Democratic National Committee

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Democratic National Committee (DNC)
Basic facts
Location:	Washington, D.C.
Type:	Democratic
Top official:	Jaime Harrison
Year founded:	1848
Website:	Official website

Party Committees

Democratic National Committee (DNC) • Republican National Committee (RNC)

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) • National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC)

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) • National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)

Fundraising2019-2020 • 2018

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal governing organization of the Democratic Party of the United States.

The DNC is responsible for overseeing the process of writing and promoting the party platform every four years and providing national leadership surrounding campaign, fundraising, political activity, and election strategy.

The DNC is made up of the chairs and vice chairs of each state Democratic Party and more than 200 elected members from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories.^[1][2]

The main counterpart of the DNC is the Republican National Committee (RNC).

To read about the DNC's recent political activity, click here. To read about the DNC's recent fundraising reports, click here.

About party committees[edit]

See also: Party committee fundraising, 2019-2020

Both Democrats and Republicans have three major party committees. The national committee's purpose involves oversight of the presidential nominating process as well as supporting party candidates with research, polling and funding in races across the country. Each party also has two Hill committees, one each for the House and Senate, which are dedicated to helping elect candidates from their party to Congress and helping incumbents win re-election.

During the 2018 election cycle, these six committees were each among the top 10 spenders in congressional elections with a combined $1.3 billion in spending.^[3] During the 2020 campaign cycle, the same six party committees—three Democratic committees and three Republican committees—raised a combined $2.650 billion ($1.510 billion across the three Republican committees and $1.140 billion across the three Democratic committees).

Leadership[edit]

National party leadership[edit]

Below is a list of the national leadership of the Democratic Party, as of October 2021:^[4]

Title	Officer	State
Chairman	Jaime Harrison	South Carolina
U.S. Senate leader	Chuck Schumer	New York
U.S. House leader	Nancy Pelosi	California
Vice chairwoman for civic engagement and voter protection	Keisha Lance Bottoms	Georgia
Vice chairwoman	Gretchen Whitmer	Michigan
Vice chairwoman	Tammy Duckworth	Illinois
Vice chairman	Filemon Vela	Texas
Secretary	Jason Rae	Wisconsin
Treasurer	Virginia McGregor	Pennsylvania
National Finance chairman	Chris Korge	Florida
Vice chairman, chairman of the Association of State Democratic Chairs	Ken Martin	Minnesota
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee chairwoman	State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins	New York
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman[5]	Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney	New York
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chairwoman[6]	Sen. Gary Peters	Michigan
Governors Association chairwoman	Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham	New Mexico
Chief Executive Officer[7]	Sam Cornale	Washington, D.C.

2017 chair election[edit]

Main article: Democratic National Committee chair election, 2017

On the weekend of February 24, 2017, the more than 400 members of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) elected former Labor Secretary Tom Perez to succeed interim Chairwoman Donna Brazile.^[8] Brazile took over the position after former chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned during the 2016 elections. At that time, leaked emails appeared to show Wasserman Schultz and DNC officials strategizing to promote Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and hurt rival Bernie Sanders.

Other candidates for the position included Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Idaho Democratic Party executive director Sally Boynton Brown, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, and political strategist Jehmu Greene.^{[9][10][11][12]}

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley was in the running but dropped out on February 18, 2017, to endorse Ellison.^[13] On February 23, 2017, South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison dropped out of the race and endorsed Perez.^[14]

Perez and Ellison were the front-runners in the race.^[15] Perez received endorsements from a number of Obama administration officials, including former Vice President Joe Biden, former Attorney General Eric Holder, former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Ellison was backed by 2016 presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, as well as U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer and U.S. Rep. John Lewis.^[16]

Historical chairpersons[edit]

Below is a historical list of past and present chairpersons of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Click "show" on the box below to view the full list.^[17]

Chairperson	Term	State
Benjamin F. Hallett	1848–1852	Massachusetts
Robert Milligan McLane	1852–1856	Maryland
David Allen Smalley	1856–1860	Vermont
August Belmont	1860–1872	New York
Augustus Schell	1872–1876	New York
Abram Stevens Hewitt	1876–1877	New York
William H. Barnum	1877–1889	Connecticut
Calvin Stewart Brice	1889–1892	Ohio
William F. Harrity	1892–1896	Pennsylvania
James K. Jones	1896–1904	Arkansas
Thomas Taggart	1904–1908	Indiana
Norman E. Mack	1908–1912	New York
William F. McCombs	1912–1916	New York
Vance C. McCormick	1916–1919	Pennsylvania
Homer S. Cummings	1919–1920	Connecticut
George White	1920–1921	Ohio
Cordell Hull	1921–1924	Tennessee
Clem L. Shaver	1924–1928	West Virginia
John J. Raskob	1928–1932	New York
James A. Farley	1932–1940	New York
Edward J. Flynn	1940–1943	New York
Frank C. Walker	1943–1944	Pennsylvania
Robert E. Hannegan	1944–1947	Missouri
J. Howard McGrath	1947–1949	Rhode Island
William M. Boyle	1949–1951	Missouri
Frank E. McKinney	1951–1952	Indiana
Stephen Mitchell	1952–1955	Illinois
Paul M. Butler	1955–1960	Indiana
Henry M. Jackson	1960–1961	Washington
John Moran Bailey	1961–1968	Connecticut
Lawrence F. O'Brien	1968–1969	Massachusetts
Fred R. Harris	1969–1970	Oklahoma
Lawrence F. O'Brien	1970–1972	Massachusetts
Jean Westwood	1972	Utah
Robert S. Strauss	1972–1977	Texas
Kenneth M. Curtis	1977–1978	Maine
John C. White	1978–19812	Texas
Charles T. Manatt	1981–1985	California
Paul G. Kirk	1985–1989	Massachusetts
Ron Brown	1989–1993	New York
David Wilhelm	1993–1994	Ohio
Debra DeLee	1994–1995	Massachusetts
Christopher J. Dodd	1995–1997	Connecticut
Donald Fowler	1995–1997	South Carolina
Roy Romer	1997–1999	Colorado
Steven Grossman	1997–1999	Massachusetts
Edward G. Rendell	1999–2001	Pennsylvania
Joseph Andrew	1999–2001	Indiana
Terry McAuliffe	2001–2005	Virginia
Howard Dean	2005–2009	Vermont
Tim Kaine	2009–2011	Virginia
Debbie Wasserman Schultz	2011–2016	Florida
Donna Brazile	2016-2017	Washington, D.C.
Tom Perez	2017 - Present	Washington, D.C.

State party leadership[edit]

Below is a list of state chairpersons of the Democratic National Committee, as of October 2021.^[18] Click "show" on the box below to view the full list.

