafted to fill the posts of the commissioners and thoseappointed commissioners must comply with the Louisiana Election Law, as


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set forth in the Louisiana Election Code. At least (2) commissioners shall bepresent at all times.

The election shall begin promptly at 9:00 a.m., at which time thecommissioners shall open the ballot box to assure it is empty. This shall be

shown to all present. Voting shall continue until 5:00 p.m. The CongressionalDistrict Chair will permit one representative of each presidential candidate tobe present at the polling place. However, no persons shall interfere with orimpede the casting of the ballots.

Voting No person shall vote absentee or by proxy at these caucuses unlessmeeting the requirements as listed in the following section V.(L). Each votershall give his or her name to the commissioner and will then sign the list forhis or her presidential candidate. In a polling place where the voterregistration roll is available, the commissioner shall place a check next to thevoters name. The voter shall also legibly print his or her name, address, and

phone number, ward and precinct. The voter shall then be given a ballotcontaining the names of all delegate candidates pledged to that preference. Ina polling location where the poll list is not available, and if the commissionersare not satisfied that the voter is a qualified voter in that district, they mayrequire that the voter present his or her voter registration card or some otherform of identification. Should another participant challenge a votersqualifications, the commissioners present shall decide the challenge. If thecommissioners decide that the challenge is well-founded, the person shall notbe permitted to vote.

Tabulating Results Ballots shall not be counted at the polling place. After

the close of voting, the ballots will be sealed in a ballot box and delivered tothe Congressional District Chair. At no time during or after the voting will theseal on the ballot box be broken. The sign-in sheets will be sealed in anenvelope and shall accompany the ballot box. On Monday, May 7, 2012, allballots will be delivered to the Democratic Party office by 12:00 NOON.Ballot boxes shall not be opened but shall be delivered with their original sealunbroken. At 1:00 p.m., the ballots will be tabulated, in Baton Rouge at theState Party headquarters. One authorized representative from each presidentialcampaign may observe the tabulations.

3. Apportionment of District-Level Delegates and Alternates

a. Louisiana s district-level delegates and alternates are apportionedamong the districts based on a formula giving equal weight to thevote for the Democratic candidates in the 2008 presidentialelection and the most recent gubernatorial elections. Following theOctober 22, 2011, gubernatorial election, the State Party willconvey the apportionment of male and female district-leveldelegates and alternates to the Rules and Bylaws Committee on


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November 4, 2011, if a November 19, 2011, run-off election is notwarranted, in which case the State Party will convey such byNovember 30, 2011. (Rule 8.A.; Regs. 4.10., 4.11 & Appendix A)

b. The states total number of district-level delegates will be equally

divided between men and women. (Rule 6.C.(1) & Reg. 4.8.)

c. [Louisiana s district-level delegates and alternates areapportioned among the districts based on a formula givingequal weight to the vote for the Democratic candidates in the2008 presidential election and the most recent gubernatorialelections. Following the October 22, 2011, gubernatorialelection, the State Party will convey the apportionment of maleand female district-level delegates and alternates to the Rulesand Bylaws Committee.]

The district-level delegates and alternates are apportioned to districts asindicated in the following chart:

CD Delegates Alternates

Males Females Total Males Females Total

#1 2 3 5 1 1

#2 3 3 6 1 1

#3 3 3 6 1 1

#4 3 3 6 1 1

#5 3 3 6

#6 4 3 7

#7 3 3 6

Total 21 21 42 2 2 4

4. District-Level Delegate and Alternate Filing Requirements

a. A district-level delegate and alternate candidate may run for electiononly within the district in which he or she is registered to vote. (Rule12.H.)

b. An individual can qualify as a candidate for district-level delegateor alternate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention by filing


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a statement of candidacy designating his or her presidential (oruncommitted) preference and a signed pledge of support for thepresidential candidate (including uncommitted status) with theState Party, 701 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, notbefore 9:00 a.m. on by February 13, 2012, and no later than 5:00 p.m.

on April 12, 2012. Petition forms will be available at the State Partyoffice beginning on February 6, 2012. (Rules 12.B. & 14.F.)

c. All candidates considered for district-level alternate positions mustmeet the same requirements as candidates for district-leveldelegate positions. An individual who is not chosen as a delegatemay also attempt to be chosen as an alternate. (Rule 12.C.)

5. Presidential Candidate Right of Review for District-Level Delegates andAlternates

a. The State Democratic Chair shall convey to the presidential candidate,or that candidates authorized representative(s), not later than 5:00p.m. on April 23, 2012, a list of all persons who have filed fordelegate or alternate pledged to that presidential candidate. (Rules12.D. & 12.F.)

b. Each presidential candidate, or that candidates authorizedrepresentative(s), must then file with the State Democratic Chairby 5:00 p.m. April 27, 2012, a list of all such candidates he or shehas approved, provided that approval be given to at least three (3)times the number of candidates for delegate men and three (3)times the number of candidates for delegate women, and three (3)times the number of candidates for alternate men and three (3)times the number of alternate women to be selected. (Rule 12.E.(1), Reg.4.23.)

c. Failure to respond will be deemed approval of all delegate andalternate candidates submitted to the presidential candidate unlessthe presidential candidate, or the authorized representative(s),signifies otherwise in writing to the State Democratic Chair notlater than April 27, 2012.

d. National convention delegate and alternate candidates removed from

the list of bona fide supporters by a presidential candidate, or thatcandidates authorized representative(s), may not be elected as adelegate or alternate at that level pledged to that presidentialcandidate (including uncommitted status). (Rule 12.E. & Reg. 4.23.)

e. The State Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the Co-Chairs of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee whether each presidentialcandidate (including uncommitted status) has used their best


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efforts to ensure that their respective district-level delegatecandidates and district-level alternate candidates meet theaffirmative action and inclusion considerations and goals detailedin the Affirmative Action section of this Plan within three (3)business days of returning the list of approved district-level

delegate candidates and district-level alternate candidates asindicated in section III.A.5.b of this Plan.

6. Fair Reflection of Presidential Preference

a. Presidential Primary - Proportional Representation Plan (Rules 13.A., 13.B. &13.D.)

The Louisiana presidential primary election is a bindingprimary. Accordingly, delegate and alternate positions shallbe allocated so as to fairly reflect the expressed presidential(or uncommitted) preference of the primary voters in eachdistrict. The National Convention delegates and alternatesselected at the district level shall be allocated in proportion tothe percentage of the primary vote won in that district byeach preference, except that preferences falling below a 15%threshold shall not be awarded any delegates or alternates.

b. Within a district, if no presidential preference reaches a 15%threshold, the threshold shall be the percentage of the vote receivedin that district by the front-runner minus 10%. (Rule 13.F.)

7. Equal Division of District-Level Delegates and Alternates

a. In order to ensure the district-level delegates are equally dividedbetween men and women, delegate positions within each districtwill be designated by presidential preference beginning with thehighest vote-getting presidential preference. This assignment of delegate positions, alternating by sex as mathematicallypracticable, will continue with the next highest vote-gettingpreferences in descending order until the gender of each positionhas been assigned. (Rule 6.C.(1) & Reg. 4.8.)

In order to ensure the district delegates and alternates are equallydivided among men and women and within each respectivepresidential candidates delegation, delegate positions within eachdistrict will be designated by presidential preference beginningwith the highest vote-getting presidential preference. Thisassignment of delegate positions, alternating by sex asmathematically practicable, will continue with the next highestvote-getting preferences in descending order until the gender of each position has been assigned.


