Super Delegates

Post by **faceless** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:27 am

I've been wondering what these so-called Super Delegates in the painfully exhausting Democratic party nominations are about. So I checked on wiki and got this:

"Superdelegate" is an informal term commonly used for some of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the United States Democratic Party.

Unlike most convention delegates, the superdelegates are not selected based on the party primaries and caucuses in each U.S. state, in which voters choose among candidates for the party's presidential nomination. Instead, most of the superdelegates are seated automatically, based solely on their status as current or former party leaders and elected officials ("PLEOs"). Others are chosen during the primary season. All the superdelegates are free to support any candidate for the nomination.

The Democratic Party rules do not use the term "superdelegate". This article follows the most common media practice in using the term "superdelegate" to refer to unpledged delegates, who fall into two categories:

* delegates seated based on other positions they hold, who are formally described (in Rule 9.A) as "unpledged party leader and elected official delegates"[1] (unpledged PLEO delegates); and
* additional unpledged delegates selected by each state party (in a fixed predetermined number), who are formally described (in Rule 9.B) as "unpledged add-on delegates" and who need not hold any party or elected position before their selection as delegates.[1]

Unpledged PLEO delegates should not be confused with pledged PLEOs. Under Rule 9.C, the pledged PLEO slots are allocated to candidates based on the results of the primaries and caucuses.[1] Another big difference between pledged PLEOs and unpledged PLEOs is that number of the former ones is fixed and predetermined, whereas the number of the latter ones has not any bounds. Pledged PLEO delegates are not generally considered superdelegates.

The Republican Party also seats some party officials as delegates without regard to primary or caucus results (see Republican delegate selection), but the term "superdelegate" is most commonly applied only in the Democratic Party.

At the 2008 Democratic National Convention the superdelegates will make up approximately one-fifth of the total number of delegates. The closeness of the race between the leading contenders, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, has increased the chance that the superdelegates will play a decisive role in selecting the nominee, a prospect that has caused unease among some Democratic Party leaders.[2]

So I am basically none the wiser! The whole thing seems incredibly and nonsensically complicated and I can see exactly why so many people are jaded about voting. We're only getting the 'best bits' of the campaign over here and I'm sick of hearing about it already. They should just make an episode of The Apprentice with them and see how they do.

Post by **Skylace** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:30 am

Being in Pennsylvania I must admit I am even more tired than usual by all the ads. It's been non-stop.
I hate the primaries. I think they are just plain stupid. Here it is, people in the same party tearing each other apart only to support the other they were just slinging mud at when one is chosen.
I still voted though but in all honesty, I am jaded about voting in all this.

pirtybirdy · Post by **pirtybirdy** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:16 pm

A lot of democrats feel their votes or voices aren't counted when the super delegates can come in and make the deciding factor. The people want to be the ones that have chosen their candidate to run for the presidency. I can understand why they are miffed. It is a confusing system alltogether quite frankly. There must be a better way and a more "uncomplicated" way to choose a candidate.

Post by **Skylace** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:22 am

pirtybirdy wrote:A lot of democrats feel their votes or voices aren't counted when the super delegates can come in and make the deciding factor. The people want to be the ones that have chosen their candidate to run for the presidency. I can understand why they are miffed. It is a confusing system alltogether quite frankly. There must be a better way and a more "uncomplicated" way to choose a candidate.

They used to do this by voting within the party and not having the whole primary malarkey. Instead the party would vote internally and then present who their candidate for president would be. A lot more simple and made a lot more sense. Shame they got rid of that though.

pirtybirdy · Post by **pirtybirdy** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:40 am

Many are complaining, so maybe in the future it will change.

Post by **Skylace** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:07 pm

I am hoping so Pirty. I mean, even making it a bit more simple. Not drawing it out. Doing it instead as a one day election across the US and doing away with this whole "Super Delegate" shit.

Post by **eefanincan** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:53 pm

I just don't understand a system where the most votes doesn't get someone a win. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

Twirley · Post by **Twirley** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:11 pm

And now that Hillary won Pennsylvania, they're coming here to North Carolina. So we'll get all the ads and phone calls and malarky that ensues.

May 6, my hubby gets to vote. Wish I'd applied for my citizenship earlier then I could have had my voice heard, too. Oh well, hopefully by the election.

pirtybirdy · Post by **pirtybirdy** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:26 pm

I had been in Florida when my state had it's primary, so my voice didn't get heard. I want a re-do....lol!

Post by **faceless** » Sat May 10, 2008 1:38 pm

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57 states and he still has one more to go! The future bodes well...

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But then, at least he's not got a fucking doomsday maniac as an advisor like McCain...