State Democratic Party chairs, as of October 2021
State	Chairperson		State	Chairperson
Alabama	Christopher J. England		Montana	Robyn Driscoll
Alaska	Casey Steinau		Nebraska	Jane Kleeb
American Samoa	Patrick Ti'a Reid[19]		Nevada	Judith Whitmer
Arizona	Raquel Terán		New Hampshire	Raymond Buckley
Arkansas	Grant Tennille		New Jersey	LeRoy J. Jones, Jr.
California	Rusty Hicks		New Mexico	Jessica Velasquez
Colorado	Morgan Carroll		New York	Jay Jacobs
Connecticut	Nancy DiNardo		North Carolina	Bobbie Richardson
Delaware	Elizabeth D. Maron		North Dakota	Patrick Hart
District of Columbia	Charles Wilson		Ohio	Liz Walters
Florida	Manny Diaz		Oklahoma	Alicia Andrews
Georgia	Nikema Williams		Oregon	Carla Hanson
Guam	Sarah Thomas Nededog		Pennsylvania	Nancy Patton Mills
Hawaii	Tyler Dos Santos-Tam		Puerto Rico	Charles Rodriguez
Idaho	Fred Cornforth[20]		Rhode Island	Joseph McNamara
Illinois	Robin Kelly		South Carolina	Trav Robertson
Indiana	Mike Schmuhl		South Dakota	Randy Seiler
Iowa	Ross Wilburn		Tennessee	Hendrell Remus
Kansas	Vicki Hiatt		Texas	Gilberto Hinojosa
Kentucky	Colmon Elridge		U.S. Virgin Islands	Cecil R. Benjamin[21]
Louisiana	Katie Bernhardt		Utah	Diana Lewis (acting chair)
Maine	Andrew Gattine		Vermont	Bruce Olsson
Maryland	Yvette Lewis		Virginia	Susan Swecker
Massachusetts	Gus Bickford		Washington	Tina Podlodowski
Michigan	Lavora Barnes		West Virginia	Belinda Biafore
Minnesota	Ken Martin		Wisconsin	Ben Wikler
Mississippi	Tyree Irving		Wyoming	Joe Barbuto
Missouri	Michael Butler		Democrats Abroad	Candice Kerestan

Democratic Party platform and policy stances[edit]

Platform[edit]

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) drafts a party platform every four years. The party platform is a written document that outlines the Democratic Party's policy priorities and positions on domestic and foreign affairs. The platform also describes the party's core concepts and beliefs.

2020[edit]

See also: The Democratic Party Platform, 2020

Click [show] to view the Democratic Party's 2020 platform.

2016[edit]

See also: The Democratic Party Platform and DNC Platform Committees, 2016

Click [show] to view the Democratic Party's 2016 platform.

2012[edit]

See also: The Democratic Party Platform, 2012

Click [show] to view the Democratic Party's 2012 platform.

2008[edit]

See also: The Democratic Party Platform, 2008

Click [show] to view the Democratic Party's 2008 platform.

Policy issues[edit]

In addition to the party platform, the DNC lists the following key policy issues on its website. Click "show" on the boxes below for more information about the issues.

CIVIL RIGHTS

"Every American, no matter their race, sex, ethnicity or national origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability, is equal, and Democrats are fighting for them. Democrats have a long and proud history of defending civil rights and expanding opportunity for all Americans. From the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009 to including marriage equality in the party platform in 2012, Democrats have fought to end discrimination in all forms. If the Trump Administration threatens a group of Americans simply because of who they are or what they believe, Democrats will fight for our core values of equality for everyone. We are committed to protecting voting rights, freedom of religion, women’s right to make their own health care decisions, and equal federal rights for LGBT couples. We must also strive for criminal justice reform, as well as common sense approaches to reduce and prevent gun violence. No matter who you are, who you love, where you’re from, or how you worship, Democrats are fighting for you."[22]

EDUCATION

"Democrats believe all children should be able to lead happy, successful lives. That’s why we’re dedicated to ensuring the next generation has access to a quality education and the tools to drive our economy forward. Our country is strongest when our workers are trained with the knowledge and ingenuity to perform at the highest levels. Every child should have the opportunity to reach that horizon and to fulfill the American Dream. Democrats have long valued education as the key to success, both for individuals and for our nation. In 1944, Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt enacted the G.I. Bill, a landmark piece of legislation that provided World War II veterans with opportunities for higher education. The G.I. Bill helped create the modern middle class in America. And in 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson and a Democratic Congress enacted the Elementary and Secondary Education Act with the goal of providing a quality education to every child. In recent years, Democrats have further increased access to higher education, restructured and dramatically expanded college financial aid — while making federal programs simpler, more reliable, and more efficient for students. In 2010, President Obama signed into law student loan reform that cut out the role of big banks. The Obama administration also doubled our investment in Pell Grants and made it easier for students to pay back student loans. As Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos attempt to roll back the progress we’ve made on education by stripping protections for students and student loan borrowers, we’ll keep fighting to elect Democrats who will advocate for education. Democrats want every child – no matter their ZIP code – to have access to a quality public K-12 education, and for college to be affordable for every American. We know that as the global marketplace grows more competitive, we need to expand opportunities for higher education and job training. Democrats are committed to increasing the college-completion rate as well as the share of students who are prepared for budding industries with specific job-related skills. Democrats recognize education as the most pressing economic issue in America’s future, and we cannot allow our country to fall behind in a global economy. We must prepare the next generation for success in college and the workforce."[23]

ENVIRONMENT

"Democrats are committed to curbing the effects of climate change, protecting America’s natural resources, and ensuring the quality of our air, water, and land for current and future generations. From investing in clean energy to protecting our ecosystems, Democrats are working to address our biggest environmental challenges, paving the way to a more sustainable America. Under President Obama, we made great strides to combat climate change and protect our environment and public lands. The Department of Transportation and the EPA issued new fuel-economy standards, the first meaningful increases in fuel economy for cars and light trucks in decades. President Obama instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to take steps to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, which are the largest concentrated source of emissions in the United States. Under Donald Trump, the United States stands alone as the only nation in the world that is not a party to the Paris Climate Agreement. Democrats want to protect and build on President Obama’s progress. We know that climate change is one of our nation’s greatest challenges, and that addressing this urgent threat could make America the world’s clean energy superpower and create millions of good-paying jobs. Democrats will fight to protect our planet for future generations. Donald Trump, on the other hand, has called climate change “a hoax invented by the Chinese,” and withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement. And by choosing to ignore the consensus of the scientific community on climate change, he is putting our country’s health, security, and economy at risk. It will take all of us acting together — workers and entrepreneurs, scientists and citizens, the public and the private sector — to address the challenge of climate change and seize our clean-energy future."[24]

HEALTH CARE

"In March 2010, President Obama fulfilled a promise that Democrats have pursued for nearly a century: making quality, affordable health care available to all Americans. In all, seven presidents pushed for health reform over the years. We have finally made real the principle that every American should have access to quality health care, and no one should go bankrupt just because they get sick — and we’ll never stop fighting to protect that principle. President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Medicare Bill at the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. For decades Democrats have fought for the simple idea that everyone should have some basic security in health care. When President Johnson signed Medicare into law in 1965, we were finally able to provide that security to America’s seniors. In 1997, Democrats passed the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which currently covers 8 million kids. But it took nearly a century to extend that basic measure of security to all Americans. In 2010, despite unanimous opposition from Republicans, Democrats were finally able to pass comprehensive health reform into law. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more than 20 million Americans have gained health care coverage and the uninsured rate has been cut almost in half. Among the newly insured are more than 2.3 million young adults who are covered because the Affordable Care Act allows them to stay on their parent’s insurance until age 26. Discrimination based on pre-existing conditions is now illegal, and nearly 8 in 10 Americans who recently shopped for health insurance in the marketplace could get it for less than $100 per month. The Affordable Care Act has also allowed states to expand Medicaid to help even more Americans get covered. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia have expanded Medicaid, and Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment has risen 26 percent.President Obama signs the Affordable Care Act into law. The Affordable Care Act also provides tax credits to small businesses to help offset the costs of employee coverage and tax credits to help families pay for insurance. We are also experiencing health care spending growth at its lowest level in 50 years. Democrats are committed to preserving and protecting the Affordable Care Act and the peace of mind it has brought to millions of Americans, and they will fight all attempts by the Trump administration to repeal the law and take health care away from tens of millions of Americans. We are proud of this progress we have already made and are will work to extend and preserve it for generations to come."[25]