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b. The delegate positions shall be pre-designated so that the gender of the first position to be filled by the winning presidential candidateis predetermined. The gender of the first position shall be female.Once the allocation of district delegates among presidentialpreference(s) has been calculated, the remaining delegate positions

can be assigned to the presidential preference(s), in order of votewon, alternating by gender.

c. After the delegates are selected, the alternates will be awarded, usingthe same process described above.

8. The State Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the Secretary of theDemocratic National Committee (DNC) the election of the statesdistrict-level delegates and alternates to the Democratic NationalConvention within ten (10) days after their election. (Rule 8.C. & Call, IV.A.)

B. Unpledged Delegates

1. Unpledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials

a. The following categories (if applicable) shall constitute the UnpledgedParty Leaders and Elected Official delegate positions:

(1) Members of the Democratic National Committee who legallyreside in the state; (Rule 9.A.(1), Call, I.F., J., & Reg. 4.13.)

(2) Democratic President and Democratic Vice President (if applicable); (Rule 9.A.2., Call I.G.)

(3) All of Louisiana s Democratic Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate; (Rule 9.A.(3), Call I.H. & J.)

(4) The Democratic Governor (if applicable); (Rule 9.A.(4), Call I.H. & J.)

(5) Distinguished Party Leader delegates who legally reside inthe state (if applicable). (Rule 9.A.(5), Call I.G., and Reg. 4.13.)

b. The certification process for the Unpledged Party Leader and ElectedOfficial delegates is as follows:

(1) Not later than March 1, 2012, the Secretary of the DemocraticNational Committee shall officially confirm to the StateDemocratic Chair the names of the unpledged delegates wholegally reside in LA. (Rule 9.A.)


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(2) Official confirmation by the Secretary shall constituteverification of the unpledged delegates from the categoriesindicated above. (Call, IV.B.1.)

(3) The State Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the

Secretary of the DNC the presidential preference of statesunpledged delegates 10 days after the completion of theStates Delegate Selection Process. (Call, IV.B)

C. Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) Delegates

1. Louisiana is allotted 8 pledged Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO)delegates. (Call, I.D., E. & Appendix B)

2. Pledged PLEO Delegate Filing Requirementsa. Individuals shall be eligible for the pledged Party Leader and Elected

Official delegate positions according to the following priority: bigcity mayors and state-wide elected officials (to be given equalconsideration); state legislative leaders, state legislators, and otherstate, county and local elected officials and party leaders. (Rule 9.B.(1)& Reg. 4.15.)

b. An individual can qualify as a candidate for a position as a pledgedPLEO delegate by filing a declaration of candidacy and a pledge of support with the State Chair, at 701 Government Street, BatonRouge, LA 70802, no later than May 17, 2012. Qualifying may besubmitted by mail, in person, fax, via our website or email. (Rules9.B.(3), & 14.G., Reg. 4.16.)

c. If persons eligible for pledged PLEO delegate positions have notalready made known their presidential preference (or uncommittedstatus) as candidates for district-level or at-large delegate positions,their preference shall be ascertained through the followingalternative procedure: signing a pledge of support immediatelypreceding the selection and shall be subject to candidate right of approval at that time. (Rule 9.B.(3) & Reg. 4.16.)

3. Presidential Candidate Right of Review

a. The State Democratic Chair shall convey to the presidential candidate,or that candidates authorized representative(s), not later than May18, 2012, a list of all persons who have filed for a party and electedofficial delegate pledged to that presidential candidate. (Rules 9.B.(3) &12.D.)


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b. Each presidential candidate, or that candidates authorizedrepresentative(s), must file with the State Democratic Chair, byMay 23, 2012, a list of all such candidates he or she has approved,as long as approval is given to at least two (2) names for everyposition to which the presidential candidate is entitled. (Rule 12.E.(2) &Reg. 4.23.)

c. Failure to respond will be deemed approval of all delegate candidatessubmitted to the presidential candidate unless the presidentialcandidate or the authorized representative(s) signifies otherwise inwriting to the State Democratic Chair not later than May 23, 2012.

d. The State Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the Co-Chairsof the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee whether eachpresidential candidate (including uncommitted status) has usedtheir best efforts to ensure that their respective pledged PLEOdelegate candidates meet the affirmative action and inclusionconsiderations and goals detailed in the Affirmative Action sectionof this Plan within three (3) business days of returning the list of approved pledged PLEO candidates as indicated in sectionIII.C.3.b of this Plan.

4. Selection of Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official Delegates

a. The pledged PLEO slots shall be allocated among presidentialpreferences on the same basis as the at-large delegates. (Rule 9.B.(2),10.C., 13.E. & F.)

b. Selection of the pledged PLEO delegates will occur at 1:00 p.m. onJune 2, 2012 at TBA, which is after the election of district-leveldelegates and alternates and prior to the selection of at-largedelegates and alternates. The meeting will be open to the public. Thefirst order of business shall be the certification of unpledged delegates,who shall have been identified pursuant to the section above. (Rule 9.B.)

The Chair shall then proceed to announce the number of pledgedParty Leader and Elected Official positions allocated to eachpresidential preference. The Chair shall then read the names of allcandidates for delegate for each preference. Each delegate

candidate will be given an opportunity to introduce himself orherself to the Committee. Members of the Committee will vote forthe appropriate number of delegate candidates for each preferenceperiod.

c. These delegates will be selected by: (Rule 9.C.)

(1) The State Party Committee, provided that:


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(a) Membership on the State Party Committee is apportionedon the basis of population and/or some measure of Democratic strength. (Rule 9.C.(1))

(b) Members of the State Party Committee have been elected

through open processes in conformity with the basicprocedural guarantees utilized for delegate selection.(Rule 9.C.(2))

(c) Such delegates are elected at a public meeting subsequentto the election of district-level delegates. (Rule 9.C.(3))

(d) Members of the State Party Committee shall have beenelected no earlier than the date of the previouspresidential election. (Rule 9.C.(4))

(e) Membership of the State Party Committee complies withthe equal division requirements of Article 9, Section 16of the Charter of the Democratic Party of the UnitedStates. (Rule 9.C.(5))

(2) Alternates are not selected at the pledged Party Leader andElected Official level. These alternates are combined with theat-large alternates and selected as one unit. (Reg. 4.30.)

5. The State Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the Secretary of theDemocratic National Committee the election of the states pledged PartyLeader and Elected Official delegates to the Democratic NationalConvention within ten (10) days after their election. (Rule 8.D. & Call, IV.A.)

