WHEREAS, the nation’s Secretaries of State have spent many years working with the major political parties to increase awareness of the importance of election administration issues and voting laws in setting national convention dates;
WHEREAS, the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) sent bipartisan letters to the DNC and the RNC for both 2008 and 2012, noting that the late timing of the nominating conventions in those cycles hindered the ability of states and localities to meet administrative deadlines set by state statute and federal law, leaving ballot certification and voting processes susceptible to delays, In August 2013, NASS sent another letter to both parties again asking them consider earlier nominating convention dates for 2016.
WHEREAS, the August 2013 letter urged the parties to consider conventions held during the period of mid-June to mid-August to enable state and local election officials to better ensure the timely certification, preparation, and mailing of absentee ballots to the nation's more than six million military and overseas citizens in accordance with federal law (the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act requires ballots to be mailed at least 45 days prior to the general election);
WHEREAS, both the DNC and RNC organized their convention dates in 2016 within our requested timeframe with the RNC convention taking place from July 16 – 21, 2016 and the DNC convention was held from July 25-28, 2016.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT NASS hereby encourages the RNC, the DNC and other major national parties to again set earlier national convention dates for the 2020 presidential election cycle.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NASS members who serve as chief state election officials shall seek to promote this resolution with their state party leaders.
Adopted the 16th day of July, 2018 in Philadelphia, PA
Originally Adopted July 2013; Amended and Reauthorized July 2018
EXPIRES: Summer 2023