IMMIGRATION REFORM

"Democrats are fighting for every immigrant who feels threatened by Donald Trump’s election. We will not stand by and watch families be torn apart — Democrats in Congress and in states and cities across the country are already standing up to Trump’s hatred and bigotry to defend their immigrant neighbors. Thanks to President Obama, hundreds of thousands of DREAMers have been able to receive a temporary status that allows them to study, work, pay taxes, and contribute to the communities they grew up in. His administration has made a tremendous difference by prioritizing immigration enforcement so that it is focused on those with criminal records and doesn’t arbitrarily separate families, and Democrats are fighting to protect that progress. Democrats will continue to work toward comprehensive immigration reform that fixes our nation’s broken immigration system, improves border security, prioritizes enforcement so we are targeting criminals – not families, keeps families together, and strengthens our economy. Democrats know the importance of our country’s history as a nation of immigrants. We honor our fundamental values by treating all people who come to the United States with dignity and respect, and we always seek to embrace — not to attack — immigrants."[26]

JOBS AND THE ECONOMY

"Democrats believe that our economy should strengthen our country and work for every American, not just those at the top. We are committed to helping all Americans meet the challenges of the 21st century by spurring job creation, rebuilding our infrastructure, investing in clean-energy technologies and small businesses, and making sure corporations, the wealthy, and Wall Street pay their fair share. When President Obama took office in 2009, he inherited an economy in freefall, with huge deficits, skyrocketing health care costs, dwindling employment, and banking and housing markets on the brink of collapse. Working with the President, Democrats stabilized the financial system, helped to prevent a second Great Depression, and created millions of new jobs. Democrats cut taxes for working families, provided help for small businesses and homeowners, and strengthened consumer protections. Despite Republican obstruction at almost every turn, Democrats provided relief for hardworking Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Now we’re working to protect that progress, and fighting to extend it to every American who has been left behind. When Republicans cut taxes for the wealthy but not the middle class, or threaten our recovery with dangerous financial policies, Democrats will fight back. We want to guarantee that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed and that all working families can enjoy economic security. Democrats won’t be satisfied until every American who wants to work can find a job. By making debt-free college available to all Americans, cracking down on companies that ship profits and jobs overseas, fighting for equal pay and paid leave, and ensuring the wealthiest citizens and largest corporations pay their fair share, Democrats will never stop fighting to build an economy works for all."[27]

NATIONAL SECURITY

"As the threats facing our country have evolved over the years, so too has our ability to respond to them. Our national security personnel are the most dynamic and well-trained in the world, and we must never forget the solemn duty that they fulfill for our nation. Democrats are committed to ensuring our troops have the training, equipment, and support that they need when they are deployed and the care that they and their families need and deserve when they return home. Defending America is not just a question of defending our borders. We must continue to support and train our military to meet the challenges of 21st-century threats. That’s why Democrats have made modernizing our military a top priority, while also eliminating outdated programs and unnecessary spending. Democrats are focused on preventing terrorism across the globe. This means continuing to invest heavily in intelligence and information sharing and promoting those networks among our allies. We have strengthened our ability to keep nuclear and biological weapons out of the hands of terrorists, promoted efforts to better ensure border security, and augmented defense of our national infrastructure. President Obama made significant steps to keep America safe and restore America’s image around the world by rebuilding strategic alliances with countries that share our values and face common threats. Democrats will continue to build on and protect that progress."[28]

PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE

"In a country as great as ours, no child should be afraid to go to school or walk around their neighborhood. No spouse should be afraid to come home at night. No American should be afraid to go to work or their place of worship. And no human being should be afraid to go to a shopping mall or baseball field, nightclub or movie theater, concert or college campus. But too many politicians act as if gun violence is just a fact of everyday life. They offer only thoughts and prayers as tragedies unfold, while accepting millions from the National Rifle Association to stand in the way of even the smallest reforms. We must stop pretending that we are powerless to prevent gun violence. That’s why for decades the Democratic Party has put forth policies that would help prevent the carnage that has become all too common in schools and communities across the country. Democrats believe that we can reduce gun violence while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners. We believe we should expand and strengthen background checks for those who want to purchase a firearm – because it shouldn’t be easier to get a gun than a driver’s license. We believe we should ensure that guns don’t fall into the hands of terrorists (whether they be domestic or foreign), domestic abusers, other violent criminals, or those who have shown signs of danger toward themselves or others. And we believe we should treat gun violence as the deadly public health crisis it is. Democrats stand with the students, families, and organizers who are fighting to enact these commonsense policies to keep our communities safe, once and for all."[29]

RETIREMENT SECURITY

"Democrats believe that a dignified retirement is central to the American Dream, and its foundation is built on two long-standing institutions charged with realizing that dream: Medicare and Social Security. These two institutions represent an unbreakable commitment to American workers, and for decades Democrats have fought to defend them. In 1935, Democrats and President Franklin Roosevelt created Social Security. In 1965, Democrats and President Lyndon Johnson created Medicare. Ever since, Democrats have continually fought to defend these cornerstones of the American Dream in the face of attempts to dismantle or undermine both. PROTECTING SOCIAL SECURITY For 75 years, Social Security has been an enduring promise to America’s seniors. Today it remains a safety net for seniors and offers all Americans peace of mind. In recent years, Democrats have beaten back Republican plans to privatize Social Security — plans that would have exposed the retirement funds of millions of American seniors to great risk on the eve of the financial crisis. Instead, no one lost a penny of Social Security. STRENGTHENING MEDICARE Medicare is the second pillar of Democrats’ commitment to Americans’ retirement security. Health care reform strengthened the Medicare trust fund, expanding its life by more than a decade. The Affordable Care Act has also improved care across the board, reduced fraud, and finally closed the hole in Medicare drug coverage known as the “donut hole.” Seniors will continue to have full access to their doctors and are now eligible for free coverage for certain preventive services, including an annual wellness exam. HELPING AMERICANS SAVE FOR RETIREMENT Democrats are committed to making it easier for Americans to save for retirement on their own. Nearly half the workforce — about 75 million people — currently do not have employer-supported retirement plans. Democrats want to make it easier for all Americans to participate in retirement accounts at work and support a system where employees have pension portability, so workers don’t lose their pension if they change jobs. Democrats believe that all Americans have the right to a secure and healthy retirement, and we will continue fighting to preserve both Medicare and Social Security for future generations."[30]