D. At-Large Delegates And Alternate

1. The state of Louisiana is allotted 14 at-large delegates and 1 at-largealternate. (Rule 8.C., Call, I.B., II. & Appendix B)

2. At-Large Delegate and Alternate Filing Requirements

a. Persons desiring to seek at-large delegate or alternate positions mayfile a statement of candidacy designating their presidential oruncommitted preference and a signed pledge of support for thepresidential candidates (including uncommitted status) with the


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State Party by May18, 2012. Qualifying may be submitted by mail,in person, fax, via our website or email. (Rules 12.B. & 14.G.; Regs. 4.21. &4.27.)

b. The statement of candidacy for at-large delegates and for at-largealternate will be the same. After the at-large delegates are electedby the Democratic State Central Committee, those persons notchosen will then be considered candidates for at-large alternatepositions unless they specify otherwise when filing. (Rule 18.A.)


a. The State Democratic Chair shall convey to the presidential candidate,or that candidates authorized representative(s), not later than12:00 NOON on May 23, 2012, a list of all persons who have filedfor delegate or alternate pledged to that presidential candidate. (Rule12.D.) (Reg. 4.22. & 4.27.)

b. Each presidential candidate, or that candidates authorizedrepresentative(s), must then file with the State Democratic Chair,by 5:00 p.m. on May 25, 2012, a list of all such candidates he orshe has approved, provided that, at a minimum, two (2) names remains for every national convention delegate or alternateposition to which the presidential candidate is entitled. (Rule 12.E.(2) &Reg. 4.23.)

c. Failure to respond will be deemed approval of all delegate candidatessubmitted to the presidential candidate unless the presidential

candidate or the authorized representative(s) signifies otherwise inwriting to the State Democratic Chair not later than 5:00 p.m. onMay 25, 2012.

d. The State Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the Co-Chairsof the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee whether eachpresidential candidate (including uncommitted status) has usedtheir best efforts to ensure that their respective at-large delegatecandidates and at-large alternate candidates meet the affirmativeaction and inclusion considerations and goals detailed in theAffirmative Action section of this Plan within three (3) businessdays of returning the list of approved at-large delegate candidatesand at-large alternate candidates as indicated in section III.D.3.b of this Plan.

4. Fair Reflection of Presidential Preference

a. At-large delegate and alternate positions shall be allocated amongpresidential preferences according to the state-wide primary vote.(Rule 10.C.)


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b. Preferences which have not attained a 15% threshold on a state-widebasis shall not be entitled to any at-large delegates. (Rule 13.E.)

c. If no presidential preference reaches a 15% threshold, the thresholdshall be the percentage of the statewide vote received by the front-

runner, minus 10%. (Rule 13.F.)

d. If a presidential candidate is no longer a candidate at the time of selection of the at-large delegates, then those at-large slots thatwould have been allocated to the candidate will be proportionallydivided among the remaining preferences entitled to an allocation.(Rule 10.C.)

e. If a given presidential preference is entitled to one or more delegatepositions but would not otherwise be entitled to an alternateposition, that preference shall be allotted one at-large alternateposition. (Rule 18.B., Call, I.I. & Reg. 4.30.& 4.33.)

5. Selection of At-Large Delegates and Alternates

a. The selection of the at-large delegates and alternate will occur at 1:00p.m. on June 2, 2012, at TBA, which is after pledged Party Leaderand Elected Official delegates have been selected. The Chair shallannounce the number of delegate and alternate positions allocatedto each presidential preference and the target goals to be met as setin the Affirmative Action. After each delegate candidate has hadthe opportunity to introduce himself or herself to the Committee,the Chair will then distribute printed ballots to the Committee,arranged by gender, according to the presidential preference. Themembers of the Committee will then proceed to elect the delegatesfor that preference. The members of the Committee will thenproceed to elect the delegates for that preference, all in accordancewith selections below. (Rule 8.D. & Call, III.)

b. These delegates and alternate will be selected by the Democratic StateCentral Committee (DSCC). Each office for membership on theCommittee shall constitute a separate and distinct office. For thepurpose of nomination and election to office, the offices within adistrict shall be designated alphabetically as Office A and OfficeB. Office A shall be the designated seat for all femalecandidates for that district. Office B shall be the designated seatfor all male candidates for that district. Each office within a districtshall be arranged separately on the ballot and shall be designatedas Office A and Office B. The electors of the district who arequalified to vote for members of the particular numerical


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designation for each district of the DSCC shall correspond withthose of the Louisiana House of Representatives and shall befurther designated as Office A and Office B. The Louisiana Houseof Representatives is apportioned in compliance with the U.S.Supreme Court Decision relating to one man, one vote, and is in

compliance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,as amended. The State Central Committee elections are incompliance with the Delegate Selection Rules for the 2012Democratic National Convention as follows: Rules 10.B. & 8.E.)

(a) Membership on the State Party Committee is apportionedon the basis of population and/or some measure of Democratic strength. (Rule 9.C.(1))

(b) Members of the State Party Committee have been electedthrough open processes in conformity with the basic

procedural guarantees utilized for delegate selection.(Rule 9.C.(2))

(c) Such delegates are elected at a public meeting subsequentto the election of district-level delegates. (Rule 9.C.(3))

(d) Members of the State Party Committee shall have beenelected no earlier than the date of the previouspresidential election. (Rule 9.C.(4))

(e) Membership of the State Party Committee complies withthe equal division requirements of Article 9, Section 16of the Charter of the Democratic Party of the UnitedStates. (Rule 9.C.(5))

d. Priority of Consideration

(1) In the selection of the at-large delegation priority of consideration shall be given to African Americans,Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and PacificIslanders and women. (Rule 6.A.)

(2) In order to continue the Democratic Partys ongoing efforts toinclude groups historically under-represented in theDemocratic Partys affairs and to assist in the achievement of full participation by these groups, priority of considerationshall be given other groups by virtue of race/ethnicity, age,sexual orientation or disability. (Rules 5.C., 6.A.(3), & Reg. 4.7.)

(3) The election of at-large delegates and alternate shall be used, if necessary, to achieve the equal division of positions between


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men and women, and may be used to achieve therepresentation goals established in the Affirmative Actionsection of this Plan. (Rule 6.A. & 6.C.)

(4) Delegates and alternates are to be considered separate groups

for this purpose. (Rules 6.A.(3), 10.A. & Regs. 4.8 & 4.19.)

6. The State Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the Secretary of theDemocratic National Committee the election of the states at-largedelegates and alternates to the Democratic National Convention withinten (10) days after their election. (Rule 8.C. & Call, IV.A.)

E. Replacement of Delegates and Alternates

1. A pledged delegate or alternate may be replaced according to the followingguidelines:

a. Permanent Replacement of a Delegate: (Rule 18.D.(2))

(1) A permanent replacement occurs when a delegate resigns ordies prior to or during the national convention and thealternate replaces the delegate for the remainder of theNational Convention.

(2) Any alternate permanently replacing a delegate shall be of the

same presidential preference (including uncommitted status)and sex of the delegate he/she replaces, and to the extentpossible shall be from the same political subdivision withinthe state as the delegate.

(a) In the case where the presidential candidate has only onealternate, that alternate shall become the certifieddelegate.

(b) If a presidential candidate has only one alternate, and thatalternate permanently replaces a delegate of the

opposite sex, thereby causing the delegation to nolonger be equally divided, the delegation shall not beconsidered in violation of Rule 6.C. In such a case, notwithstanding Rule 18.D.(2), the State Party Committeeshall, at the time of a subsequent permanentreplacement, replace a delegate with a person of theopposite sex, in order to return the delegation to equaldivision of men and women. (Reg. 4.32.)


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b. Temporary Replacement of a Delegate: (Rule 18.D.(3))

(1) A temporary replacement occurs when a delegate is to beabsent for a limited period of time during the convention andan alternate temporarily acts in the delegates place.

(2) Any alternate who temporarily replaces a delegate must be of the same presidential preference (including uncommittedstatus) as the delegate he/she replaces, and to the extentpossible shall be of the same sex and from the same politicalsubdivision within the state as the delegate.

c. The following system will be used to select permanent and temporaryreplacements of delegates: (Rule 18.D.(1))

(1) The delegate chooses the alternate.

