Why Am I Voting For A Nominee *AND* Delegates Separately? (In MD)

[arwalden]

I'm a Maryland voter, and I've been reviewing my sample ballot. Should not the delegate votes automatically be ASSUMED by my vote for a certain candidate?

Is there any strategic purpose for someone to vote for Kerry, and then choose Edwards delegates? Or to NOT vote for ANY candidate and choose delegates anyway? Or to vote for the candidate you prefer, but to choose NO delegates?

-- Allen

P.S. Does anyone else find it odd that the delegates are divided by GENDER? "Pick no more than 4 female delegates from this list." "Pick no more than 3 male delegates from this list." --- Very odd.

[lastknowngood]

1. some of the delegates have already switched allegiance

to other candidates. Check them carefully many have switched.

[arwalden]

4. If They Have Switched Allegiance Between The Time The Ballot

was designed and the voting day... it begs the question: What's to prevent them from changing allegiance after they have been selected?

Is a "delegate mutiny" possible?

-- Allen

[Nazgul35]

2. because...

you have many people running to be Kerry nominees, Edwards, etc....you must choose from them as there are more delegates than spots to go to Boston..

Second, the Party is trying to enforce proper propotionality between the genders...many parties do this, for example, the SPD and Greens in Germany, the Labour Party in the UK, all have requirements that certain groups get the proportional representation at the convention or on the ticket....they also have regional consideration that are written into the law....

As your ballot says....4/3 female/male balance accurately reflects the proportion of gender in this country...

[Orangepeel]

3. the Democratic party has gender equity rules

you vote separately by gender to ensure equal representation. That's the case in Florida, too, although our primary is March 9 and our delegates aren't selected until April 3.

on edit: your congressional district asks for 4 women and 3 men, but another one will most likely ask for 4 men and 3 women.

[GodHelpUsAll2]

5. It's the same way in Texas

You vote for preference then after the polls close you go back and choose delegates. It's a screwy system I agree. And the sad part, at least in my precinct, people go and vote, but in the past (I know this because I pulled past caucus attendance lists from the voter rolls) NO ONE even bothered to show up to caucus. Since delegates are the name of the game in a primary it is beyond me why people would not attend. It's also beyond me why whoever set up the primary in the first polace feels it's necessary to basically vote twice. And yes, there is the possibility to have a delegate mutany at this stage.

[loudnclear]

6. Voting for Dean and DK delegates.

But I beleive I will support whoever the Dem nominee is.