Jul 8, 2019

Democrats in Iowa and Nevada will be able to vote over the phone

Axios

Iowa caucus voters in 2016 casting their ballots in a high school gymnasium. Photo: Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Democrats in Iowa and Nevada will be able to vote over the phone instead of showing up at traditional caucus meetings next February, according to state-party plans reported by AP's Michelle Price and Tom Beaumont.

Context: The tele-caucus systems, the result of a DNC mandate, are aimed at opening the local-level political gatherings to more people, especially evening shift-workers and people with disabilities.

Why it matters: The changes are expected to boost voter participation, presenting a new opportunity for 2020 candidates.

  • In Iowa, polls show as many as 20% of Democrats will participate virtually.

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Joe Uchill

Democratic caucuses' phone-in plan opens new risks

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios

Democrats in Iowa and Nevada want to boost participation in their 2020 caucuses by opening them up to telephone voting. Hacking-spooked Democrats have worked to protect the process from interference, but some experts still see notable risks.

Why it matters: Security concerns have long troubled digital voting systems. Many of the same problems with online voting carry over to telephone voting.

Go deeperArrowAug 1, 2019
Orion Rummler, Gigi Sukin

The 2020 candidates who have qualified for the next Democratic debate

Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren. Photos: Scott Olson/Getty Images, Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images, and Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

The fourth round of Democratic debates will be held on Oct. 15 in Westerville, Ohio, with 12 candidates onstage, making it the biggest single-night debate to date. 

How it works: This debate had the same requirements as September's. Qualifying candidates must have reached 2% in 4 DNC-approved polls and drawn 130,000 unique donors — including 400 donors in 20 different states. Oct. 1 was the final day to make the cut.

Go deeperArrowUpdated Oct 2, 2019
Ben Geman

Climate forum for 2020 Democrats set for September

With the DNC refusing to set up a climate-focused primary debate, The New Republic and Gizmodo announced Thursday that they've scheduled a "presidential climate summit" in New York City on Sept. 23.

Why it matters: The event, if top-tier candidates attend, will probe the 2020 hopefuls in a way that's vastly more in-depth than what's possible in a multi-topic debate.

Go deeperArrowJul 12, 2019