Democratic nomination could be in the hands of these Missouri delegates. Who are they?
President Joe Biden’s departure from the 2024 presidential race sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party on Sunday, with many wondering who will take his place as the party’s nominee for president.
That decision could come down to the 3,939 Democratic National Convention delegates, a group of elected officials and party loyalists who generally pledge their support to the winner of each state’s primary election.
Missouri has 70 delegates and five alternates heading to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in late August. Biden is expected to release his delegates, including the 67 Missourians pledged to support him, and they will be able to vote for other candidates.
Biden has thrown his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris, but delegates would not be required to vote for her.
Here’s a closer look at who the delegates are.
Who are Missouri’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention?
Here are all 70 people elected to Missouri’s DNC delegation, including the roles they hold in their communities:
U.S. representatives: Congressman Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri’s 5th District, Congresswoman Cori Bush of Missouri’s 1st District
State legislators: State Sen. Doug Beck, State Sen. Karla May, State Rep. Ashley Aune, State Rep. Keri Ingle, State Rep. Richard Brown, State Rep. Raychel Proudie, State Rep. Elizabeth Fogle, State Rep. LaKeySha Frazier-Bosley
County legislators: St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, Jackson County Legislator Jalen Anderson
Mayors: Quinton Lucas of Kansas City, Tishaura Jones of St. Louis
State party officials: Party Chair Russ Carnahan, Party Vice-Chair Yvonne Reeves-Chong
County Democratic committee chairs: Nanda Nunnelly of McDonald County, Robert Cesario of Phelps County, Margaret Miles of Clay County
Everyone else:
Political consultant Freddy Doss
Cape Girardeau pastor Geneva Allen-Patterson
Insurance executive and former Kansas City Council candidate Kenneth Bacchus
MoDOT employee and veterans’ rights activist Sabrina Bonnette
Former Missouri State Rep. John Bowman
Former Camden Point mayor and current Santa Claus impersonator Kevin Boydston
St. Charles County Democratic Party member Laura Castaneda
Missouri House of Representatives legislative aide Peter Coyne
Labor union government affairs director Zack Dunn
St. Louis landlord & real estate investor Toni Easter
Medical doctor Margaret Edwards
Former St. Louis campaign treasurer Sean Fauss
St. Louis activist and energy professional Harvey Ferdman
Recent political science graduate Brock Freeman
Grandview nonprofit manager Geoff Gerling
Former Byrne’s Mill mayor Susan Gibson
Brady Campaign gun safety organizer Rachel Gonzalez
St. Louis management professional Ryan Granger
Springfield-based psychologist Doug Greiner
Columbia school board member Paul Harper
St. Louis resident Linda Henry
Retired state employee Larry Hightower
Kansas City LGBTQ activist Randy Hite
Retired St. Louis financial advisor Debbie Kitchen
Former Metropolitan Community College administrator Marsha Lerenberg
Platte County Commission candidate Charles McDonald
Aurora resident Chuck McDonough
St. Louis attorney Nelson Mitten
Nurse Austen Musil
Military housing specialist Sandra Nelson
Former president of the United Way of Northeast Missouri Chade Shorten
Former Missouri State Rep. Clem Smith
Former teacher and candidate for Missouri State Representative Dr. Kem Smith
Retired cattle farmer Marsha Snodgrass
Retired Kansas City social worker Sarah Starnes
St. Louis alderwoman Daniela Velázquez
Cass County Democratic Committee communications director Loree Voigt
Clay County teacher and historian Kyle Yarber
Chesterfield resident Eram Mahmud, an uncommitted delegate
Sierra Club organizer Michael Berg, an uncommitted delegate
Young at-large delegate Béla Holzer
St. Louis at-large delegate Tyler Joy
Former Fort Zumwalt school board candidate April Rivera
St. Charles County Democratic Party volunteer coordinator Matthew Easterling
Springfield union leader Justin McCarty
Financial associate Cole Pierce
St. Louis arts educator Steward Stiles
There are four delegates who we weren’t able to find information about online: Anderson Carver, Maggie Grimm, Preston Pierce and Jerry Wood.
Most of the delegates are selected through a detailed process laid out by the Missouri Democratic Party that requires an application, involves district and state elections, and seeks to have an even number of women and men. A few people are automatically made delegates, including the state’s Democratic representatives in Congress.
Who will Missouri’s Democratic delegates vote for?
Missouri’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention can technically vote for whoever they want to be the presidential nominee — even if they were originally “pledged” to support Joe Biden.
Technically, that’s always been the case: Many delegates are selected specifically because of their promise to back the winner of their state’s primary vote, but there’s no mechanism forcing them to uphold that promise at the convention.
The Associated Press sums it up like this: “DNC rules do technically leave room for ‘good conscience’ to drive delegate decisions, yet they rarely abandon their pledged candidate.” But when their pledged candidate exits the race, the path forward depends on their own political leanings and discussions with other party members.
Only three delegates were elected for this year’s convention “uncommitted” to supporting any particular candidate: Eram Mahmud, state Rep. Raychel Proudie and Michael Berg. The other 67 delegates and four alternates were “pledged” to Biden — until now.
Note: A previous version of this story misidentified delegate Sarah Starnes. She is a retired social worker who lives in Kansas City.
Do you have more questions about Missouri’s delegates and their impact in the 2024 election? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published July 21, 2024 at 1:31 PM with the headline "Democratic nomination could be in the hands of these Missouri delegates. Who are they?."
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