(2) The delegation chooses the alternate if the delegate is unable toname his or her replacement.

d. Certification of Replacements

(1) Any alternate who permanently replaces a delegate shall becertified in writing to the Secretary of the DNC by the StateDemocratic Chair. (Rule 18.D.(2))

(2) Permanent replacement of a delegate (as specified above) by an

alternate and replacement of a vacant alternate position shallbe certified in writing by the Louisiana s Democratic Chair tothe Secretary of the Democratic National Committee withinthree (3) days after the replacement is selected. (Call, IV.D.1.)

(3) Certification of permanent replacements will be accepted bythe Secretary up to 48 hours before the first official sessionof the Convention is scheduled to convene. (Call, IV.D.1. & Reg.4.31.)

(4) In the case where a pledged delegate is permanently replacedafter 48 hours before the time the first session is scheduled toconvene or, in the case where a pledged delegate is not on thefloor of the Convention Hall at the time a roll call vote istaken, an alternate may be designated (as specified above) tocast the delegates vote. In such case, the Delegation Chairshall indicate the name of the alternate casting the respectivedelegates vote on the delegation tally sheet (Call, VIII.F.3.d.,VIII.F.3.b. & Reg. 5.5.)


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e. A vacant alternate position shall be filled by the delegation. Thereplacement shall be of the same presidential preference (oruncommitted status), of the same sex and, to the extent possible,from the same political subdivision as the alternate being replaced.(Rule 18.E.)

2. Unpledged delegates shall not be entitled to a replacement, nor shall thestate be entitled to a replacement, except under the followingcircumstances: (Rule 18.E. & Reg. 4.33.)

a . Members of Congress and the Democratic Governor shall not beentitled to name a replacement. In the event of changes orvacancies in the states Congressional Delegation, following theofficial confirmation and prior to the commencement of theNational Convention, the DNC Secretary shall recognize only suchchanges as have been officially recognized by the DemocraticCaucus of the U.S. House of Representatives or the DemocraticConference of the U.S. Senate. In the event of a change or vacancyin the states office of Governor, the DNC shall recognize onlysuch changes as have been officially recognized by the DemocraticGovernors Association. (Call, IV.D.2.a.)

b. Members of the Democratic National Committee shall not be entitledto a replacement, nor shall the state be entitled to a replacement,except in the case of death of such delegates. In the case where thestates DNC membership changes following the DNC Secretarysofficial confirmation, but prior to the commencement of the 2012Democratic National Convention, acknowledgment by theSecretary of the new DNC member certification shall constituteverification of the corresponding change of unpledged delegates.(Call, IV.D.2.b.)

c. Unpledged distinguished Party Leader delegates allocated to the statepursuant to Rule 9.A.(5), shall not be entitled to name areplacement, nor shall the state be entitled to name a replacement.(Call, IV.C.2.c.)

d. In no case may an alternate cast a vote for an unpledged delegate. (Call,VIII.F.3.d.)

Section IV

Convention Standing Committee Members


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A. Introduction

1. LA has been allocated (2) member(s) on each of the three standing

committees for the 2012 Democratic National Convention (Credentials,Platform and Rules), for a total of ( 6 ) members. (Call, VII.A. & Appendix D.)

2. Members of the Convention Standing Committees need not be delegates oralternates to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. (Call, VII.A.3.)

3. These members will be selected in accordance with the proceduresindicated below. (Rule 1.G.)

B. Standing Committee Members

1. Selection Meeting

a. The members of the standing committees shall be elected by a quorumof Louisiana s National Convention delegates, at a meeting to beheld on June 2, 2012. (Call, VII.B.1.)

b. All members of the delegation shall receive adequate notice of thetime, date and place of the meeting to select the standingcommittee members. (Call, VII.B.1.)

2. Allocation of Members

a. The members of the standing committees allocated to LA shallproportionately represent the presidential preference of allcandidates (including uncommitted status) receiving the thresholdpercentage used in the states delegation to calculate the at-largeapportionment pursuant to Rule 13.E. of the Delegate SelectionRules. (Call, VII.C.1. & Reg. 5.7.)

b. The presidential preference of each candidate receiving the applicable

percentage or more within the delegation shall be multiplied by thetotal number of standing committee positions allocated to LA. If the result of such multiplication does not equal 0.455 or above, thepresidential preference in question is not entitled to representationon the standing committee. If the result of such multiplication is0.455 but less then 1.455, the presidential preference is entitled toone (1) position. Those preferences securing more than 1.455 butless then 2.455 are entitled to two (2) positions, etc. (Call, VII.C.2.)


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c. Where the application of this formula results in the total allocationexceeding the total number of committee positions, the presidentialcandidate whose original figure of representation is farthest fromits eventual rounded-off total shall be denied that one (1) additionalposition. Where the application of this formula results in the total

allocation falling short of the total number of committee positions,the presidential candidate whose original figure of representation isclosest to the next rounding level shall be allotted an additionalcommittee position. (Call, VII.C.3.)

d. Standing committee positions allocated to a presidential candidateshall be proportionately allocated, to the extent practicable, to eachof the three standing committees. When such allocation results inan unequal distribution of standing committee positions bycandidate preference, a drawing shall be conducted to distribute theadditional positions. (Call, VII.C.4.)


a. Each presidential candidate, or that candidates authorizedrepresentative(s), shall be given adequate notice of the date, timeand location of the meeting of the states delegation authorized toelect standing committee members. (Call, VII.D.1.)

b. Each presidential candidate, or that candidates authorizedrepresentative(s), must submit to the State Democratic Chair, by5:00 p.m. on June 2, 2012, a minimum of one (1) name for each

slot awarded to that candidate for members of each committee. Thedelegation shall select the standing committee members submittedby the presidential candidates (including uncommitted status).Presidential candidates shall not be required to submit the name of more than one person for each slot awarded to such candidate formembers of standing committees. (Call, VII.D.2.)

4. Selection Procedure to Achieve Equal Division

a. Presidential candidates (including uncommitted status) shall use theirbest efforts to ensure that their respective delegation of standingcommittee members shall achieve Louisiana s affirmative actiongoals and that their respective members are equally dividedbetween men and women. (Rule 6.I. & Reg. 4.9.)

Each position on each standing committee shall be assigned bygender. For example, the first position on the CredentialsCommittee of the presidential candidate with the most standingcommittee positions shall be designated for a male , the second


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position for a female , and the remaining positions shall bedesignated in like fashion, alternating between males and females.Positions for presidential candidates on each committee shall beranked according to the total number of standing positionsallocated to each such candidate. After positions on the Credentials

Committee are designated by sex, the designation shall continuewith the Platform Committee, then the Rules Committee.

(1) A separate election shall be conducted for membership on eachstanding committee.

(2) The membership of the standing committees shall be as equallydivided as possible under the state allocation; if the number iseven, the membership shall be equally divided between menand women; if the number is odd, the variance between menand women may not exceed one (1), and the advantaged

gender must not remain constant for the three standingcommittees. (Call, VII.E.1.)

(3) The positions allocated to each presidential candidate on eachcommittee shall be voted on separately, and the winners shallbe the highest vote-getter(s) of the appropriate sex.