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

"From the airplane and the internet, to chemotherapy and the Model T, America has a rich history of technological innovation and scientific ingenuity. But after years of declining tests scores in math and science and Republican administrations that often turn their backs on science, the United States risks losing its scientific dominance. Democrats are committed to reversing this trend by investing in the technologies and jobs of the future while increasing support for more advanced research, labs, and classrooms. In the past, government investments in scientific research have yielded innovations that have helped shape the landscape of American life — technologies like the internet, digital photography, Global Positioning System technology, laser surgery, and cancer treatment. But over the past three decades, support for the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences has been drastically cut at a time when other countries are substantially increasing their own research budgets. Democrats believe that scientific research should play an important role in advancing science and technology in the classroom and in the lab. In order to compete globally, our next generation must be equipped with the tools and skills that lead to the job-creating technological innovations and scientific breakthroughs of the future. Democrats have taken significant steps to expand educational opportunities and make college more affordable for all Americans while improving the quality of our schools and our teachers. Democrats have made historic investments in research for clean-energy technologies that are helping to create the industries of the future. The Obama administration lifted federal restrictions on stem cell research, providing scientists and doctors with new resources to help save lives. Democrats are working to close the “digital divide,” expanding access to high-speed broadband internet. We recognize that broadband is an important addition to our national infrastructure by expanding access to information and education while serving as a central resource for small businesses and entrepreneurs to generate economic growth. The Obama administration took unprecedented steps to use technology as an instrument to restore faith, transparency, and accountability to government, and Democrats are fighting to protect his work so we can harness the ingenuity and experience of all Americans to increase efficiency and effectiveness of government."[31]

VOTING RIGHTS

"Voter purging. Voter fraud. Voter suppression. Russian interference. If you’ve ever had an issue with voting, you know that it can be daunting. It can be overwhelming. It might even start to feel like no one else is paying attention. Well, here’s the good news: We’re paying attention. The Civic Engagement and Voter Protection team is dedicated to protecting our democracy. We are working around the clock to educate voters and fight voter suppression. We are dedicated to ensuring that all voters have equal access to the ballot box. Together we can protect the right to vote and take back the White House in 2020. Who we are & what we do The Civic Engagement and Voter Protection department is concerned with safeguarding the right to vote by ensuring fair, accessible elections. To further our mission, our department works closely with local, state, and national partners to implement voter education and voting rights programming and strategies. How we can help We can provide assistance for two areas: simple issues and complex issues. Simple issues such as voter registration, updating voter information, and checking polling locations can be done through IWillVote.com. If the issue is outside of the scope of IWillVote, it is probably a complex issue. In such instances, we recommend voters call us at 1-833-DEM-VOTE (1-833-336-8683). Our voter hotline is monitored by DNC employees 24/7/365 who are ready to field questions pertaining to felon disenfranchisement, voter purging, poll worker misconduct, voter machines, accessibility, and more. How you can help There are tangible ways that you can help promote and protect voting rights in your own community! Applying to be a poll worker in your community can have a huge impact on elections. We also have an Election Advocate Program, in which volunteers advocate for programs and policies in their counties. You can also join our Facebook group! We encourage our members to share voting information pertinent to their state and respective communities! Resources IWillVote: Use IWillVote to register to vote, update voter information, locate your polling location, and more! Voter Hotline: Call 1-833-DEM-VOTE (1-833-336-8683) for complex issues. Our 24/7 hotline is monitored by DNC employees. Facebook: Connect with us on Facebook to stay up to date on voter protection news, events, volunteer opportunities, and more in your area!"[32]

Election activity[edit]

2024 elections[edit]

Expansion of voting intiative[edit]

Vice President Kamala Harris (D) announced on July 8, 2021, that the DNC was spending $25 million on voter education, voter protection, targeted voter registration, and voting accessibility through the expansion of its "I Will Vote" initiative. The DNC said in a press release that the expansion was meant "to fight back against Republicans’ unprecedented voter suppression efforts."^[33]

2020 elections[edit]

Strategy for the 2020 general election[edit]

Following Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I) suspension of his presidential campaign, leaving Joe Biden (D) as the presumptive Democratic nominee, DNC chairman Tom Perez released a memo outlining the party's strategy for the general election. Perez described the DNC's plan as "the most expansive campaign infrastructure the DNC has ever had for a non-incumbent presidential candidate in modern political history". The plan included spending on organizing in 12 battleground states and on communications spending in six states, as well as a rework of the group's data storage and sharing structures.^[34]

2018 elections[edit]

DNC planned to target 50 million voters in 2018[edit]

The Democratic National Committee announced its plans to contact 50 million voters before the November 2018 elections on February 28, 2018. Chairman Tom Perez said in a statement the effort "translates activism and marches into committing to vote for Democrats up and down the ballot this November and is designed to reach voters and communities across the country with new innovative tools and technologies, key partnerships, and online and on-the-ground organizing strategies."^[35]

The DNC called the program ""IWillVote" and said it set the Democratic Party's most ambitious goal in a midterm election, according to NBC.^[35] NBC also stated the program's strategy "will consist of new branding and content, tools and technologies, a voter hotline, online ads, and on-the-ground organizing — all with the aim of getting people to commit early to voting and then following through with them to ensure they register and ultimately turn out."^[35]

2017 elections[edit]

U.S. Senate special election in Alabama[edit]

See also: United States Senate special election in Alabama, 2017

The DNC and the DSCC offered support to Doug Jones (D) in his campaign against Roy Moore (R) for the special election to fill an open U.S. Senate seat in Alabama. In November 2017, after allegations that Moore pursued four women when they were between the ages of 16 and 18 and he was in his 30s, Politico reported on the DNC's involvement in the race, writing, "The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and DNC have remained in close touch with Jones’ team after monitoring the race for months and offering organizing and messaging guidance. But neither has made plans to step in any further, eager to keep the spotlight on Moore and away from themselves."^[36]

Jones defeated Moore 49.9 percent to 48.4 percent in the December 12, 2017, election.^[37] HuffPost reported on December 13 that the DNC sent staff to the state to help mobilize black and millennial voters and that it spent close to $1 million to help the Jones campaign. The DSCC also had staff on the ground and spent the maximum allowable $366,700 on support for Jones. "We've had a team there throughout," DNC chair Tom Perez told MSNBC. "Frankly from before the Republican primary. We've been all in for a long time. We invested in organizing. We invested in digital work. We were out there helping to run programs that turn out voters."^[38]

Every ZIP code counts initiative[edit]

According to McClatchy DC, the DNC's major initiative for 2017, which was started by Chairman Tom Perez and Associate Chair Jaime Harrison, was called "Every ZIP code Counts." The program supplied each state party with $10,000 per month so long as the state party did an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses for its internal operations. The initiative also refocused Democratic Party efforts in the South and the West. At the request of Perez, Harrison spent much of 2017 working in Southern and Western states to assess Democratic infrastructure and outreach, including time in Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Montana, and Utah.^[39]

2016 elections[edit]

See also: Democratic National Convention, 2016

See also: 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules

Hillary Clinton post-election comments[edit]

On May 31, 2017, former 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton criticized the DNC's preparation and approach to her 2016 presidential campaign. According to CNN, Clinton claimed that, at the time, the DNC lacked financial resources, had inadequate data, and struggled to manage the impact of outside events on the election, such as the investigation into her private email server.^[40]

"I'm now the nominee of the Democratic Party. I inherit nothing from the Democratic Party," said Clinton. "It was bankrupt, it was on the verge of insolvency, its data was mediocre to poor, non-existent, wrong. I had to inject money into it -- the DNC -- to keep it going."^[40]

