Delegate Process for Presidential Primary Elections

The delegate process for presidential primary elections is the method by which representatives are chosen to directly elect the President of the United States. While the primary elections allow voters to indirectly choose who they would like to see get the nomination, the delegates themselves attend the national convention and directly choose the party's choice for nomination.

Function

Delegates are chosen by the individual political parties to directly decide who will get the nomination for the particular party on the ballot. The choice of these delegates is upheld by each party's rules of order.

Considerations

There are no provisions for political parties within the Constitution, thereby the choosing of delegates in the process of presidential elections is completely up to the party itself.

History

Until 1820, the major political parties appointed their party members of Congress as the delegates who would decide which candidate got the nomination for President. This collapsed in 1824 and was changed to a national convention process in 1832.

Democratic Party

The Democratic Party is comprised of both pledged and superdelegates. The 3,253 pledged delegates are chosen on a local and state level. The 794 superdelegates are Congressional members, former Presidents, governors and other party leaders.

Republican Party

The Republican Party uses a system of pledged and unpledged delegates. The system requires that 1,719 pledged delegates vote according to state elections, while unpledged delegates are free to vote how they would like. Both are chosen or elected at the local and state level.

Resources

• Vote Smart website for more information