5. Certification and Substitution

a. The State Democratic Chair shall certify the standing committeemembers in writing to the Secretary of the Democratic National

Committee within three (3) days after their selection.(Call, VII.B.3.)

b. No substitutions will be permitted in the case of standing committee

members, except in the case of resignation or death. Substitutionsmust be made in accordance with the rules and the electionprocedures specified in this section, and must be certified inwriting to the Secretary of the Democratic National Committeewithin three (3) days after the substitute member is selected. (Call,VII.B.4.)

Section V

The Delegation


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A. Louisiana will select one (1) person to serve as Delegation Chair and 2 to serve asConvention Pages. (Call, IV.E., F.1. & Appendix C.)

B. Delegation Chair

1. Selection Meeting

a. The Delegation Chair shall be selected by a quorum of the statesNational Convention Delegates, at a meeting to be held on June 2,2012. (Call, IV.E.)

b. All members of the delegation shall receive timely notice of the time,date and place of the meeting to select the Delegation Chair. (Rule3.C.)

2. The State Democratic Chair shall certify the Delegation Chair in writing tothe Secretary of the Democratic National Committee within three (3)days after his or her selection. (Call, IV.E.)

C. Convention Pages

1. 2 individuals will be selected to serve as Louisiana s Convention Pages bythe State Democratic Chair in consultation with the members of theDemocratic National Committee from the state. This selection will takeplace June 2, 2012 . (Call, IV.F.3., Appendix C & Reg. 5.6.)

2. The Convention Pages shall be as evenly divided between men and womenas possible under the state allocation and shall reflect as much aspossible, the Affirmative Action guidelines in the Affirmative ActionPlan. (Reg. 5.6.A.)

3. The State Democratic Chair shall certify the individuals to serve asLouisiana s Convention Pages in writing to the Secretary of theDemocratic National Committee within three (3) days after the selection.(Call, IV.F.3. & Reg. 5.6.B.)


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Section VI

General Provisions and Procedural Guarantees

A. The Louisiana Democratic Party reaffirms its commitment to an open party byincorporating the six basic elements as listed below. These provisions demonstratethe intention of the Democratic Party to ensure a full opportunity for all minoritygroup members to participate in the delegate selection process. (Rules 4.A. & C.)

1. All public meetings at all levels of the Democratic Party in Louisianashould be open to all members of the Democratic Party regardless of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnic identity,sexual orientation, economic status or physical disability (hereinaftercollectively referred to as status). (Rule 4.B.(1))

2. No test for membership in, nor any oaths of loyalty to the Democratic Partyin Louisiana should be required or used which has the effect of requiringprospective or current members of the Democratic Party to acquiesce in,condone or support discrimination based on status. (Rule 4.B.(2))

3. The time and place for all public meetings of the Democratic Party inLouisiana on all levels should be publicized fully and in such manner asto assure timely notice to all interested persons. Such meetings must beheld in places accessible to all Party members and large enough toaccommodate all interested persons. (Rule 4.B.(3))

4. The Democratic Party in Louisiana, on all levels, should support thebroadest possible registration without discrimination based on status.(Rule 4.B.(4))

5. The Democratic Party in Louisiana should publicize fully and in such amanner as to assure notice to all interested parties a full description of

the legal and practical procedures for selection of Democratic Partyofficers and representatives on all levels. Publication of these proceduresshould be done in such fashion that all prospective and current membersof each State Democratic Party will be fully and adequately informed of the pertinent procedures in time to participate in each selectionprocedure at all levels of the Democratic Party organization. (Rule 4.B.(5))


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6. The Democratic Party in Louisiana should publicize fully and in such amanner as to assure notice to all interested parties, a completedescription of the legal and practical qualifications of all positions asofficers and representatives of the State Democratic Party. Suchpublication should be done in timely fashion so that all prospective

candidates or applicants for any elected of appointed position withineach State Democratic Party will have full and adequate opportunity tocompete for office. (Rule 4.B.(6))

B. Discrimination on the basis of status in the conduct of Democratic Party affairs isprohibited. (Rule 5.B.)

C. Louisiana s delegation shall be equally divided between delegate men and delegatewomen, and alternate men and alternate women. Such goal applies to the entiredelegation, which includes all pledged delegates and alternates and all unpledgeddelegates. Delegates and alternates shall be considered separate groups for purposesof achieving equal division. (Rule 6.C.)

D. All delegate and alternate candidates must be identified as to presidential preference oruncommitted status at all levels which determine presidential preference. (Rule 12.A.)

E. No delegate at any level of the delegate selection process shall be mandated by law orParty rules to vote contrary to that persons presidential choice as expressed at thetime the delegate is elected. (Rule 12.I.)

F. Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shallin all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them. (Rule 12.J.)

G. All delegates, alternates and standing committee members must be bona fideDemocrats who have the interests, welfare and success of the Democratic Party of the United States at heart, who subscribe to the substance, intent and principles of the Charter and Bylaws of the Democratic Party of the United States, and who willparticipate in the Convention in good faith. (Rule 12.H. & Reg. 4.24.)


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H. No less than 50% of the members of any Party body above the first level of the delegateselection process shall constitute a quorum for any business pertaining to theselection of National Convention delegates, alternates, standing committee

members, and other official Convention participants. (Rule 15)

I. An accredited participant in a caucus, convention or committee meeting, after havingappeared at such meeting and having established credentials, may register a non-transferable proxy with another duly accredited participant at that meeting (exceptwhere an accredited alternate is present and eligible to serve as a replacement),provided that no individual may hold more than three (3) proxies at one time. (Rule 16& Reg. 4.28.)

J. The unit rule, or any rule or practice whereby all members of a Party unit or delegationmay be required to cast their votes in accordance with the will of a majority of thebody, shall not be used at any stage of the delegate selection process. (Rule 17.A.)

K. Any individual or group of Democrats may sponsor or endorse a slate of candidatesfor convention delegates. But no slate may, by virtue of such endorsement, receivea preferential place on a delegate selection ballot or be publicly identified on theballot as the official Democratic Party organization slate, and all slates must meetidentical qualifying requirements for appearing on a ballot at all levels of thedelegate selection process. (Rule 17.B.)

L. All steps in the delegate selection process, including the filing of presidentialcandidates, must take place within the calendar year of the Democratic NationalConvention, except with respect to the implementation of the Affirmative ActionPlan. (Rules 1.F. & 11.B.)

M. In electing and certifying delegates and alternates to the 2012 Democratic NationalConvention, Louisiana thereby undertakes to assure all Democratic voters in thestate full, timely and equal opportunity to participate in the delegate selectionprocess and in all Party affairs and to implement affirmative action programstoward that end, and that the delegates and alternates to the Convention shall beselected in accordance with the Delegate Selection Rules for the 2012 DemocraticNational Convention, and that the voters in the state will have the opportunity to


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cast their election ballots for the Presidential and Vice Presidential nomineesselected by said Convention, and for electors pledged formally and in goodconscience to the election of these Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees,under the label and designation of the Democratic Party of the United States, andthat the delegates certified will not publicly support or campaign for any candidate

for President or Vice President other than the nominees for the Democratic NationalConvention. (Call, II.B.)

