What is a "Super Delegate" and a plain ol' "Delegate"?

[patricia92243]

[R3dD0g]

1. Super delegates

are party officials and elected officials, like party chairmen and elected federals. They are not commonly pledged to a candidate based on the primary results.

Regular delegates are elected / appointed to the convention with the requirement that they support a particular candidate on the first vote of the convention.

[brainshrub]

2. So you mean, after the first vote...they can support anyone they want?

Wow! I didn't know that!

[SheilaT]

3. But they usually declare themselves

for a candidate well ahead of time. Often they are for a "favorite son". If the super delegates start declaring themselves in great numbers for any one candidate that could (if the primary/caucus results are otherwise well divided) mean the nomination for that candidate.

[RUexperienced]

4. I think Super Delegates vote in the Electoral College.

If Dean wins Vermont, there would be probably two electoral votes, coming from the Democratic Super Delegates.

If I remembe my poli-sci classes there is Super Delegate to place each electoral vote. Democrats have theirs and Republicans have theirs for each state.

[SheilaT]

6. Super delegates have absolutely nothing to do

with the electoral college. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Can't even begin to imagine what was actually said in your poli-sci class, or what you thought you heard, but it couldn't have been that.

Each state selects delegates to the National Convention where the nominee will be chosen. I think the number is related to the number of Senators (always 2) plus number of representatives each state has, irrespective of the actual party makeup of those office holders. Plus there are a bunch of Super Delegates, which are people like the Governor (if a democrat) and various other party officials from that state.

The regular delegates are usually party faithful, but in a caucus state it's possible for a delegate who is not one of the party faithful to make it through the selection process and make it to the convention. I'm going to try to make it here in Kansas, even though my chances as a middle-aged white lady aren't all that good. Democrats want lots of minority representation of all kinds (which I agree is good) but it may well leave me out. Alas!

[NewJerseyDem]

8. Superdelegates are:

Democratic senators
Democratic congressmen
Democratic governors
DNC members
ex-democratic presidents (Carter and Clinton)
ex-democratic vice presidents (Gore and Mondale)
Former democratic democrat Speakers, senate majority leaders and senate and house minority leaders
Former DNC chairmen

Here is a list:
http://www.grumpyoldbear.com/Superdelegates.htm

The delegates are determined based on the the percentage vote of the state for the presidency and the population of the state.

http://www.democrats.org/pdfs/charter.pdf

[LiberalFighter]

9. Regular Delegates

Political parties have their own rules as to the number and how delegates are determined for each state.

2000 Republican Delegates - 1874
2000 Democratic Delegates - 3849

The Democratic Party has certain rules requiring that delegates represent women and minorities in general from their congressional districts.

Each congressional district is allotted a specific number of delegates based on certain criteria as NewJerseyDem as posted. From that delegate spots within a congressional district are split based on the results of the primary/caucus. Each Democratic presidential candidate that is on the ballot for that state will receive a prorated number of delegates based on the number of votes received within the congressional district.

National Convention Delegates are elected by elected and/or appointed state convention delegates. Only state convention delegates from the same congressional district as the candidate for National Convention Delegate may vote.

Electoral Voters are not the same as Convention Delegates.

RESULTS, EXIT POLLS and DELEGATE ESTIMATE: Election 2000 primaries/caucuses

[Dems Will Win]

5. Super Delegates were born on Krypton under a Red Sun and have

special endowed powers such as super-fast deal-making and the power to cloud men's (and less so women's) minds.

They are, however, susceptible to Kryptonite, which is the same color as their food staple, money. They can also be controlled with grassroots, which is also green.

[dflprincess]

7. Super delegates

were created to off set some of the diversity created by the McGovern reforms.

Super delegates are elected officials or "Democrats of distinction" - meaning Democrats with a long party history. In the DFL's Official Call this year, Walter Mondale is specifically listed as being a delegate.

The main job of super delegates is to tout the party line and keep any grass roots movements in check (yes, I'm cynical).