http://www.wyodems.org/frequently-asked-questions

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

1. What happens at a state convention?

We'll meet to elect delegates to the national convention in Philadelphia, elect  national committeeman, and national committeewoman, to set a platform and update our bylaws. We'll also hold our Nellie Tayloe Ross Gala at that time.

It is important to remember that though there are rules governing the number of voting delegates and alternates in each county, any Wyoming Democrat is welcome to attend the State Convention; it is inspiring, motivational, and fun!

 

2. Who is speaking at the Nellie Tayloe Ross Gala?

Our guest speaker this year is Jess O'Connell who serves as the Executive Director of Emily's List. Emily's List is an organization that was formed with the goal of electing more Democratic women to office at the national and local level. As the state with the lowest number of women in our State Legislature, we at the Wyoming Democratic Party believes there is no greater message we could bring to the state of Wyoming than an emphasis on diverse candidate recruitment. We are thrilled to bring Jess O'Connell to share her experience and expertise with our energetic Democrats and to our state convention theme- ignite change!

 

3. Why is it called the Nellie Tayloe Ross Gala?

Every year we hold the Nellie Tayloe Ross Gala in honor of the first woman governor in Wyoming and in the country. This reflection on Wyoming’s history as the Equality State and a symbol of progress for the nation inspires Democrats that soon we can continue this trend and achieve political parity of men and women in Wyoming.

 

4. Where can I buy my tickets for state convention and NTR?

You can buy tickets for state convention and NTR here!

 

5. Do I have to buy a ticket to state convention to participate?

No, you do not have to buy a ticket to attend the meeting portions of the state convention. Your ticket includes your breakfast, lunch, snacks and coffee, and your state convention package on that day. Choosing not to buy a ticket does not mean you cannot attend, it simply means you’ll need to purchase your meals on your own and miss out on great Wyoming Democrats gear.

 

6. What is a delegate?

A delegate at the county level is the lucky individual chosen to represent their county to the state convention. This person represents the interests and perspective of their part of the state.

A delegate at the state level is the lucky individual chosen to represent their state to the national convention. The number of delegates at the county and state level are limited to be proportional based on the number of Democrats and the population of the area.

 

7. How do I become a delegate to the Democratic National Convention?

In order to be a district-level delegate to the Democratic National Convention you would first need to be elected as your county's delegate to the Democratic State Convention during the County Conventions on April 9th, 2016. These state delegates will then meet at the Democratic State Convention on May 28th, 2016. State delegates will  meet in presidential preference caucuses and elect district level national delegates and alternates. In order to be an at-large delegate to the Democratic National Convention you do not need to be elected as a delegate prior to the Democratic State Convention.

 

8. What is the difference between a district-level and at-large delegate to the Democratic National Convention?

In states with more than one congressional district they will elect delegates at a district-level from the county caucuses as well as at-large delegates from the state convention. However in Wyoming we have only one district and so the biggest difference is that the eight district-level delegates will include those who were previously elected as delegates at the county level but the at-large do not have to be elected at the county caucus level. The voting weight of these delegates at the Democratic National Convention do not differ.

 

9.  What is a Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO)?

PLEOs include big-city mayors, statewide elected officials, state legislative leaders, state legislators and other state, county and local elected officials and party leaders. PLEO’s have until 5 p.m. on April 28th to file a statement of candidacy and a signed pledge of support.  

 

10. How are PLEOs and at-large delegates and alternates selected?

The 2 PLEOs, 4 At-Large delegates and 2 At-Large Alternates will be selected at the State Convention May 28th, 2016.

 

11. How many delegates does Wyoming send to the Democratic National Convention?

Wyoming will be sending 18 delegates and 2 alternates. 8 are District-Level delegates, 4 are unpledged party Leaders and elected officials, 2 are PLEOs, 4 are At-Large delegates with 2 alternates.

 

12. How are national delegates awarded?

National delegates are awarded proportionally. This means that each of the different types of delegates, district level, at-large, and PLEOs are awarded proportionally rather than all delegates as a lump sum.  The chart below offers an explanation of how the math for delegate allocation works, and does not include the 4 unpledged delegates Wyoming will send to the National Convention.

Type of Delegate

Available

Sanders

Clinton

District Level

8

8x0.56 (56%)= 4.48

Since the remaining decimal, 0.48 is below 0.5 you round down to get a total of 4 District Level delegates for Sanders.

 

8x0.44 (44%)= 3.52

Since the remaining decimal, 0.52, is above 0.5 you round up to get a total of 4 District Level delegates for Clinton.

 

At-Large

4

4x0.56 (56%)=2.24

Since the remaining decimal, 0.24 is below 0.5 you round down to get a total of 2 At-Large Level delegates for Sanders.

 

4x0.44 (44%)= 1.76

Since the remaining decimal, 0.76, is above 0.5 you round up to get a total of 2 At-Large Level delegates for Clinton.

 

PLEO (Party Leaders and Elected Officials)

2

2x0.56 (56%)= 1.12

Since the remaining decimal, 0.12 is below 0.5 you round down to get a total of 1 PLEO Level delegate for Sanders.

