LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas’ two dominant political parties have changed the way national convention delegates will be elected amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Democratic Party of Arkansas will meet electronically while the Republican Party of Arkansas will elect its national delegates at regional and statewide assemblies following social distancing distancing, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
Democrats are adopting online alternatives due to time constraints; the state’s special convention was originally scheduled for May 30.
“The switch to a statewide online convention is groundbreaking for Democrats,” said state party Chairman Michael John Gray. “We won’t be the only state that has to do this, but we will be the first one.”
Arkansas Republicans will be selecting 25 delegates and 25 alternates at a special meeting of the state committee — a collection of roughly 350 county chairmen, committeemen and women, elected officials and others.
For now, they’re planning to vote in church gymnasiums, a college auditorium and at state party headquarters. The meeting is scheduled for June 20.
“Certainly they have the ability, under our rules, to have a virtual meeting, but they’re all meeting in venues that will allow social distancing,” said Republican Party of Arkansas Chairman Doyle Webb.
He says other GOP groups have turned to technology in the midst of this pandemic, but it’s not something Arkansas Republicans are eager to adopt.
“Technology is great but it’s still not the personal touch that our people want to experience,” he said.