In response to Clinton's claims, former DNC Director of Data Science Andrew Therriault defended the DNC via Twitter and encouraged the DNC data team members to "realize your work was worth way more than you're being given credit for." He observed that the DNC data team had advised Clinton of the potential vulnerability of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, but that Clinton's campaign team had dismissed the warnings. Former DNC staffers John Hagner and Tom Bonier also weighed in, claiming that "the data operation Clinton 'inherited' was the most robust data operation the DNC has ever seen" and that the DNC data "was accurate and up-to-date."^[41]

Donna Brazile comments on DNC fundraising with Clinton[edit]

In November 2017, Donna Brazile, who took over as acting chair of the DNC during and after the 2016 convention, published the book Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns that Put Donald Trump in the White House. In the book, she criticizes the DNC for agreeing to a joint fundraising agreement with Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Brazile described the fundraising agreement, writing, "Individuals who had maxed out their $2,700 contribution limit to the campaign could write an additional check for $353,400 to the Hillary Victory Fund—that figure represented $10,000 to each of the 32 states’ parties who were part of the Victory Fund agreement—$320,000—and $33,400 to the DNC. The money would be deposited in the states first, and transferred to the DNC shortly after that. Money in the battleground states usually stayed in that state, but all the other states funneled that money directly to the DNC, which quickly transferred the money to Brooklyn [where Clinton's campaign had its headquarters]."^[42]

Pennsylvania Gov. and former DNC chair Ed Rendell questioned the timing of the revelations. "The timing [of the book publication] couldn't have been worse. It does us no good to hash out all this stuff. At this point, we should be looking to the future - what's done is done. There was no crime committed, but it would've been easy to avoid. [So] I don't think it [the primary] was rigged, I think what the DNC did was just awful," he said. "But we should stop talking about it; it's passed. We can't adjudicate it now, let's focus on the elections Tuesday [November 7, 2017] and on going forward. There can't be any positive that comes from it [talking about the revelations]."^[43]

Brazile also criticized former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her management style, writing, "My predecessor, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, had not been the most active chair in fundraising at a time when President Barack Obama’s neglect had left the party in significant debt. As Hillary’s campaign gained momentum, she resolved the party’s debt and put it on a starvation diet. It had become dependent on her campaign for survival, for which she expected to wield control of its operations. Debbie was not a good manager. She hadn’t been very interested in controlling the party—she let Clinton’s headquarters in Brooklyn do as it desired so she didn’t have to inform the party officers how bad the situation was."^[42]

Wasserman Schultz declined to respond to the allegations directly in November 2017, telling CBS Miami, "My focus, which is what my constituents elected me to do, is to make sure that I can fight for the things they care about." "The specifics I'm happy to give you," she said, "is that we need to move forward and fight Donald Trump and the Republican congressional agenda."^[44]

DNC email leak[edit]

See also: Democratic National Committee email leak and DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigns

On July 22, 2016, just prior to the start of the Democratic National Convention, the website Wikileaks released nearly 20,000 leaked DNC emails. The Washington Post reported that the emails, which consisted of correspondence between former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and other DNC officials, revealed that Wasserman Schultz and the DNC "tried to aid [Hillary] Clinton and hamper [Bernie] Sanders."^[45]

The Post reported that the emails included a proposal to publicly raise the issue of Bernie Sanders' religion and a reference to Sanders' campaign manager as a liar. They also questioned Sanders' loyalty to the party, saying that he "has no understanding of what we [in the Democratic Party] do."^[46]

Some emails proposed to publicly announce that the Sanders "never ever had his act together, that his campaign was a mess," and others highlighted the DNC's push for fewer debates.^[46] Sanders stated, "I mean, there's no question to my mind and I think no question to any objective observer's mind that the DNC was supporting Hillary Clinton, and was at opposition to our campaign."^[47]

Following the release of the emails, Wasserman Schultz was dropped as a speaker at the convention. In a statement, Wasserman Schultz said she would step down from her position at the end of the convention, adding, "[w]e have planned a great and unified Convention this week and I hope and expect that the DNC team that has worked so hard to get us to this point will have the strong support of all Democrats in making sure this is the best convention we have ever had.”^[48][49][50]

DNC Vice Chairwoman Donna Brazile served as interim chair and Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) served as permanent chair of the convention.^[51]

Conventions[edit]

2020 Democratic National Convention[edit]

See also: Democratic National Convention, 2020

See also: Important dates in the 2020 presidential race

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) held its presidential nominating convention the week of August 17, 2020, across four stages in New York City, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, and Wilmington.^[52][53]

The convention was originally scheduled to take place July 13-16, 2020, in Milwaukee.^[54] Organizers postponed the event in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Most of the convention's events took place remotely. The DNC announced in June 2020 that delegates should not plan to travel to Milwaukee to attend the convention.^[55] Instead, votes on reports from the Rules, Platform, and Credentials committees took place remotely from August 3-15, 2020.^[56]

The Democratic National Convention Committee announced on August 5, 2020, that former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and other speakers would not travel to Milwaukee.^[57] Biden was formally nominated at the convention on August 18, 2020.^[58]

Biden announced U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D) as his running mate on August 11, 2020.^[59] Harris was the first Black woman to appear on a major party's ticket in the United States.^[60]

The convention was originally scheduled to be held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. It was moved to the Wisconsin Center in response to the coronavirus pandemic.^[55]

2016 Democratic National Convention[edit]

See also: Democratic National Convention, 2016

See also: 2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules

The 2016 Democratic National Convention took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Wells Fargo Center from July 25 to July 28, 2016.^[61]

Former Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) told reporters in February 2015 that Philadelphia was chosen because of its logistics, security, and resources.

"The fact that there are 18,500 hotel rooms within a 15 minute walk of the arena, the Wells Fargo arena, the fact that you would have an opportunity for delegates to be coming back and forth and interacting very cohesively in Philadelphia was a big strength of theirs," said Wasserman Schultz.^[62]

Hillary Clinton nomination[edit]

See also: Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic presidential nomination and makes history

Hillary Clinton became the Democratic presidential nominee and the first female nominee of a major political party on July 26, 2016, with the support of 2,842 DNC delegates. In order to win the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, a candidate needed to win 2,383 delegates at the Democratic National Convention. There were expected to be 4,765 delegates at the convention.^[63]

Fundraising[edit]

In December 2014, the DNC filed paperwork with the FEC to establish a fundraising committee for the convention. The committee was filed under the name "Democratic National Convention Committee 2016."^[64]

Historical Democratic National Conventions[edit]

Below is a historical list of Democratic National Conventions organized by the Democratic National Committee:^[65]

