Could someone briefly explain

the process by which the Democratic National Committee Chairman is selected?

Dean is said to be "running" for the position. I'd just like to get a better understanding of how the process works.

They are 400 odd delegates selected by the state parties, plus a few Young Democrats and House and Senate leaders. The precise terms are detailed in Article Three of DNC Charter and Bylaws, copied below. The original can be found at: http://www.democrats.org/about/

"ARTICLE THREE
Democratic National Committee
Section 1. The Democratic National Committee shall have general responsibility for the affairs of the
Democratic Party between National Conventions, subject to the provisions of this Charter and to the
resolutions or other actions of the National Convention. This responsibility shall include:
(a) issuing the Call to the National Convention;
(b) conducting the Party's Presidential campaign;
(c) filling vacancies in the nominations for the office of President and Vice President;
(d) formulating and disseminating statements of Party policy;
(e) providing for the election or appointment of a Chairperson, five Vice Chairpersons, three of
whom shall be of the opposite sex of the Chairperson, one of whom shall be the President of the
Association of State Democratic Chairs and one of whom shall be the Vice Chairperson for Voter
Registration and Participation, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a National Finance Chair and other appropriate
officers of the National Committee and for the filling of vacancies; and
(f) all other actions necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the provisions of this Charter
and the objectives of the Democratic Party.
Section 2. The Democratic National Committee shall be composed of:
(a) the Chairperson and the highest ranking officer of the opposite sex of each recognized
state Democratic Party;
(b) two hundred additional members apportioned to the states on the basis set forth in Article
Two, Section 5(a) of the Charter, consistent with the full participation goals of Sections 3 and 4 of Article
Eight of the Charter; provided that each state shall have at least two such additional members;
(c) the Chairperson of the Democratic Governors' Association and two additional governors, of
whom, to the extent possible, at least one shall be of the opposite sex of the Chairperson, as selected by
the Association;
(d) the Democratic Leader in the United States Senate and the Democratic Leader in the
United States House of Representatives and one additional member of each body, who, to the extent
possible, shall be of the opposite sex of, and appointed by, the respective leaders;
(e) the Chairperson, the five Vice Chairpersons, the National Finance Chair, the Treasurer, and
the Secretary of the DNC;
(f) the Chairperson of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors and two additional
mayors, at least one of whom shall be of the opposite sex of the Chairperson, as selected by the
Conference;
(g) the President of the Young Democrats of America and two additional members, at least
one of whom shall be of the opposite sex as the President, as selected by the organization biennially in
convention assembled;
(h) the Chairperson of the Democratic County Officials and two additional county officials, at
least one of whom shall be of the opposite sex as the Chairperson, as selected by the organization;
(i) the Chairperson of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and two additional
state legislators, at least one of whom shall be of the opposite sex as the Chairperson, as selected by the
Committee;
(j) the Chairperson of the National Democratic Municipal Officials Conference and two
additional municipal officials, at least one of whom shall be of the opposite sex as the Chairperson, as
selected by the Conference;
(k) the President of the National Federation of Democratic Women and two additional
members selected by the Federation;
(l) the President of the College Democrats of America and the Vice President, who shall be of
the opposite sex, as elected by the organization annually;
(m) the Chairperson of the National Association of Democratic State Treasurers and the Vice
Chair who shall be of the opposite sex, as selected by the Association;
(n) the Chairperson of the National Association of Democratic Lieutenant Governors and the
Vice Chair who shall be of the opposite sex, as selected by the Association;
(o) the Chairperson of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State and the Vice Chair
who shall be of the opposite sex, as selected by the Association;
(p) the Chairperson of the Democratic Attorneys General Association and one additional
attorney general who shall be of the opposite sex of the Chairperson, as selected by the Association;
(q) the Chairperson of the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee, who is not
otherwise a member of the Democratic National Committee and one additional member, who shall be of the
opposite sex, as selected by the Coordinating Committee;
(r) the Chairperson of the National Democratic Seniors Coordinating Council, who is not
otherwise a member of the Democratic National Committee and one additional member, who shall be of the
opposite sex, as selected by the Coordinating Council;
(s) additional members as provided in Article Nine of this Charter. No more than seventy-five
additional members of the Democratic National Committee may be added by the foregoing members.
Section 3. Members of the Democratic National Committee apportioned to the states and those
provided for in Article Eleven who are not otherwise members by virtue of Party office, shall be selected by
each state Democratic Party in accordance with standards as to participation established in the Bylaws of
the Democratic Party for terms commencing on the day the National Convention adjourns and terminating
on the day the next Convention adjourns. Such members shall be selected during the calendar year in
which a National Convention is held, through processes which assure full, timely and equal opportunity to
participate. Vacancies shall be filled by the state party as provided in the Bylaws. The members of the
National Committee from each state shall be divided as equally as practicable between committeemen and
committeewomen. Members of the Democratic National Committee who serve by virtue of holding public or
Party office shall serve on the Committee only during their terms in such office. Members of the
Democratic National Committee added by the other members shall serve a term that runs coterminously
with the Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee, through the election of the new Chairperson,
and until their successors are chosen; members in this category shall have the right to vote for the new
Chairperson. Members of the Democratic National Committee who serve by virtue of holding state Party
office shall be selected by such parties in accordance with standards as to participation established in
Bylaws.
Section 4. The Bylaws may provide for removal of members of the Democratic National Committee for
cause by a two-thirds vote of the National Committee and may also require continued residence in the
jurisdiction represented by the member and affirmative support for the Democratic Presidential and Vice
Presidential nominees as a condition of continued membership thereon. The Bylaws may further provide for
a minimum level of attendance at National Committee meetings for Democratic National Committee
members. The Bylaws may establish that any member of the Democratic National Committee who misses
three consecutive meetings of the Democratic National Committee has failed to meet the minimum level of
attendance and is deemed to have resigned from the Democratic National Committee.
Section 5. The Democratic National Committee shall meet at least once each year. Meetings shall
be called by the Chairperson, by the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee, or by
written request of no fewer than one-fourth of the members of the Democratic National Committee."

the rest are the specifics regulations, for those who want to see them.