MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Democratic Party faces an October deadline to hold new leadership elections and update bylaws as some members push to get the state organization back into compliance with the national party.
The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee on Friday approved proposed bylaws submitted by several members of the state party's executive committee, including Democratic legislative leaders. The group made the submission on their own in an attempt to break through a stalemate that threatens Alabama Democrats' ability to participate in next year's DNC convention.
National party officials wrote in a Saturday letter that the state party's executive committee has until Oct. 5 to approve the bylaws and until Oct. 19 to hold internal elections.
"It is essential that new bylaws and elections occur immediately to resolve this long ongoing problem as we head into key elections in 2020 and a time when all Democrats and all state parties need to be fully integrated and involved in what we need to do to win," national party officials wrote.
The deadline is the latest twist in the ongoing dispute between Alabama and national party officials.
In February, the Democratic National Committee ordered the Alabama party to hold new elections for party leaders and to revise bylaws to provide representation of more minorities — not just African Americans — in the party. National party officials found multiple procedural irregularities with the election of Chair Nancy Worley and Vice Chair Randy Kelley.
Last month, Worley and Kelley were stripped of their seats on the DNC because of missed deadlines to hold the new elections and get new bylaws approved.
Worley did not immediately return text messages seeking comment.
A DNC panel said previously that it won't approve the state's delegate selection plan until the state party holds new leadership elections under properly approved bylaws.
