The delegate selection process to this year's national conventions of Republican and Democratic parties begins this month in Callaway County and throughout the state.
Under new presidential national convention rules adopted by both Republican and Democratic parties, any state that sets a presidential primary election before the March 6 super Tuesday primaries will lose half of their delegates to the national party convention where each party's presidential candidate is nominated.
Because legislation shifting Missouri's primary was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon, both Democratic and Republican parties in Missouri decided to hold caucuses to select delegates rather than using results of Missouri's presidential primary election on Feb. 7.
Using caucuses made it possible for both parties in Missouri to retain full state representation during this year's national conventions to select presidential nominees.
To begin the national convention delegate selection process, Republicans will hold county caucuses on Saturday and Democrats will have their county caucuses throughout the state on March 29.
In Callaway County, Republicans will meet this week at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the Community Room at Callaway Electric Cooperative, 1313 Cooperative Drive, Fulton.
Democrats in Callaway County will meet at 7:30 p.m. on March 29 at Sir Winston's Banquet Center, 1205 South Business 54, Fulton.