Section VII

Affirmative Action, Outreach and Inclusion Plan

A. Statement of Purpose and Organization

1. Purpose and Objectives

a. In order that the Democratic Party at all levels be an open Party whichincludes rather than excludes people from participation, a programof effective affirmative action is hereby adopted by Louisiana. (Rule5.A.)

b. Discrimination on the basis of status in the conduct of DemocraticParty affairs is prohibited. (Rule 5.B.)

c. All public meetings at all levels of the Democratic Party in Louisianashould be open to all members of the Democratic Party regardlessof race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnicidentity, sexual orientation, economic status or physical disability(hereinafter collectively referred to as status). (Rule 4.B.(1))

d. Consistent with the Democratic Partys commitment to includinggroups historically under-represented in the Democratic Partys

affairs, by virtue of race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, ordisability, Louisiana has developed Party outreach programs. Suchprograms include recruitment, education and training, in order toachieve full participation by such groups and diversity in thedelegate selection process and at all levels of Party affairs for2012. (Rule 5.C & Reg. 4.7.)


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Louisianas Affirmative Action Committee program is designed topro-actively reach out to the states various Democraticconstituencies including groups such as African Americans,Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and PacificIslanders, women, ethnics, youth, persons over 65 years of age,

lesbians and gay men, workers, persons with disabilities,, toheighten the awareness of these groups and the Democratic Partysdesire to have them fully participate.

e. In order to encourage full participation by all Democrats in thedelegate selection process and in all Party affairs, the LouisianaDemocratic Party has adopted and will implement programs withspecific goals and timetables for African Americans, Hispanics,Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders andwomen. (Rule 6.A.)

(1) The goal of the programs shall be to encourage participation inthe delegate selection process and in Party organizations atall levels by the aforementioned groups as indicated by theirpresence in the Democratic electorate. (Rule 6.A.(1))

(2) This goal shall not be accomplished either directly or indirectlyby the Partys imposition of mandatory quotas at any level of the delegate selection process or in any other Party affairs.(Rule 6.A.(2))

f. In order to achieve full participation of other groups that may beunder-represented in Party affairs, including members of the LGBTcommunity, people with disabilities and youth, the LouisianaDemocratic Party has adopted and will implement InclusionPrograms. (Rule 7)

2. Organizational Structure

a. An Affirmative Action Committee was appointed by the StateDemocratic Chair on March 1, 2011. (Rule 6.F.)

b. The State Democratic Chair certified in writing to the Rules andBylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee thecompliance of the States Affirmative Action Committee withRules 5.C, 6.A and 7, and submitted the names, demographic dataand contact information on March 15, 2011. (Reg. 2.2.K)

c. The Committee consists of members from each delegate districtrepresenting the Democratic constituency groups set forth in theIntroduction to the Affirmative Action Plan.


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d. The Affirmative Action Committee shall be responsible for:

(1) Reviewing the proposed Delegate Selection and AffirmativeAction Plans and making recommendations to the StateDemocratic Chair.

(2) Reviewing the proposed Inclusion Programs and makingrecommendations to the State Democratic Chair.

(3) Directing the implementation of all requirements of theAffirmative Action section of this Plan.

(4) Implementing a financial assistance program for delegates andalternates. (Rule 6.G.)

(5) Ensuring, on behalf of the State Party Committee, that district

lines used in the delegate selection process are notgerrymandered to discriminate against African Americans,Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and PacificIslanders and women. (Rule 6.E.)

e. Financial and staff support for the Affirmative Action Committeeshall be provided by the State Party Committee to the greatestextent feasible, including, but not limited to, making available on apriority basis, the State Party staff and volunteers and covering allreasonable costs incurred in carrying out this Plan.

3. Implementation of the Affirmative Action Plan shall begin on September16, 2011, with the distribution of the press kits, and will continuethrough the end of the delegate selection process. (Rule 1.F.)

B. Efforts to Educate on the Delegate Selection Process

1. Well publicized educational workshops will be conducted in each of thedelegate districts beginning in September 2011. These workshops willbe designed to encourage participation in the delegate selection process,

including apprising potential delegate candidates of the availability of financial assistance. These workshops will be held in places which areeasily accessible to persons with physical disabilities. The times, dates,places and rules for the conduct of all education workshops, meetingsand other events involved in the delegate selection process shall beeffectively publicized by the party organization and include mailings tovarious organizations representative of the Democratic voting populace.(Rules 3.A., 3.C. & 3.D.)


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2. A speakers bureau of volunteers from the Affirmative Action Committeecomprised of individuals who are fully familiar with the process, will beorganized to appear before groups, as needed, to provide informationconcerning the process.

3. The State Partys education efforts will include outreach to communityleaders within the Democratic Partys constituencies and making surethat information about the delegate selection process is available toDemocratic clubs and Party caucuses representing specificconstituencies.

4. The State Party will publish and make available at no cost: a clear andconcise explanation of how Democratic voters can participate in thedelegate selection process; an explanation of how, where and whenpersons can register to vote; and delegate district maps. As well, theState Party shall also make available copies of the State Party Rules, the

Delegate Selection Plan (and its attachments), the Affirmative ActionPlan, and relevant state statutes at no cost. Copies of documents relatedto the states delegate selection process will be prepared and theAffirmative Action Committee will distribute them in the variousdelegate districts not later than June 1, 2011. (Rule 1.H.)

5. The State Party shall take all feasible steps to encourage persons to registerand to vote as Democrats and will seek to ensure simple and easyregistration procedures. (Rule 2.C.)

C. Efforts to Publicize the Delegate Selection Process

1. Special attention shall be directed at publicizing the delegate selectionprocess in the state. Such publicity shall include information oneligibility to vote and how to become a candidate for delegate, the timeand location of each stage of the delegate selection process and where toget additional information. The foregoing information will also bepublished in the State Party newspaper. The Party organization, official,candidate, or member calling a meeting or scheduling an event, shalleffectively publicize the role that such meeting or event plays in theselection of delegates and alternates to the Democratic NationalConvention. (Rules 3.C. and 3.D.)

2. Newspapers, radio and television will be utilized to inform the generalpublic how, when and where to participate in the delegate selectionprocess. Specifically, this information should provide details as to how


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to qualify to run as a delegate candidate. Special effort shall be directedto the major daily newspapers, radio and television stations by the StateDemocratic Chair, Affirmative Action Committee members and staff.Regular releases during the delegate selection process to all other mediasources, weekly newspapers, and wire services should complete timely

coverage. (Rules 4.B.(3) & 6.D.) 3. A priority effort shall be directed at publicity among the Democratic Partys

constituencies.

a. Information about the delegate selection process will be provided tominority newspapers and radio stations, ethnic press, NativeAmerican, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Spanish-speaking and other non-English press, radio stations andpublications, and womens organizations, student newspapers, gayand lesbian press, disability press, and any other specialty media in

the state that is likely to reach the Democratic constituency groupsset forth in the Introduction of this Affirmative Action Plan.

b. The State Party shall be responsible for the implementation of thispublicity effort. For purposes of providing adequate notice of thedelegate selection process, the times, dates, places and rules for theconduct of educational meetings, the district-level caucuses, andState Committee meeting shall be effectively publicized,multilingually where necessary, to encourage the participation of minority groups. (Rule 6.D.)

4. Not later than September 16, 2011, press kit shall be made and provided toeach daily and weekly newspaper as well as to the electronic media. Thepress kit will include:

a. a summary of all pertinent rules related to the states delegateselection process;

b. a map of delegate districts and how many delegates will be electedwithin each district;

c. a summary explaining the operation and importance of the 2012Convention; and

d. materials designed to encourage participation by prospective delegatecandidates.

