Update: GQ: What Are Delegates And Why Are They Important?

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Update: GQ: What Are Delegates And Why Are They Important?

By NBC Augusta Staff

Some of you may be wondering, what is a delegate, and why are they so important for the race to become President?

Delegates go to the National Conventions this summer to nominate a candidate for each party. The candidate they vote for is determined by how many votes that candidate got in that state's primary. For example, Mike Huckabee won the Iowa caucus for the Republicans, so he'll get Iowa's vote at the convention

In the Democratic nominating race, the delegate count is based on the total of pledged delegates and super delegates won by each candidate. Democrats are awarded pledged delegates according to the percentage of the vote they earn in each state. Super delegates include Democratic National Committee members, U.S. senators, governors and other party leaders who do not have to declare loyalty to a particular candidate, but some do.

In the Republican nominating race, most states choose a "winner-take-all" method of awarding delegates, in which the candidate getting the most votes from a state's caucus or primary wins all of that state's delegates. Republicans also allocate a certain number of unpledged delegates -- state party chairs, party committee members and others -- to each state. These unpledged delegates are free to vote for any candidate at the party convention, but they are usually aligned with a specific candidate.

Basically the candidate with the most delegates will become that party's nominee.

For Democrats the candidate needs 2,025 delegates to win the nomination.

On the Republican side, 1,191 delegates are needed to win the nomination.

Tuesday, May 20 at 1:20 PM zcat wrote ...

IT APPEARS THAT THE DELEGATES DO NOT CARE WHAT THE VOTERS WANT, (LOOKING AT THE POLLS), THEY DO NOT REPRESENT THE PEOPLE, BUT SEEM TO HAVE A DIFFERENT POLITICAL AGENDA IN MIND, AND THIS FRIGHTENS ME, WE ARE GOING BACKWARDS....

Friday, May 16 at 6:26 PM Frankie wrote ...

How did voting for a president become so dang complicated? It doesnt seem like the peoples vote doesnt matter at times. It reminds me of boxing rankings and the dozen belts that exsist now. Super Champions, Super delegats...bla bla. Do politicans get to vote for president?

Saturday, May 3 at 10:53 AM Jane wrote ...

Why didn't we hear about delgates during the last presidential campaigns? Why so much public interest in them now? Is it so that when Clinton wins, the Blacks will know she won fair and square? Clinton will be president.

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 6:38 PM dsmi2726 wrote ...

Then why did Obama get the delegates when Hillary won? Does our votes mean anything?

Sunday, Feb 10 at 8:27 AM Brenda wrote ...

This might help a little: National convention delegates are those individuals authorized by the national and state parties to attend the parties' national conventions and cast votes for the candidates running for the respective party's nomination for President. Each national party apportions a specific number of delegate votes to the various states and territories, based on state population and complex calculations of party strength and support in recent elections. ? What are the calcuations?

Friday, Feb 8 at 11:18 PM Faithful viewer wrote ...

Thanks for further explaining what a delegate is. Ask NBC Augusta and you shall receive!

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