How to Differentiate Delegates and Super Delegates

In the United States, it can take tens of millions of dollars and several months to select the Democratic candidate who will run for president of the United States on the November ballot. The Democratic National Committee defines the extremely complicated rules for choosing delegates and so-called superdelegates, the individuals who will attend the Democratic National Convention to select the candidate. One part of this process invites voters to name their preferred candidate in primary elections and caucuses. Once voters have had their say at the polls, however, the process becomes a bit less clear and more complicated. Delegates and superdelegates do not have any physically distinguishing features, so how do you know who is which?

Instructions

1. A delegate, more accurately described as a “pledged delegate,” is chosen to reflect the outcome in a primary, or presidential preference, election or a caucus. The delegate will attend the Democratic National Convention to help select the Democratic candidate for the November presidential election.

2. Voters expect a pledged delegate to vote for the candidate she represented in the primary election or caucus; the pledged delegate is not required to do so, however.

3. A superdelegate, or unpledged delegate, is associated with the Democratic Party machinery in some way. All Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate are superdelegates, as are all Democratic state governors. In addition, high-ranking Democrats who no longer hold office may be superdelegates, including past presidents, former speakers of the House and former majority and minority leaders. Members of the Democratic National Committee and elected state and local officials may also be superdelegates.

4. A superdelegate is not pledged to any candidate at any time in the nominating process. He can change his preference for one candidate or the other at any time.

5. The candidates can use any legal means at their disposal to persuade superdelegates to vote for them; for example, they can, and do, give thousands of dollars to superdelegates to support political campaigns.