What Is a US Convention Delegate?
Political Party Representatives Will be Assigned on Super Tuesday
American voters select candidates, parties pick delegates. From Alaska to Alabama, Delaware to California presidential candidates will be chosen eventually by delegates.
In order for an American presidential candidate to win the nomination of their party, an individual must receive the minimum number of delegates from their party constitutes. While convention delegates will eventually select the candidate from their party, they have different titles, responsibilities and privileges. On Super Tuesday there are 2064 Democratic** and 1069 Republican delegates available in one day.
Convention Delegate
- Precinct Delegates – similar to a district delegate, but smaller, it is predicated upon a maximum number of registered voters (2,999) in most cases. The number of delegates is determined by the party based upon the number of votes for that party in that precinct during the last election.
- District Delegates – These are based upon the number of congressional districts a particular state has. In other words, the number of congressional representatives the state has in Washington DC. The Republican party has 3 delegates for every US Representative; while the Democrats use a complex formula.
- At Large Delegates – similar to district delegates; however, these numbers are based upon the number of US Senators each state has, in the Republican case; or the statewide vote in the Democratic case. Since the numbers of Senators are a fixed number, the Republicans have 10 delegates for each state where the Democrats are proportioned based upon the ultimate primary vote.
- Bonus Delegates – Party Leaders and Elected Official (PLEO) delegates are proportioned in a complex formula. It is based upon the number of votes cast in the previous election (in the case of the Republicans) or the previous 3 elections for the Democrats. Also, Republicans give Bonus delegates for majorities in State Legislatures and Governorships, while Democrats include mayors of large cities and elected state officials. They are pledged or unpledged.
- Super Delegates – are unpledged PLEO delegates who are not bound by primaries or caucuses results. They are usually party officials, current Presidents of VPs that may pledge support to any candidate of their choice. Currently they only exist in the Democratic Party, which has received criticism. Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation magazine calls it an: “…anti-democratic…system that includes 842 ‘super-delegates’ [796 this year with Michigan and Florida]…voters, free to support the candidate of their choice.”
- Unpledged Delegates – limited to the Democratic Party, these bonus or super delegates can vote as they desire as stated in Section 9, Subsection A & B in conjunction with Rule 11.E.2 of the 2008 Delegate Selection Rules for the Democratic National Convention. Not necessarily party officials they will have some position in the party. Highly controversial, they were challenged by Jesse Jackson in 1988. Vanden Heuvel goes on to say it is: “a clear attempt to protect the party establishment….”
The candidate’s wins* in Iowa, Nevada, South Carolina and New Hampshire have, so far, consisted of only a hand full of delegates. Candidates received mainly publicity rather than delegates. But ultimately the candidates must win delegates via their party’s process, to become the nominee. Super Tuesday will present that ability to the candidates and the world will watch.
Super Tuesday Delegates:
- North -Connecticut 61D, 30R; Massachusetts 121D, 43R; New Jersey 127D, 52R; New York 281D, 101R
- South - Alabama 60D, 48R; Arkansas 47D, 34R; Delaware 23D, 18R; Georgia 104D, 72R; Tennessee 85D, 55R; West Virginia 18R***
- Central Plains -Illinois 185D, 70R; Kansas 40D, 39R; Minnesota 88D, 41R; Missouri 88D, 58R; North Dakota 21D, 26R; Oklahoma 47D, 41R
- West - Alaska 18D, 29R; Arizona 67D, 53R; California 440D, 173R; Colorado 71D, 46R; Idaho 23D, N/A R; Montana N/A D, 25R; New Mexico 38D, N/A R; Utah 29D, 36R
D = Democrat
R = Republican
* Because of penalties imposed by the parties, the states of Wyoming, Michigan and Florida have been omitted.
** Does not include the 24 American Samoa and international delegates.
*** Does not include 12 at large delegates to be selected after Super Tuesday
