The delegate situation

[Sugarcoated]

Can one of you good folks post a simple explanation of issues/controversy in 2016 re: delegates/super delegates, what rules were changed and how that's affecting this primary? I didn't understand what happened in 2016's primary being "rigged" and I still don't.

[RDANGELO]

1. Here you go.

In 2020, there will be 4,750 delegates: 3,979 pledged delegates and 771 automatic delegates—more commonly known as superdelegates.[1]

To win the Democratic nomination, a presidential candidate must receive support from a majority of the pledged delegates on the first ballot: 1,991 pledged delegates.[2][3] If the convention is contested and goes to a second ballot or more, automatic delegates will be able to vote and a candidate must receive majority support from all delegates—2,375.5 votes.[4][5] Roughly two-thirds of the delegates will have been allocated by the end of March 2020.

[Sugarcoated]

2. I think I'm more confused now, lol

Thanks for the basics, but I'm looking for what happened last time as compared to what got changed by Sanders insistence and what can happen now. How was it "rigged" last time? I just saw this article saying it's "rigged" again...https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/03/01/progressives-planning-bernthednc-mass-nonviolent-civil-disobedience-if-democratic?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook

[pnwmom]

4. In 2016 the pledged delegates and super delegates could all vote in the first round

of the convention. Hillary had so many super delegates pledged to her, even before the primaries began, that she quickly had a majority of delegates overall (both pledged and supers) -- while the primaries were still going on. Bernie said that the existence of these supers who'd endorsed her meant the primary was rigged.

But she waited till after she had a majority of pledged delegates before declaring victory. That was on June 3rd, the day of the CA primary. Bernie refused to accept her win even then. For a while, he even vowed to to get some super delegates to switch to him -- even though she had a MAJORITY of pledged delegates (and 4 million more raw votes than he.)

After the convention the DNC worked with him on the rules, and they went along with his demand to keep the supers out of the first round of voting. Now there will be a first ballot and if someone has a majority of pledged delegates, that person will be the nominee. However, if no one has a majority, there will be additional rounds, and the supers will get a chance to vote, too.

In 2016 Bernie said that Hillary's majority of pledged delegates wasn't enough, and that some supers should switch to him and help him win, despite her clear win in the primaries.

Now, in 2020, he's saying that if he gets a plurality, not even a majority, that the super delegates should put him over the top and declare him the nominee.

So it seems that the rules don't matter to Bernie, as long as they result in making him the nominee.

[Sloumeau]

5. Thanks, pnwmom. That was a great summation.

The thing to remember is, if Bernie does not like something, or it does not help him, then it is "rigged" against him. If Bernie like something, or it helps him, then it is the only fair way to do things.

Also, what matters is not consistency, but rather whatever will help Bernie at the given moment.

[Eric J in MN]

6. The change is that last time

...Super Delegates voted on the first ballot. Now they only vote on the second ballot. If anyone has a majority of Pledged Delegates entering the convention this time then there won’t be a second ballot.

[Sloumeau]

3. https://democrats.org/unity-reform-commission/

[lapucelle]

7. FYI: Both BS and the chair of his campaign Nina Turner are superdelegates,

as is every member of Congress including Ocasio Cortez and Tlaib, both of whom endorsed BS before the people they represent have voted in a primary.

If you hear the RW talking point that the superdelegates comprise "a rigged system of powerful party insiders", just remember that Nina Turner is a superdelegate and Hillary Clinton is not.