(Bloomberg) -- The Iowa Democratic Party proposed instituting “satellite caucuses” to let voters participate even if they can't get to an official caucus site, according to Democratic National Committee members who have been briefed on the plan.
The proposal, which would take effect for the state's caucuses in February, was unveiled Thursday during the Iowa Democratic Party's State Central Committee meeting. It will be presented Friday during a DNC Rules and By-Laws meeting. It comes after the DNC vetoed the state party's plan to let some people participate by telephone, citing cybersecurity concerns.
“Organizers, activists and volunteers are preparing for the caucuses earlier than ever before to bring voters into our party, and satellite caucuses will build on that work while increasing accessibility on caucus night,” Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price said in a statement.
The Iowa caucuses, the nation's first presidential nominating contest, require participants to go in person to selected venues such as schools or churches to choose candidates through a process of elimination involving debate and persuasion.
The satellite caucuses, if approved, would allow voters unable to attend to propose creating their own caucus sites. Those could be held at job sites, senior living centers or other locations if enough voters demonstrate a clear need and the sites are approved by the Iowa Democratic Party, according to DNC members. In 2016, the state party piloted this idea and approved four satellite caucus sites, including one at a senior living facility.
On Wednesday, high-ranking DNC staff members called members of the Rules and By-Laws Committee to outline the proposal and express their support for it.
The Iowa Democratic Party and the DNC did not comment on the matter.
Caucus sites are spread across the state, and the system can be time-intensive and difficult for people with disabilities and those who work night shifts or have other responsibilities. As a result, the DNC directed states that hold caucuses to find ways to make them more accessible.
After the DNC rejected the virtual caucus proposal, the committee discussed the possibility of granting Iowa a waiver to ignore the accessibility rule. However, the Iowa Democratic Party didn't want to request the waiver after spending money and time to find ways to abide by the rule, according to DNC members familiar with the matter.
To contact the reporter on this story: Tyler Pager in Washington at tpager1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Max Berley, John Harney
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