Amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis in the US, the party's Rules and Bylaws Committee approved a resolution providing organizers more authority for those decisions. It also granted waivers to five of the states that moved their primaries beyond the original deadlines set last year.
DNC Chairman Tom Perez called it "an important first step toward giving our convention team the maximum flexibility."
Party leaders made clear that no decision about the format of the convention has been made yet.
"During this critical time when the scope and scale of the pandemic and its impact in August remain unknown, we're providing the convention team with the opportunity to look at a wide range of potential options," DNC Secretary Jason Rae said.
"This isn't about option A or B, but rather this is about looking at all of the pieces of the convention and looking at how to scale up or down as we get closer to August," Rae added.
Perez indicated the convention could still take place in-person, even if modified.
"It is my expectation and hope that we will have an exciting, inspiring convention in August in Milwaukee," Perez said to committee members ahead of the vote. "We are in constant communication with the federal, state and local health officials, and will continue to follow their guidance."
The resolution, which still needs approval from the full DNC membership -- a vote expected to be conducted by mail -- calls for the "ability of all validly-elected Convention delegates to participate in the Convention in person or by means that allow for appropriate social distancing."
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the party's presumptive nominee, has already expressed support for a virtual convention if necessary.
The committee also granted waivers to New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Kentucky and Louisiana for their primaries to be held this summer without any delegate penalties. At least two additional states and territories -- Connecticut and Puerto Rico -- will also require approval from the committee for postponing their primaries beyond the original deadline. The states postponed their primaries as the coronavirus outbreak hit the US.
In a move that could decrease the amount of voting by the full convention, the resolution also gives final authority to the convention's rules and credentials committees without requiring a full DNC vote.
The party's platform, which will most likely be strongly disputed among the more liberal wings of the party, will still require a full vote of the convention.
On the Republican side, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said her party is moving "full steam ahead" in planning its 2020 convention in Charlotte from August 24-27, but will assess in late June or early July as to whether contingencies need to be made. The Republican committee recently hired a senior adviser for health and safety planning to help them prepare for the convention.
Perez contrasted his party's prep with Republicans' own handling of their convention planning.
"At the end of the day, our number one priority is indeed the health and safety of the American people. Unlike our Republican counterparts, we will not have our public health heads in the sand," Perez said. "Donald Trump and Ronna McDaniel repeatedly downplayed the severity of this crisis and scoffed at making changes to their convention."
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May 13, 2020 at 06:04AM
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DNC committee approves rule changes that could allow for virtual convention - CNN
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