The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has voted to strip an elite group of party insiders of much of their nominating power – a change that could have significant repercussions on the 2020 presidential race.

Attendees at the DNC’s annual summer meeting in Chicago this weekend voted to dramatically reduce the powers given to hundreds of DNC members, elected officials, and party leaders known as “superdelegates”.

The approximately 700 superdelegates will be ineligible to vote in first-round ballots for the party’s presidential nominee at the 2020 nominating convention. Instead, they will be called in to vote only in the unlikely event that there is a contested convention and a second-round ballot is required.

“Today is a historic day for our party,” tweeted DNC Chairman Tom Perez, a vocal advocate of the changes. “We reaffirmed one of our core beliefs as Democrats: That our democracy works best when every voice is heard. The new DNC is doing things differently.”

The debate over superdelegates started during the 2016 race, when supporters of candidate Bernie Sanders felt the party elite had favoured his competitor, Hillary Clinton, over the Vermont senator.

Sanders Supporters Protest in During Final Day of DNC

The majority of delegates at the party’s nominating conventions are so-called pledged delegates, who vote in accordance with the candidate’s performance in their states’ primary elections. Superdelegates, however, can vote for any candidate they choose.

In 2016, these voters – who made up approximately 15 per cent of the total delegate pool – overwhelmingly favoured Ms Clinton.

The call to strip superdelegates of their power was largely pushed through by Mr Perez, Mr Sanders, and many of the senator’s supporters. Mr Sanders called the vote an “important step forward” in a statement on Saturday.

Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures First Lady Michelle Obama called on Democratic party members to trust in the 'steady and measured' Mrs Clinton, in a speech critics described as "show-stealing" Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures The first day of the convention was attended by a vast crowd of approximately 50,000 as the event got into full swing in Philadelphia Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Senator Bernie Sanders delivered an impassioned speech endorsing Mrs Clinton, and asking the party to unite for their prospective candidate REUTERS Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Two advocates of the former candidate Sanders were reduced to tears as details of an alleged conspiracy against his nomination were gradually revealed REUTERS Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Senator Elizabeth Warren was repeatedly heckled and booed as she endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential candidacy Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Former president Bill Clinton (left) looks pensive as the resentment against his wife's nomination appeared to grow during day one of the convention Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures A Bernie Sanders supporter taped her mouth shut in protest against his perceived mistreatment at the hands of the Democratic party AFP/Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Senator Cor Brooker called for unity within the party, saying: "We are called to be a nation of love" REUTERS Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Actress Eva Longoria gave a heartfelt speech in which she called upon members to trust in Mrs Clinton as their candidate Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Senator Al Franken was joined on stage by comedian and actress Sarah Silverman, with critics praising their double act Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Delegates danced joyously at the convention in the Wells Fargo Center as musical entertainment was provided Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Pop singer Demi Lovato told the DNC she was "living with mental illness" before performing her hit single 'Confident' Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon was another high-profile performer to entertain the crowd on day one Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures Anastasia Somoza, an international disability rights advocate, also delivered remarks on the first day of the convention Getty Images Democratic National Convention 2016 in pictures A delegate holds a sign that reads "Stronger together" as the first day of the convention drew to a close Getty Images

But the changes were met with resistances from some powerful party leaders like former DNC chairs Don Fowler and Donna Brazile. Saturday’s meeting on the proposed changes even resulted in some raised voices, according to reporters in the room.

According to BuzzFeed News, when Mr Fowler claimed that eliminating superdelegates would disenfranchise black, Latino, and LGBT+ members of the group, members in the back of the audience yelled back: “Lies!”

In the end, however, the final vote was heralded by a standing ovation from many of the delegates.

“I was sceptical of this proposal, but I’m a team player, and the most important thing we can do is elect Democrats this fall and in 2020,” William Owens, a DNC member from Tennessee, told NBC. “I’m trying to say this without crying.”