DNC changes superdelegate rules in presidential nomination process

In a surprise vote that ended a vehemently contested debate that pitted a majority of DNC members supporting the change against two former party chairs, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and others who opposed the new rules, both sides came together to pass the overhauled process ahead of the next presidential campaign.

The move at Saturday's DNC meeting ended an emotional and tumultuous two-year effort to change the Democratic Party, officially barring superdelegates -- about 700 automatic, unpledged party leaders, elected officials and activists -- from voting on the first ballot choosing the party's nominee for president unless a candidate has secured a majority of the convention using only pledged delegates earned during the primary process.

Beginning with the 2020 nomination process, candidates will no longer be able to count superdelegates if they want to win the party's nomination on the first ballot of voting at the convention. This makes it impossible for superdelegates to change the outcome of the pledged delegates' will, which has never occurred since superdelegates were created ahead of the 1984 campaign.

"Today is a historic day for our party," said DNC Chair Tom Perez. "We passed major reforms that will not only put our next presidential nominee in the strongest position possible, but will help us elect Democrats up and down the ballot, across the country. These reforms will help grow our party, unite Democrats, and restore voters' trust by making our 2020 nominating process the most inclusive and transparent in our history."

The change stems from a tumultuous 2016 primary campaign, in which supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders accused the superdelegates of having too much influence over the outcome. The overwhelming majority of them supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the party's eventual nominee.

The bitter divide within the party over the changes came to an unexpected close when former DNC Chairman Don Fowler, who was adamantly against the changes and led the opposition, moved to vote by acclimation instead of a ballot vote.

Changes within party for more transparency, inclusion

DECLARING YOURSELF DEMOCRAT: Candidates seeking the party's presidential nomination will now have to declare themselves as Democrats in writing to the DNC, a change pointed at Sanders, who is technically an Independent senator that caucuses with the Democrats.

CAUCUS OVERHAULS: Caucuses have also undergone some changes as well. The party is officially encouraging states to use government-run primaries, give access to people who can't make the actual caucus (like shift workers, those with disabilities and language difficulties), implement same-day party change and voter registration, report statewide presidential preference on the first vote, and ensure that all national delegates represent the same original vote for the first caucus vote.

TRANSPARENCY: The DNC is now required to be more transparent on operations, finances, and dealings with Democratic presidential candidates, such as in providing information on fundraising, and vendor agreements. Information about these things should be made available to all Democratic candidates, the language says.

GENDER INCLUSION: Language for rules that mandate gender equality in committees, caucuses and other bodies has also been expanded to include members who are gender nonbinary. DNC committees and caucuses have included gender equality in the past, meaning they had to declare themselves male or female. Gender nonbinary members will no longer have to declare themselves as either. Instead, going forward the requirement now says the divide between those who identify as men and women have a variance of one.