D. Representation Goals


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1. The State Party has determined the demographic composition of AfricanAmericans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian Americans andPacific Islanders in the states Democratic electorate. These constituencypercentages shall be established as goals for representation in the statesconvention delegation. (Rule 6.A.)

2. The State Party has determined the demographic composition of membersof the LGBT community, people with disabilities, and youth in thestates Democratic electorate and furthermore, the State Party haschosen to establish these percentages as goals for representation in thestates convention delegation. These results were compiled byresearching demographic data. Divided was the total number of theselected group by the total number of registered democrats to determinea percentage and how many delegated each group receives. Some mayoverlap.

AfricanAmericans Hispanics NativeAmericans AsianAmericans and

PacificIslanders

LGBTAmericans People withDisabilities Youth

% in DemocraticElectorate 47% 2% (


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1. Presidential candidates shall assist the Louisiana Democratic Party inmeeting the demographic representation goals reflected in theAffirmative Action Plan. (Rule 6.H.)

2. Each presidential candidate must submit a written statement to the State

Democratic Chair by October 1, 2011, which indicates the specific stepshe or she will take to encourage full participation in Louisiana s delegateselection process, including, but not limited to, procedures by whichpersons may file as candidates for delegate or alternate. (Rule 6.H.(1))

3. Each presidential candidate must submit demographic information withrespect to all candidates for delegate and alternate pledged to them. Suchinformation shall be submitted in conjunction with the list of namesapproved for consideration as delegate and alternate candidates pledgedto the presidential candidate. (Rule 6.H.(2))

4. Presidential candidates (including uncommitted status) shall use their besteffort to ensure that their respective delegations within the statesdelegate, alternate and standing committee delegations shall achieve theaffirmative action goals reflected in the Affirmative Action Plan and thatthe respective delegations of each presidential candidate shall be equallydivided between men and women. Furthermore, presidential candidatesshall use their best efforts at the district level to approve delegate andalternate candidates who meet applicable equal division and affirmativeaction considerations in order to achieve the affirmative action goals andequal division for their respective delegations. (Rule 6.I. & Reg. 4.9.)

Section VIII

Challenges

A. Jurisdiction & Standing

1. Challenges related to the delegate selection process are governed by the Regulations of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee for the 2012 Democratic National Convention (Regs., Sec. 3.) , and the Rules of Procedure of the Credentials Committee of the 2012 DemocraticNational Convention. (Call, Appendix A.)


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2. Under Rule 20.B. of the 2012 Delegate Selection Rules, the DNC Rules andBylaws Committee has jurisdiction over challenges pertaining to thesubmission, non-implementation and violation of state DelegateSelection and Affirmative Action Plans. (Rule 20.B. & Call Appendix A.)

3. The Rules and Bylaws Committee has jurisdiction to hear and decide anychallenge provided it is initiated before the 56th day preceding the dateof the commencement of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. (Call,Appendix A. & Reg., 3.1.)

4. Challenges to the credentials of delegates and alternates to the 2012Democratic National Convention initiated on or after the 56th daypreceding the date of commencement of the Democratic NationalConvention shall be processed in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Credentials Committee of the 2012 DemocraticNational Convention. (Call, Appendix A)

5. Any challenge to the credentials of a standing committee member shall beconsidered and resolved by the affected standing committee inaccordance with Appendix A of the Call for the 2012 Democratic

National Convention . The Rules and Bylaws Committee shall have jurisdiction over challenges brought before the 56th day preceding thedate of the commencement of the Democratic National Convention. (Call,VII.B.5.)

6. Copies of the Regulations of the Rules and Bylaws Committee and/or theCall for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, including the Rulesof Procedure of the Credentials Committee (Appendix A), shall be made

available by the State Party upon reasonable request.

7. Any group of fifteen Democrats with standing to challenge as defined inReg. 3.2 or the Call (Appendix A, Sec. 2.A.), may bring a challenge tothis Plan or to the implementation of this Plan, including its AffirmativeAction provisions.

B. Challenges to the Status of the State Party and Challenges to the Plan

1. A challenge to the status of the State Party Committee as the body entitledto sponsor a delegation from that state shall be filed with the Rules andBylaws Committee not later than thirty (30) calendar days prior to theinitiation of the states delegate selection process. (Rule 20.A. & Reg. 3.4.A.)

2. A challenge to the states Delegate Selection Plan shall be filed with theChair of the LA Democratic Party and the Co-Chairs of the Rules and


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Bylaws Committee within fifteen (15) calendar days after the adoptionof the Plan by the State Party. (Reg. 3.4.B.)

3. A challenge to a Plan must be brought in conformity with the Rules and theRegs., which should be consulted for a detailed explanation of challenge

procedures.

C. Challenges to Implementation

1. A challenge may be brought alleging that a specific requirement of an

approved Plan has not been properly implemented. Jurisdiction over allchallenges initiated in a timely fashion shall reside with either the Rulesand Bylaws Committee or the Credentials Committee of the NationalConvention (See Section VII.A. above). However, the Rules and BylawsCommittee may provide advice, assistance or interpretations of theDelegate Selection Rules at any stage of the delegate selection process.(Reg. 3.1.C.)

2. An implementation challenge brought before the Rules and BylawsCommittee is initiated by filing a written challenge with the State PartyCommittee and with the Rules and Bylaws Committee not later thenfifteen (15) days after the alleged violation occurred. The State Party hastwenty-one (21) days to render a decision. Within ten (10) days of thedecision, any party to the challenge may appeal it to the Rules andBylaws Committee. If in fact, the State Party renders no decision, anyparty to the challenge may request the Rules and Bylaws Committee toprocess it. The request must be made within ten (10) days afterexpiration of the above twenty-one (21) day period. (Regs. 3.4.C., E., & H.)

3. Performance under an approved Affirmative Action Plan and compositionof the convention delegation shall be considered relevant evidence in thechallenge to any state delegation. If a State Party has adopted andimplemented an approved affirmative action program, the State Partyshall not be subject to challenge based solely on delegation compositionor primary results. (Rule 6.B.) The procedures are the same for challengesalleging failure to properly implement the Affirmative Action section of a Plan, except that such challenges must be filed not later than thirty (30)days prior to the initiation of the states delegate selection process. (Reg.3.4.C.)


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4. Depending on the appropriate jurisdiction (see Section VIII.A. above),implementation challenges must be brought in conformity with theRegulations of the Rules and Bylaws Committee or the Rules of Procedure of the Credentials Committee, which should be consulted fora detailed explanation of challenge procedures.


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Section IX

Summary of Plan

A. Selection of Delegates and Alternates

LA will use a proportional representation system based on the results of the primary apportioning its delegates to the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

The first determining step of Louisiana s delegate selection process will occur onMarch 24, 2012, with a primary.

Delegates and alternates will be selected as summarized on the following chart:

Type Delegates Alternates Date of Selection Selecting Body & FilingRequirements

District-Level Delegates

District-Level Alternates

42 4 5/5/2012

5/5/2012

Post Primary Congressional Caucus

Deadline 4/12/2012

Unpledged Party Leader and ElectedOfficial Delegates* 7

n/a n/a Automatic by virtue of respectivepublic or Party office as providedin Rule 8.A. of the 2012 DelegateSelection Rules.

