DNC Chair backs plan to effectively eliminate key role of 'super delegates' in nomination process

WASHINGTON — A proposal to effectively eliminate the role of “super delegates” in the Democratic presidential nominating process is gaining steam with some key members of the Democratic National Committee after complaints about party insiders' outsized influence in the 2016 presidential primary.

DNC Chairman Tom Perez is endorsing the proposal ahead of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee’s Friday meeting, which is expected to cover the role of super delegates — the more than 700 elected officials and party leaders who are free to support the presidential candidate they wish at the Democratic National Convention.

Perez plans to brief the House Democratic Caucus Tuesday night on the possible changes, along with two other proposals that aren’t as far-reaching but would still limit the role of a large portion of super delegates, a DNC official said Tuesday.

Superdelegates announcing support for Hillary Clinton gave her an early advantage in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, and their role was a major point of contention for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ supporters.

Taking an initial step, the DNC voted in March to accept a committee report calling for reducing the influence of superdelegates, among other changes.

Other proposals under consideration would limit the role of those superdelegates who aren’t elected officials or distinguished party leaders.

But the proposal Perez is endorsing goes much further, blocking all superdelegates — including elected officials and even former presidents — from voting on the first presidential nominating ballot at the convention. That means, the first – and likely only -- tally of votes would represent only the will of voters, according to the DNC official.

In the unlikely event that the nominating contest proceeds to a second ballot, all delegates, including super delegates, would be eligible to formally pledge their support for any candidate and cast their ballots accordingly, the DNC official said.

The Rules and Bylaws Committee will likely vote later this month, and the full DNC will hold a final vote in late August.