The US Democratic Party is meeting to decide the fate of two states left out of the dramatic race to find its candidate for president.
Both Florida and Michigan were stripped of representation for holding their candidate contests in January, in violation of party rules.
Hillary Clinton hopes the party will reverse its decision in the two states, where she has enjoyed strong support.
She is lagging behind Barack Obama in the closing days of the race.
The 30 members of the Democratic party's rules and bylaws committee are meeting in the ballroom of a Washington hotel.
Outside, about 200 protesters holding placards gathered chanting "Count our vote".
The Democratic party chairman, Howard Dean, opened the meeting, saying the compromises under discussion would probably not satisfy everyone.
"I want this to be a healing process that unifies us, that brings us together, that allows us to reason together, that results in collegial bargaining, not confrontation; so that when we leave this room, we're all wearing the same blue jerseys, so that we can go after the Republicans in their red jerseys in November," he said.
Whatever the outcome of the committee's meeting, Barack Obama is still almost certain to cross the finishing-line in first place, says the BBC's James Coomarasamy.
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