State Conventions Changed Due to Health Emergency
MADISON, WI (AP)—The Wisconsin Democratic Party has canceled all of its congressional district conventions and scaled back the planned statewide convention in June due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The party’s administration committee voted on Wednesday to cancel the meetings and reduce the state convention from two to one day, June 12. It also voted to authorize party chairman Ben Wikler to decide no later than May 1 whether to continue with the in-person meeting at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells or do it virtually.
The Wilderness is closed until at least April 2, according to its website.
Wikler will also be able to decide whether to limit the business of the convention to include only speeches, reports and election of Democratic National Committee members. If that happens, that would mean the party would have fewer speakers, no caucus meetings, no debates or votes on changes to its platform, constitution or adoption of resolutions.
The Wisconsin Republican Party scheduled its state convention for the weekend of May 15 in Green Bay. The party did not immediately respond to questions about any possible changes to that gathering.
The Democratic National Convention is slated for mid-July in Milwaukee. Party leaders have not announced any changes to that gathering.