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-Editorial
National Political Conventions in the United States are traditionally key events where parties officially nominate their presidential and vice-presidential candidates, present their platforms, and rally their voter base. Historically predictable, these conventions usually follow the outcomes of primary elections where delegates are chosen and nominees are set. However, this election cycle is marked by unusual circumstances that could make one of the conventions particularly distinct.
This year, one party may face a divided convention with the potential for an open or contested nomination, while the other convention is overshadowed by recent violent events. What do these developments mean for the electoral process? How might they influence voter engagement and willingness?
To explore these questions, a panel of political veterans and electoral access experts delved into the evolving role of political conventions.
The panel included Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, Professor Emerita of Public Policy Communication at USC and co-host of the “Inside Golden State Politics” podcast, Bill Schneider, Professor Emeritus at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government and former Senior Political Analyst for CNN, and Jonathan Diaz, Director of Voting Advocacy and Partnerships at the Campaign Legal Center, gathered to discuss the evolving role of political conventions in American democracy.
The panel also discussed the potential for major changes if a candidate like Joe Biden were to withdraw, possibly leading to an open or contested convention. They examined the role of the Electoral College, noting that while reforms are debated, substantial changes remain unlikely due to constitutional and political constraints.
Bebitch Jeffe noted that such a scenario could lead to either an open convention, where no candidate holds a majority of delegates, or a contested convention, where Biden might face challenges to his nomination. Jeffe explained that the days of a “smoke-filled room” determining the nominee are largely gone, with the convention’s influence significantly diminished over time. She emphasized that today’s conventions have become more of a prolonged campaign event rather than a decisive mechanism for selecting a party’s candidate.
“What came out of them was inference, if not shaped by technology. The changes in technology, the telegraph, kind of opened up the conversation a little. The telephone. Then TV. And I could argue that this is the first convention in the social media era, and that has— I mean everybody’s a delegate. If you want to be, you just put people now through the computer that’s true delegates basically,” Bebitch Jeffe added.
Bill Schneider reflected on the transformation of political conventions since 1972, explaining that the shift occurred after the 1968 Democratic Convention, where Hubert Humphrey was chosen despite not running in a single primary. This led to a reform in which primary voters, rather than party bosses, were given the power to select nominees. Schneider noted that now, the press plays a crucial role in vetting candidates, shifting the screening process away from party elites. He described contemporary conventions as public relations events or “pep rallies” designed to energize the party for the campaign. Schneider emphasized that Donald Trump has profoundly reshaped the Republican Party, noting that it has evolved from the party of Ronald Reagan to one that reflects Trump’s base among the white working class.
Some minor parties still select their nominees through conventions, including the Green Party, Socialist Party USA, Libertarian Party, Constitution Party, and Reform Party USA. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic compelled both major and minor parties to cancel their traditional in-person conventions. Instead, they held virtual events with limited participation to minimize the risk of spreading the virus through large gatherings.
