DNC eyes convention cities, debates, rule changes [View all]

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WASHINGTON —
Eight cities are in consideration to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention as the party prepares for a presidential contest that is expected to include an unusually large number of candidates.
The cities are: Atlanta; Denver; Houston; New York; San Francisco; Milwaukee; Miami Beach; and Birmingham.

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee, is eyeing several cities for its own 2020 convention, including Las Vegas and Charlotte, North Carolina, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Charlotte hosted Democrats' 2012 convention. Las Vegas was once considered taboo for party confabs.

DNC Chairman Tom Perez said the party has also started preparing for primary debates, which could be unusually tricky next year given the large number of candidates expected to run.
"We'll manage that," Perez told reporters at a DNC event in Washington Wednesday, noting that the first debate could be just over a year away. "We're going to have a very robust field. There's an incredible number of really qualified people."

The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee on Wednesday held another meeting on changes to the party's primary and caucus process, along with its so-called superdelegates, both of which were contentious issues in the contest between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
The changes will decrease the influence of superdelegates — officials who can vote however they want, regardless of how voters in their states’ feel — and push more states to use primaries instead of caucuses, which are are more difficult for voters to participate in.

The new rules will be finalized at a full DNC meeting in August.