O’Brien County, Iowa — COVID-19 continues to force people to come up with contingency plans. Those who run the Iowa Democratic County Conventions have also had to make other arrangements.
The Iowa Democratic Party has announced an updated County Convention process to be conducted remotely over the month of April. They say the updated, non-present County Convention process gives County Party leaders options on how to conduct their convention, including online or by mail.
Party officials tell us that from April 13-17, Iowans who were elected precinct delegates and alternates will register to participate in their remote county convention and will indicate their preferred ballot method: online, over the phone, or via mail. Elections for District/State Delegates and County Affirmative Chairs will be conducted remotely from April 22-30. County chairs will have the option to use a template plan or develop their own within the rules outlined in the updated DSP and convention process.
Karen Sterk, the Chair of the O’Brien County Democrats says that District/State Convention Delegates will be elected electronically. County Delegates and Alternates will receive an email with registration instructions by mid-April. Sterk says if Delegates and Alternates do not receive the email by April 14th, they should contact the county party at obriencountydemocrats@gmail.com.
According to Sterk, during registration, they will also be able to self-nominate themselves to be delegates to the District and State Conventions.
She says only non-viable preference groups will be able to realign and only with a viable group. In O’Brien County, the viable groups are: Biden, Buttigieg, and Klobuchar. Preference groups of candidates that have ended their campaigns do still elect Delegates.
Sterk says that after registration, a second email will be sent to the seated Delegates that will link to their online ballot. Non-delegate Democrats should also watch for a link to a form to nominate Democrats as Delegates or Affirmative Action Chair.