Year	Location	DNC nominee
1832	Baltimore, Maryland	Andrew Jackson
1835	Baltimore, Maryland	Martin Van Buren
1840	Baltimore, Maryland	Martin Van Buren
1844	Baltimore, Maryland	James Polk
1848	Baltimore, Maryland	Lewis Cass
1852	Baltimore, Maryland	Franklin Pierce
1856	Cincinnati, Ohio	James Buchanan
April 1860	Charleston, South Carolina	None
June 1860	Baltimore, Maryland	Stephen Douglas
1864	Chicago, Illinois	George McClellan
1868	New York, New York	Horatio Seymour
1872	Baltimore, Maryland	Horace Greeley
1876	St. Louis, Missouri	Samuel Tilden
1880	Cincinnati, Ohio	Winfield Hancock
1884	Chicago, Illinois	Grover Cleveland
1888	St. Louis, Missouri	Grover Cleveland
1892	Chicago, Illinois	Grover Cleveland
1896	Chicago, Illinois	William Jennings Bryan
1900	Kansas City, Kansas	William Jennings Bryan
1904	St. Louis, Missouri	Alton Parker
1908	Denver, Colorado	William Jennings Bryan
1912	Baltimore, Maryland	Woodrow Wilson
1916	St. Louis, Missouri	Woodrow Wilson
1920	San Francisco, California	James Cox
1924	New York, New York	John Davis
1928	Houston, Texas	Alfred Smith
1932	Chicago, Illinois	Franklin Roosevelt
1936	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Franklin Roosevelt
1940	Chicago, Illinois	Franklin Roosevelt
1944	Chicago, Illinois	Franklin Roosevelt
1948	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Harry Truman
1952	Chicago, Illinois	Adlai Stevenson
1956	Chicago, Illinois	Adlai Stevenson
1960	Los Angeles, California	John Kennedy
1964	Atlantic City, New Jersey	Lyndon Johnson
1968	Chicago, Illinois	Hubert Humphrey
1972	Miami Beach, Florida	George McGovern
1976	New York, New York	Jimmy Carter
1980	New York, New York	Jimmy Carter
1984	San Francisco, California	Walter Mondale
1988	Atlanta, Georgia	Michael Dukakis
1992	New York, New York	Bill Clinton
1996	Chicago, Illinois	Bill Clinton
2000	Los Angeles, California	Al Gore
2004	Boston, Massachusetts	John Kerry
2008	Denver, Colorado	Barack Obama
2012	Charlotte, North Carolina	Barack Obama
2016	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Hillary Clinton
2020	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Joe Biden

Subsidiaries of the DNC[edit]

Subsidiaries of the Democratic National Committee
• Democratic Governors Association • Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee • Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee • The Association of State Democratic Chairs • Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee • National Lawyers Council • DNC Voting Rights Institute

The following organizations operate as subsidiaries of the Democratic National Committee:

Democratic Governors Association[edit]

See also: Democratic Governors Association

The Democratic Governors Association has the following mission statement:

“

The Democratic Governors Association, or DGA, is an independent voluntary political organization that supports Democratic governors and candidates nationwide. As the only party organization dedicated solely to electing Democratic governors, the DGA participates at all levels of campaigns, from providing resources to fund operations to helping articulate and deliver their messages. [66][67]

”

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee[edit]

See also: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has the following mission statement:

“

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or DSCC, serves as the official national Democratic campaign dedicated solely to electing Democrats to the United States Senate. From grassroots organizing, to candidate recruitment, to providing campaign funds for tight races, the DSCC works hard all year, every year to elect Democrats to the U.S. Senate.[66][67]

”

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee[edit]

See also: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has the following mission statement:

“

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or DCCC, serves as the official national Democratic campaign committee charged with recruiting, assisting, funding, and electing Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives. They provide services that include designing and helping execute field operations, polling, creating radio and television commercials, fundraising, communications, and management consulting.[66][67]

”

The Association of State Democratic Chairs[edit]

See also: Association of State Democratic Chairs

The Association of State Democratic Chairs has the following mission statement:

“

The ASDC’s mission is to help build robust state parties in order to elect Democrats from local office to the Oval Office. To accomplish this goal, the ASDC focuses exclusively on the current and future needs of state Democratic parties. It acts as a service organization responsible for supporting and educating its members and state party executive directors and staff.[66][67]

”

Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee[edit]

See also: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has the following mission statement:

“

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, or DLCC, works to win state legislative seats and chambers for Democrats. The DLCC’s mission is to build and maintain winning, state-of-the-art campaign committees through a continuing partnership with legislative leaders, professional staff, and supporters.[66][67]

”

Finances[edit]

Annual overview[edit]

The following table identifies total annual federal receipts and disbursements for the DNC according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission:^[68]

Annual federal receipts and disbursements for the DNC, 2010-2020
Year	Federal receipts	Federal disbursements
2020	$399,421,226.34	$370,765,941.33
2019	$92,306,118.09	$90,722,423.78
2018	$109,820,209.01	$107,882,227.21
2017	$65,949,431.30	$69,926,813.05
2016	$286,357,936.58	$281,968,941.52
2015	$64,250,723.86	$65,034,427.21
2014	$98,570,288.50	$96,367,161.51
2013	$64,749,628.25	$64,342,399.26
2012	$182,169,283.25	$190,447,988.97
2011	$108,271,222.77	$101,816,813.41
2010	$140,685,220.60	$143,212,834.02

2022 election cycle[edit]

See also: Party committee fundraising, 2021-2022

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) reported the following fundraising amounts for the 2021-22 election cycle:

Monthly fundraising for the DNC for the 2021-22 election cycle
Month (Dates covered)	Total receipts	Total disbursements	Cash on hand (end of month)	Debts owed (end of month)	FEC document
October 2021 (Sept. 1-30, 2021)	$11,410,435.15	$9,541,101.31	$69,687,263.40	$766,293.34	Filing
September 2021 (Aug. 1-31, 2021)	$9,914,846.17	$9,988,855.88	$67,817,929.56	$573,876.01	Filing
August 2021 (July 1-31, 2021)	$13,090,379.71	$8,290,281.88	$67,891,939.27	$551,483.90	Filing
July 2021 (June 1-30, 2021)	$11,218,906.49	$7,963,918.93	$63,091,841.44	$613,291.84	Filing
June 2021 (May 1-31, 2021)	$12,112,181.09	$8,650,639.89	$59,836,853.88	$687,698.69	Filing
May 2021 (April 1-30, 2021)	$15,582,690.55	$8,403,455.47	$56,378,312.68	$315,764.76	Filing
April 2021 (March 1-31, 2021)	$12,754,486.22	$6,966,404.51	$49,199,077.60	$566,825.80	Filing
March 2021 (Feb. 1-28, 2021)	$21,947,168.92	$23,390,479.71	$43,410,995.89	$501,744.51	Filing
February 2021 (Jan. 1-31, 2021)	$13,464,471.39	$7,399,934.80	$44,854,306.68	$5,226,423.19	Filing

2020 election cycle[edit]

See also: Party committee fundraising, 2019-2020

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) reported the following fundraising amounts for the 2019-20 election cycle:

