DemDaily: What is the Democratic National Committee?

The Democratic National Committee is meeting in Chicago, Illinois this week for their Summer Meeting to discuss party reforms to the presidential nominating process, and strategy going into the final stretch of the midterm elections -- now just 77 days away.

DemList will be keeping you posted on developments from the Windy City, but for those uninitiated to the ways of the Party, we will start with a primer!

The Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the formal governing body forthe Democratic Party. Founded in 1848, the DNC is now the longest running political organization in the world.

The DNC is responsible for establishing and promoting the Democratic principles, and coordinating party strategy and activity to support the election of Democratic candidates at the local, state, and national office level.

DNC Chair Tom Perez

In presidential elections the DNC may coordinate certain campaign expenditures with the nominee's campaign, but independently raises its own funds for staff, party-building activities and political operations.

Leadership
The DNC is lead by a team of national officers who are elected by members of the DNC every four years.

Under the Party's Charter and Bylaws, the DNC has a Chair, five Vice Chairs, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and a National Finance Chair.

Internally it is governed, as well, by a series of Committees including the Rules and By-Laws, Budget & Finance, Credentials, Resolutions and Platform Committees.

DNC Members
There are 447 DNC Members who are elected or appointed to a four-year term from five categories. All fall under the category of unpledged or automatic delegates, also known as "superdelegates."

*  State-Elected (200 members). Based onpopulation, a minimum of two from each State, the District of Columbia, the Territories and Democrats Abroad.State processes vary, but most are elected by the state's Democratic Committee, at the State Party Convention or Democratic Primary.
*  State Chairs and Vice-Chairs
*  Current and former Democratic Presidents, Vice Presidents, Governors and Members of Congress.
*  Official Party Committee Representatives from affiliated Party Committees that provide resources and focus on electing, and reelecting,lawmakers at specific levels of office. They include: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Democratic Governor's Association (DGA) Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), National Conference of Democratic Mayors (NCDM), Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO), National Democratic County Officials (NDCO), Democratic Association of Secretary of States, Democratic Association of Attorneys General, National Association of Democratic Lieutenant Governors, National Association of Democratic State Treasurers, National Federation of Democratic Women, College Democrats and Young Democrats.

*  At-Large Members: Approximately 75 individual members representing different constituencies and leaders "at-large" who are nominated by the DNC Chair and approved by a vote of DNC members.

What Goes on at The Meeting
Over the course of three days, DNC members will participate in caucus, council, and committee meetings as well as training sessions.

The DNC has two types of Caucuses: Regional, which represents the geographic regions of Eastern, Mid-Western, Southern and Western US; and Constituency, which include Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, LGBT, Native American and Women.

DNC Councils: DNC Councils are created to represent certain communities and are organized around an issue or cause.  They include: Disability, Labor, Interfaith, Vets and Military, Native American, Rural, Small Business, Ethics, Youth and Seniors.

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