Pledged Party Leaders and ElectedOfficials (PLEOs) 8 n/a 6/2/2012

Filing Requirements see page 14Democratic State CentralCommitteeDeadline: 5/17/2012


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At-Large Delegates

At-Large Alternate

14 1 6/2/2012

6/2/2012

Filing Requirements see page 17Democratic State CentralCommitteeDeadline: May 18, 2012

TOTAL Delegates andAlternates

71 5

* Unpledged Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) delegates includes thefollowing categories, if applicable, who legally reside in the state: theDemocratic National Committee Members, the Democratic President, theDemocratic Vice President, all Democratic Members of Congress, theDemocratic Governor, and any other Distinguished Party Leader as specifiedin Rule 9.A. of the 2012 Delegate Selection Rules . The exact number of Unpledged PLEO Delegates is subject to change due to possible deaths,resignations, elections or special elections.

** Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) alternates are selected with the At-Large alternates. [Applicable to most states.]


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B. Selection of Standing Committee Members (For the Credentials, Platform andRules Committees)

Standing committee members will be selected by the states National Conventiondelegates as summarized below:

Members Per Committee Total Members Selection Date Filing Requirements andDeadlines

2 6 6/2/2012

Nominated by quorum of Louisianas National Convention

delegatesSee Page 23 for qualifications

Presidential candidates submit names of Standing Committee

members by June 2, 2012.

C. Selection of Delegation Chair and Convention Pages

The Delegation Chair will be selected by the National Convention Delegates onJune 2, 2012

2 Convention Pages will be selected by the State Democratic Chair on June 2, 2012 .

D. Presidential Candidate Filing Deadline

A presidential candidate gains access to the Louisiana ballot by filing the following

materials with the Louisiana Secretary of States office (20th

Floor, 900 North ThirdStreet, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804), any time from 8:00 a.m. on December 7, 2011,through 5:00 p.m. on December 9, 2011. (Rule 11.B. & 14.E.)

Notice of Candidacy for use by candidates for Presidential Nominee in the PresidentialPreference Primary Election a $750 qualifying fee and an additional fee of $375imposed by the State Central Committee of Louisiana, for a total of $1,125.

OR

Nominating Petition containing signatures of at least 1,000 registered voters affiliatedwith the Party from each of the 7 congressional districts.

Write-in candidates are not allowed in the Louisiana Preferential Primary election.

Presidential candidates must certify the name of their authorized representative(s) tothe State Democratic Chair by 5:00 p.m. on December 9, 2011.


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E. Timetable

(Reg. 2.2.B.)

Date Activity

2011

March 1 Delegate Selection Affirmative Action Committee members are appointedby the State Chair.

March 15Delegate Selection Affirmative Action Committee members must besubmitted to the Rules and Bylaws Committee including names, contactinformation and demographic data.

April 1 Proposed Delegate Selection and Affirmative Action Plans are tentativelyapproved for public comment by State Party Committee.

April 14Public comments are solicited on the proposed Delegate Selection andAffirmative Action Plans. Press releases are issued announcing the publiccomment period.

May 14 Period for public comment on state Plan is concluded. Responses arecompiled for review by the State Party Committee.

May 14 State Party Committee reviews public comments and adopts revisedDelegate Selection and Affirmative Action Plans for submission to DNCRules and Bylaws Committee. Press releases are mailed announcing theapproval of the Plan.

May 24 Affirmative Action Committee meets to review public comments anddiscuss outreach plans.

August 22 Delegate Selection and Affirmative Action Plans are forwarded to the DNCRules and Bylaws Committee.

September 16 State Party begins implementation of the Affirmative Action Plan. Presskits, as described in the Affirmative Action Plan, are sent to all state media.

October 1

Deadline for each announced presidential candidate to submit a statementspecifying steps the candidate will take to encourage full participation in thedelegate selection process. (Individuals who announce their candidacy afterthis date must provide this full participation statement to the State Party notlater than 30 days after their announcement.)

December 3 Presidential candidate petition forms are available from the State PartyCommittee Headquarters.


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December 9Presidential candidate deadline for certifying the name(s) of their authorizedrepresentative(s) to the State Party.

December 9 Presidential candidate deadline for filing the petition of candidacy with theSecretary of State and a copy to the State Party.

2012

February 13Delegate and alternate candidates may obtain the statement of candidacyand pledge of support forms and filing instructions from State PartyCommittee Headquarters, in person, by mail, or from State Partys web siteat [www.lademo.org] .

March 24 Presidential preference primary.

March 30 Secretary of State certifies results of primary.

April 12 District-level delegate and alternate deadline for filing the statement of candidacy and pledge of support forms with State Party.

April 23 State Party provides list of d istrict-level delegate and alternate candidates tothe respective Presidential candidates.

April 27 Presidential candidates provide list of approved district-level delegate andalternate candidates to State Party.

May 5 District-level delegates and alternates elected at CD caucuses.

May 15 State Party certifies elected district-level delegates and alternates to theSecretary of the Democratic National Committee.

May 17Pledged PLEO and at-large delegate or alternate candidate deadline forfiling the statement of candidacy and pledge of support forms with StateParty.

May18 State Party provides list of PLEO and at-large delegate and alternatecandidates to the respective Presidential candidates.

May 23 Presidential candidates provide approved list of pledged PLEO delegatecandidates to State Party.

June 2 Democratic State Central Committee convenes. Pledged PLEO delegatesselected. Following selection of PLEO delegates, presidential candidatesprovide approved list of at-large delegate and alternate candidates to StateParty. Democratic State Central Committee selects at-large delegates andalternates. Presidential candidates submit lists of candidates for standingcommittee members to State Party.

June 2 National Convention delegation meeting. Delegates select NationalConvention Standing Committee Members and Delegation Chair. State


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Chair names convention pages.

June 2 State Chair certifies in writing to the Secretary of the DNC the State'sDelegation Chair, Convention Pages and Standing Committee Members.

June 12 State Party certifies in writing to the Secretary of the DNC the presidentialpreference (including uncommitted) of the states Unpledged Delegates.

June 12 State Party certifies remainder of elected delegates and alternates (PLEOsand at-large), along with standing committee members, delegation chair,and convention pages.

Exhibits to the Affirmative Action Plan

A. Members of the Affirmative Action Committee

Name Gender Race/Ethnicity OtherAnn Smith Female African AmericanCory F. Heitmeier Male Caucasian LGBTArlanda Williams Female African AmericanAllison Jones Female CaucasianWendy Roy Female CaucasianMichael Busada Male Caucasian YouthMichael McHale Male Caucasian

B. Media Outlets to be Contacted Regarding the Delegate Selection Process

1. Major Daily Newspapers, Radio and Television StationsShreveport Times KLFY FOX 8

Monroe News Star WRFK KLPCAlexandria Town Talk WAFB KATCLake Charles American Press KTBS WBRZLafayette Daily Advertiser KNOE WWLBaton Rouge Advocate KALB WDSUNew Orleans Times-Picayune KLAX WVUEAssociated Press KSLA KTBS

2. Other Non-Minority Media Outlets


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Gambit WeeklyIndependent WeeklyDIGG Baton RougeTri-Parish Times

3. Constituency and Speciality Media Outlets and Targeted GroupsCenla The Light Little Saigon NewsLafayette Faith & Soul The Real ViewsVocero News Gumbeaux MagazineJambalaya News Baton Rouge WeeklyEl Tiempo Monroe Free PressN.O. Data News Weekly The Pontchatoula DrumShreveport Sun Alexandria News WeeklyMon

ldp delegate selection plan

Documents