 

2x0.44 (44%)=0.88

Since the remaining decimal, 0.88, is above 0.5 you round up to get a total of 1 PLEO Level delegate for Clinton.

 

Total

14

7

7
 

 

13. How many delegates does my county send to the State Convention?

Each county is allotted a delegate based on the population of that county and on the proportion of votes that went to Democratic federal candidates in the last presidential election. Each county is guaranteed at least one population based delegate and one vote-share based delegate. Here is a breakdown of each county's number of delegates to the Democratic State Convention.

County

 Number of Delegates Available

Sanders

Clinton

Albany

 33

25

8

Big Horn

 4

2

2

Campbell

 18

12

6

Carbon

 7

4

3

Converse

 5

3

2

Crook

 2

1

1

Fremont

 20

10

10

Goshen

 5

2

3

Hot Springs

 2

1

1

Johnson

 2

1

1

Laramie

 51

25

26

Lincoln

 6

3

3

Natrona

 38

18

20

Niobrara

 2

2

0

Park

 13

8

5

Platte

 3

2

1

Sheridan

 14

12

10

Sublette

 4

3

1

Sweetwater

 22

12

10

Teton

 15

9

6

Uinta

 9

5

4

Washakie

 3

1

2

Weston

 2

1

1

Total

280

156 (55.7% rounded up to 56%)

124 (44.2% rounded down to 44%)
 

14. Can you tell me more about unpledged delegates? 

  • The Democratic primary process consists of both pledged delegates - those delegates that are distributed based on the way states vote - and unpledged delegates - delegates who are free to support whichever candidate they prefer.

  • By their very definition, unpledged delegates are designed to be independent of the vote results.

  • Unpledged delegates are individuals who have been a part of the Democratic party in their respective states for years. The process of having them as an unpledged delegate is a reflection of their leadership and insight into which candidate is best to further the Democratic party.

  • "Superdelegate" is not a term anywhere in the Democratic Party. It is a term that was coined by the media. We feel strongly that members of the Democratic National Committee or Wyoming Democratic Party are no more "super" than any other delegate.

 

​15. Where can I find the Delegate Selection Plan? What was the process for approval and when did that happen?

The 2016 Delegate Selection Plan is a pdf found at the bottom of the page. This plan was placed on the wyodems.org website in March, 2015 and was available for public comment for 30 days. Then, at our April 2015 Central Committee Meeting in Riverton representatives from each county were invited to vote on the Delegate Selection Plan, where it was ultimately approved. Following the approval from the Central Committee in Wyoming we worked with the DNC to ensure it was compliant with national rules and that neither campaign had objections. Given that there were no objections to the plan from the campaigns the plan was then finalized and was made available on the wyodems.org website again.

Ed. Note: Also interesting is this May 6, 2016 posting from the Wyoming Democratic Party website...

Hillary Victory Fund and the WDP

What’s Wyoming’s connection to the Hillary Victory Fund?

Over the past few weeks questions have been raised as to whether the Wyoming Democratic Party and the unpledged delegates have received pay outs from Hillary for America and the Hillary Victory Fund in exchange for their unpledged delegate (referred to in the media as superdelegates) votes. This is patently false. We’d like to set the record straight on the Hillary Victory Fund (HVF) and how it affects the Wyoming Democratic Party.

We believe that our Party is strongest when it is united. Participating in this joint fundraising agreement is a way for Democrats to work together across state lines.

In late 2015, the Hillary for America campaign, the Democratic National Committee, 32 Democratic state parties, and the Wyoming Democratic Party, entered into a joint fundraising agreement. The Wyoming Democratic Party entered into this agreement, named the Hillary Victory Fund (HVF), to help fund national general election efforts in support of the Democratic ticket, no matter who is on it.  

Aside from the fact that the HVF was established during the primary election, rather than the general election, this agreement is no different from such funding efforts of the past by state parties and candidates, including President Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns. Senator Sanders’ campaign has also established a victory fund that is working directly with the DNC; state parties have not been invited to participate.  

While there have been transfers into the joint bank account established by the HVF, examination of the actual FEC reports show that at no point in time have funds from the Hillary Victory Fund entered the working budget of the Wyoming Democratic Party. All funds were immediately transferred out of the account by the HVF to be used by the DNC, the fund itself or to help down ballot candidates in targeted races. As a part of the agreement with all 33 participating states the HVF maintains control over the allocation of funds. Neither the Executive Director, Chair, nor any other officer or staffer of the Wyoming Democratic Party has direct access to any moneys in the Hillary Victory Fund.

Our participation is not a declaration of support for Secretary Hillary Clinton, but for all current and future Democratic candidates who will have access to resources which joint fundraising agreements, like the HVF, help make possible for the DNC and states to provide. It’s the right thing for Wyoming to participate in endeavors to help fund the work of the Democratic Party nationally and in our own state.

The Wyoming Democratic Party is working to encourage, support and train candidates and volunteers statewide. As we work to increase support from Democrats right here in Wyoming, our relationship with the DNC is crucial for carrying out our mission to elect Democrats. Our participation in this agreement is one way Wyoming Democrats can play a bigger role in the national election and gain success in electing a Democrat  to the White House and Democrats to the Wyoming legislature in 2016 and beyond.