Young people were furious about how nominee and delegates were chosen in 68

In Ames IA we heard that caucus locations were not publicized, were often in small living rooms.

I heard tales of young people having to almost crawl in windows to get in and take part

What a debacle that was! The last gasp of doing things the old traditional way.

I was still in the USAF then, so I wasn't an active participant in party activities. In fact, at the time of the convention, I had just returned to the states from the base I was at in Turkey. Watching that convention and what was going on around it was very, very painful. My enlistment ended in 1969, and I resumed being active in the party.

I got to know the process. I was also on the committee that vetted Clinton delegates and I know that I was vetted. To get selected as a national delegate, one has to work within the party for a while. I have been volunteering on voter protection efforts for a long while and had spoken to a number of gathering of the county party chairs in my senate district.

I would urge people to get involved with their local party. It is a good way to help our country

It's a process - getting to be a delegate to state and national conventions. There aren't any shortcuts, really. You have to be elected in both cases, so establishing yourself as a hard-working member of the organization means that you've met a lot of people who recognize your dedication and who might vote for you to become a delegate.

I never tried to become a delegate to the national convention. I hadn't been around long enough to develop the connections that would have taken. In my local State Senate District, I had done enough to be electable as a state convention delegate, though.

Oddly enough, being an older white male does not come with any privilege in seeking a delegate spot. Not at all. Not in Minnesota, at least.

Both state and national conventions normally run more than one day, so there are costs involved with becoming a delegate, as well, which might include travel, lodging, and meal expenses.

Their are usually enough slots open. I have been to several state conventions. These events are three day affairs and can be expensive to attend

In Minnesota, state conventions are almost always held away from the Twin Cities. Duluth and Rochester are two of the typical places. Both are a two-hour drive from where I live. I decided to drive each of the two days to the convention, leaving early in the morning and getting home late in the evening. Hotel and meal costs weren't in my budget.

The state party does sometimes subsidize national convention costs for some delegates who couldn't otherwise attend the convention. That has allowed some people to become delegates who couldn't otherwise.

You need to stay in the hotel assigned to the delegation because that is where you pick up your credentials each morning. I had one friend stay at a cheaper hotel and uber in each morning. It was still not cheap.

The 2020 convention will be a mess. The Texas and California delegations are going to be at hotels near O'Hair airport and will have a 2.5 hour bus ride each way.