Monthly fundraising for the DNC for the 2019-20 election cycle
Month (Dates covered)	Total receipts	Total disbursements	Cash on hand (end of month)	Debts owed (end of month)	FEC document
Year-End 2020 (Nov. 24 - Dec. 31, 2020)	$35,195,874.55	$20,315,072.18	$38,789,770.09	$3,175,942.92	Filing
Post-General 2020 (Oct. 15 - Nov. 23, 2020)	$60,978,052.69	$113,822,634.75	$23,908,967.72	$0.00	Filing
Pre-General 2020 (Oct. 1-14, 2020)	$37,441,237.95	$58,927,608.47	$76,753,549.78	$188,547.26	Filing
October 2020 (Sept. 1-30, 2020)	$76,047,962.00	$62,788,102.95	$98,239,920.30	$94,869.98	Filing
September 2020 (Aug. 1-31, 2020)	$78,428,939.81	$26,670,023.59	$84,980,061.25	$3,482,382.07	Filing
August 2020 (July 1-31, 2020)	$16,301,319.75	$20,255,021.09	$33,221,145.03	$1,552,980.75	Filing
July 2020 (June 1-30, 2020)	$12,580,684.58	$15,151,573.41	$37,174,846.37	$1,517,216.00	Filing
June 2020 (May 1-31, 2020)	$11,733,809.64	$12,403,847.74	$39,745,735.20	$3,844,100.02	Filing
May 2020 (Apr. 1-30, 2020)	$15,256,229.95	$10,701,583.95	$40,415,773.30	$4,627,700.08	Filing
April 2020 (Mar. 1-31, 2020)	$32,686,113.57	$10,950,993.71	$35,861,127.30	$5,067,320.76	Filing
March 2020 (Feb. 1-29, 2020)	$11,978,169.19	$7,785,729.89	$14,126,007.44	$6,056,793.01	Filing
February 2020 (Jan. 1-31, 2020)	$10,792,832.66	$10,993,749.60	$9,933,568.14	$6,000,354.27	Filing
Year-End 2019 (Dec. 1-31, 2019)	$8,686,848.68	$6,946,809.08	$10,134,485.08	$6,592,029.76	Filing
December 2019 (Nov. 1-30, 2019)	$8,069,032.45	$8,423,619.54	$8,394,445.48	$6,451,706.88	Filing
November 2019 (Oct. 1-31, 2019)	$9,021,159.37	$8,918,614.95	$8,749,032.57	$7,048,710.14	Filing
October 2019 (Sept. 1-30, 2019)	$6,980,445.71	$6,559,233.38	$8,646,488.15	$7,230,598.73	Filing
September 2019 (Aug. 1-31, 2019)	$7,914,847.52	$8,693,105.63	$8,225,275.82	$7,294,997.90	Filing
August 2019 (July 1-31, 2019)	$7,666,395.01	$7,940,744.90	$9,003,533.93	$5,615,076.91	Filing
July 2019 (June 1-30, 2019)	$8,531,594.68	$7,518,257.58	$9,277,883.82	$5,711,771.85	Filing
June 2019 (May 1-31, 2019)	$6,859,273.17	$7,345,457.01	$8,264,546.72	$5,984,995.82	Filing
May 2019 (Apr. 1-30, 2019)	$6,575,306.68	$8,304,493.12	$7,595,724.64	$6,230,765.68	Filing
April 2019 (Mar. 1-31, 2019)	$8,174,132.48	$6,343,285.48	$9,324,911.08	$6,581,487.96	Filing
March 2019 (Feb. 1-28, 2019)	$6,194,526.44	$5,214,470.27	$7,494,064.08	$4,590,612.47	Filing
February 2019 (Jan. 1-31, 2019)	$6,540,886.48	$8,577,669.34	$6,514,007.91	$5,659,586.36	Filing

2018 election cycle[edit]

See also: Fundraising in Congressional elections, 2018

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) reported the following fundraising amounts for the 2017-18 election cycle:

Monthly fundraising for the DNC for the 2017-18 election cycle
Month	Total contributions	Total Disbursements	Cash on hand (end of month)	Debts Owed (end of month)	FEC document
December 2018	$5,241,090	$7,073,480	$8,550,791	$5,625,873	Filing
Post-general election 2018	$19,686,779	$23,844,367	$10,383,181	$2,972,395	Filing
Pre-general election 2018	$15,308,946	$11,050,546	$14,540,769	$6,250,452	Filing
September 2018	$9,764,499	$7,468,762	$10,282,369	$7,302,721	Filing
August 2018	$9,256,250	$8,942,808	$7,986,631	$7,013,081	Filing
July 2018	$7,217,483	$8,233,639	$7,673,189	$6,723,176	Filing
June 2018	$8,059,093	$7,771,303	$8,689,345	$6,215,460	Filing
May 2018	$5,636,392	$5,629,746	$8,401,555	$5,679,337	Filing
April 2018	$7,887,004	$8,668,609	$8,394,909	$5,272,088	Filing
March 2018	$7,014,801	$7,931,598	$9,176,514	$5,959,920	Filing
February 2018	$8,600,108	$5,872,478	$10,093,312	$7,210,637	Filing
January 2018	$6,147,763	$5,394,891	$7,365,681	$6,883,662	Filing
December 2017	$5,206,300	$4,879,270	$6,612,809	$6,107,822	Filing
November 2017	$5,699,018	$4,337,351	$6,285,779	$2,636,262	Filing
October 2017	$3,906,338	$6,037,802	$4,924,112	$3,211,170	Filing
September 2017	$4,788,024	$4,563,124	$7,055,576	$3,769,125	Filing
August 2017	$4,351,554	$4,396,128	$6,830,676	$4,055,251	Filing
July 2017	$3,826,913	$4,444,098	$6,875,251	$3,439,389	Filing
June 2017	$5,500,142	$5,702,049	$7,492,435	$3,285,692	Filing
May 2017	$4,293,682	$5,395,706	$7,694,343	$1,901,185	Filing
April 2017	$4,732,074	$6,468,940	$8,796,366	$2,478,885	Filing
March 2017	$12,165,764	$11,863,270	$10,533,233	$1,780,667	Filing
February 2017	$6,478,980	$7,038,736	$10,230,739	$2,794,520	Filing
January 2017	$5,000,642	$4,717,933	$10,790,495	$3,725,341	Filing
December 2016	-	-	$10,507,786	$4,135,426	Filing

Noteworthy events[edit]

Unity Reform Commission recommendations, 2017-2018[edit]

On December 9, 2017, Politico reported that the DNC's Unity Reform Commission, a 21-member commission aimed at modifying the DNC's nominating process following the 2016 presidential primaries, recommended reducing the number of superdelegates by 400, or roughly 60 percent. According to a May 2016 analysis by the Pew Research Center, the DNC had more than 700 superdelegates. The commission also recommended that the votes of many of the remaining superdelegates be tied to the election results in their respective states.^[69][70][71]

In addition to changes to the superdelegate process, the commission called on state parties to improve access to absentee voting, same-day voter registration, and same-day party affiliation changes. The commission also recommended that state parties institute the use of written ballots at caucuses in order to facilitate recounts.^[70]

"We are incredibly proud of the work this commission has undertaken since May to ensure that our party's presidential nominating process is far more inclusive and brings new people into the party," said Jennifer O'Malley Dillon and Larry Cohen, chair and vice chair of the commission. "This includes reducing the number of unpledged delegates or 'superdelegates' by nearly 60%, and making our caucuses and primaries more accessible, transparent and accurate."^[70]

On March 10, 2018, the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to “revise the role and ­reduce the perceived influence” of superdelegates ahead of the 2020 presidential election.^[72] The details of how this would be done were not addressed and, according to the Associated Press, would be taken up when the committee met in the summer of 2018.^[73]

In June 2018, the Rules and Bylaws Committee considered plans that would prohibit superdelegates from voting on the first ballot if no nominee had been predetermined by the pledged delegate count. The committee also voted to require presidential candidates to affirm in writing that they were members of the Democratic Party. Mark Longabaugh, an advisor to the 2016 Sanders campaign, criticized the latter resolution, saying, "I’m just stunned that the Democratic Party’s rules committee would want to try to make the Democratic Party an exclusive club, for which we want to exclude voters and large segments of the American electorate.”^[74][75]

On July 17, the Unity Reform Commission voted to advance the rule that superdelegates would no longer be allowed to vote on the first ballot.

