How are delegates to the political conventions chosen?
DNC delegate allocation rules for 2004. Basically, it used to be that delegates were always local pols pledged to particular candidates; the various convention ballots involved the delegates actually voting for their candidate, or to whomever else their candidate endorsed once off the ballot. The rules have been changing since WWII especially, as the states have increasingly turned to direct primaries to choose nominees, and the age of broadcast media has made the mouthpiece role of the party largely moot. In the 1970s there was a concerted effort to “democratize” the Democratic party by increasing the number of unpledged delegates, but this led to a tilt toward special-interest politics that the party has fought against ever since. In the 1980s there was a large increase in the number of “superdelegates” who were basically party or elected officials, regardless of candidate support. This provides an anchor for centrist poli
Delegates must be selected through a primary or a caucus. In most places I have lived, the local congressional district party organization holds the caucus or primary. The spots are given as rewards to people who’ve worked hard. True, they don’t have real political power, but they do get to go on one sweet free ride. Oh, and yes, alternate delegates do go to the convention.
Minnesota has a caucus system. Precinct caucuses in March elect delegates to the Senate District convention (that’s State Senate or legislative district). Delegates at the Senate District convention in April elect delegates to the State convention. Delegates at the State convention in June elect delegates to the National convention. In theory, someone can show up cold at their precinct caucus and find themselves going to the National convention a few months later. In practice, there’s lots of competition for both State and National delegate slots, and a person is unlikely to get selected by their fellow delegates unless they’re well-known for their work in the party or community–or can give a good speech on their own behalf. The same process selects State Legislative and statewide candidates, and the same local delegates attend conventions for other political units, cities, counties, congressional districts to select candidates for those elections. One criticism some people have of th
Here’s a document from the Minnesota DFL Party (that’s Democrats to the rest of you) explaining how delegates were allocated. Looks like Mondale gets a free ride, local officials have to compete with each other in a special selection for a few spots, some delegates are elected at-large from the floor of the State convention.