“It’s the most democratic and equitable option,” DNC Chairman Tom Perez said. “No candidate will be able to build an accumulated lead, whether perceived or real, before a vote has been cast.”

The Commission also voted to advance a rule directing the Budget and Finance Committee to review the DNC budget. Unlike an earlier version of the rule, the one that advanced would not permit the DNC's full membership to review the Committee's full report.

Commission member James Zogby criticized the budget rule change, saying, “We should not wait until a reporter writes a story or Donna Brazile writes a book to find out we have problems. If the only reports we get, as DNC members, are how much we raised and how much we owe, that’s not transparency.”^[76]

On August 13, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.) wrote a letter to Perez criticizing the proposal to prohibit superdelegates from voting on the first ballot. He said, “There should be enough room in the process to include the perspective of local party activists and officials, and Members of Congress. One group should not be harmed at the expense of the other.”^[77]

At the conclusion of the 2018 national convention on August 25, party officials voted to adopt the measure banning superdelegates from voting on the first ballot at a contested national convention.^[78] According to Politico, this change makes candidate connections to superdelegates much less significant in presidential campaigns. If a candidate earned enough pledged delegates from state primaries and caucuses to win the party nomination, superdelegates will still be allowed to vote on the first ballot at a national convention.^[78]

Fair pay lawsuit, 2017-2018[edit]

Justin Swidler, a New Jersey-based attorney, filed a class action lawsuit in May 2017 on behalf of a group of 40 to 50 Democratic field organizers against the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and six state Democratic parties, including the Democratic Party of Pennsylvania. The lawsuit alleges that the groups violated federal and state laws by denying field workers minimum wage earnings and overtime compensation throughout the 2016 presidential election. According to CBS News' Philadelphia affiliate, Swidler said that "the lawsuit seeks 'fair pay for fair work,' and holding the Democratic Party to the very ideals that it embraces."^[79][80]

The DNC filed a motion to dismiss the case in late May 2017. The group stated that, though the field organizers worked on behalf of the party, they were not actually DNC staff.^[81]

"While the DNC was not the employer in this case, the DNC follows all employment and wage laws to make sure that everyone who works a full time job receives a fair wage," DNC spokesman Michael Tyler told Fox News.^[81]

According to a release from Swidler's law firm, Swartz Swidler, LLC, the district court hearing the case ruled on November 29, 2017, that it did not have jurisdiction over state parties other than the Pennsylvania party. The other parties were dropped from the suit and the case proceeded against the DNC and the Pennsylvania party.^[82]

On February 1, 2018, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania dismissed the case.^[83]

Fraud lawsuit, 2016-2019[edit]

In June 2016, Jared Beck, a graduate of Harvard Law School, filed a class action lawsuit in Florida against the DNC and former DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz on behalf of supporters of 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in 45 states. The lawsuit alleged that the DNC violated Article 5, Section 4 of the DNC charter, the impartiality clause, by fixing the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries and misappropriating funds in favor of Hillary Clinton. According to Newsweek, the lawsuit charged the DNC "with fraud, deceptive conduct and negligent misrepresentation over the course of the 2016 primaries."^[84][85]

The DNC worked to have the case dismissed, first arguing that the lawsuit was improperly filed. The lawsuit was refiled on September 2, 2016, after which the DNC argued that the group can nominate a candidate of its choosing and is not legally required to remain neutral throughout the primary process.^[84][85]

"We could have voluntarily decided that, 'Look, we're gonna go into back rooms like they used to and smoke cigars and pick the candidate that way,'" argued DNC attorney Bruce Spiva during a hearing on April 25, 2017. "That's not the way it was done. But they could have. And that would have also been their right."^[86]

Judge William Zloch of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida dismissed the lawsuit on August 25, 2017. In his ruling, Zloch stated:^[87]

“

To the extent Plaintiffs wish to air their general grievances with the DNC or its candidate selection process, their redress is through the ballot box, the DNC’s internal workings, or their right of free speech——not through the judiciary. To the extent Plaintiffs have asserted specific causes of action grounded in specific factual allegations, it is this Court’s emphatic duty to measure Plaintiffs’ pleadings against existing legal standards. Having done so, and for the reasons that follow, the Court finds that the named Plaintiffs have not presented a case that is cognizable in federal court.[87][67]

”

Beck appealed Judge Zloch's ruling on September 8, 2017. The United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit granted the amended complaint and allowed the appeal to proceed on January 10, 2018.^[88][89]

On February 20, 2018, the DNC filed a response brief in which they argued that if the Court agreed with Beck, it would "run directly contrary to long-standing Supreme Court precedent recognizing the central and critical First Amendment rights enjoyed by political parties, especially when it comes to selecting the party’s nominee for public office."^[90]

Arguments were heard before the Eleventh Circuit on December 11, 2018.^[91] On October 28, 2019, a three-judge panel dismissed the suit, ruling that the plaintiffs did not have standing.^[92]

Voter database lawsuit, 2015[edit]

See also: Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, 2016

On December 18, 2015, Senator Bernie Sanders filed a lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee after the DNC temporarily restricted his campaign’s access to the party’s voter database following reports several Sanders staffers had inappropriately accessed Hillary Clinton’s private voter data. Sanders and the DNC announced on December 19, 2015, that an agreement had been reached and Sanders’ access to the voter database would be restored. While Sanders’ campaign claimed the party committee had “capitulated,” the DNC maintained they would continue to investigate the incident.^[93][94]

Petition blocking lawsuit, 2007[edit]

On October 30, 2007, Ralph Nader filed a lawsuit in Superior Court in Washington, D.C. against the DNC, arguing that it had worked together with a variety of co-defendants, including America Coming Together, to bring "groundless and abusive litigation" against Nader's 2004 petition drives for ballot access in order to bankrupt Nader's campaign and remove him from the ballot in 18 states.^[95]

Vote buying and voter registration probe, 2004[edit]

In 2004, the DNC was involved in a voting fraud probe in New York and Florida. The New York Daily News reported that over 46,000 people were illegally registered by DNC workers, primarily in New York City and Florida.^[96] In addition, Today's TMJ 4 (WTMJ-TV) of Milwaukee, WI, the local NBC affiliate, filmed Democratic campaign workers handing out small amounts of money and free food to residents at a home for the mentally ill in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The patients were then shepherded into a separate room and given absentee ballots. A DNC worker fled when she saw the camera from WTMJ-TV.^[97]

See also[edit]

• Democratic Party
• The Democratic Party Platform and DNC Platform Committees, 2016
• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
• State Democratic parties
• Republican Party
• Republican National Committee

External links[edit]

• Democratic National Committee
  • DNC on YouTube
  • DNC on Twitter
  • DNC on Facebook
• Democratic Senate Caucus
• Democratic House Caucus
• DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)
• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)
• Democratic Governors Association
• Democratic Attorneys General Association
• National Federation of Democratic Women
• College Democrats of America
• Young Democrats of America
• Democrats Abroad
• Progressive Democrats of America
• C-SPAN, "History of the Democratic Party"

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