What Are Super Delegates?

Super Delegates - Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are battling for more than just the 4, 049 delegate votes available via the primaries and caucuses. They’re also scrambling to see who can win the bulk of the super delegates. But what, or more importantly, who are super delegates and why have they become so important this election season?

1 / 11

Super Delegates - Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are battling for more than just the 4, 049 delegate votes available via the primaries and caucuses. They’re also scrambling to see who can win the bulk of the super delegates. But what, or more importantly, who are super delegates and why have they become so important this election season?

The History - Super delegates were created following the 1972 Presidential election loss of Sen. George McGovern. Party leaders believed McGovern should have never won the nomination. So, the rules were reformed to open the process to minorities, women and party activists. Super delegates were created to provide balance in close contests to help guide the party away from selecting a bad candidate who had no chance of wining in the general election.

2 / 11

The History - Super delegates were created following the 1972 Presidential election loss of Sen. George McGovern. Party leaders believed McGovern should have never won the nomination. So, the rules were reformed to open the process to minorities, women and party activists. Super delegates were created to provide balance in close contests to help guide the party away from selecting a bad candidate who had no chance of wining in the general election.

Sen. John McCain<bR>Grade: D - Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), whose campaign hopes were resurrected with a win in New Hampshire, is the oldest candidate at age 71. Born in the Panama Canal Zone to a U.S. Navy family, the Vietnam-era POW is the only major candidate to have served in a war.

3 / 11

Republican Process - The Republican Party still has a mostly winner take all primary system and don’t rely on the input or advice of super delegates.

How many are needed to win? - A candidate needs a total of 2,025 delegate votes to win the party's nomination. The Democratic Party has designated 794 super delegates.

4 / 11

How many are needed to win? - A candidate needs a total of 2,025 delegate votes to win the party's nomination. The Democratic Party has designated 794 super delegates.

Who's leading in super delegates? - As of the end of February Sen. Barack Obama had 1,184 pledged delegates won through primaries and caucuses and the commitment of 185 super delegates. Sen. Hillary Clinton has 1,031 pledged delegates and 236 super delegates.

5 / 11

Who's leading in super delegates? - As of the end of February Sen. Barack Obama had 1,184 pledged delegates won through primaries and caucuses and the commitment of 185 super delegates. Sen. Hillary Clinton has 1,031 pledged delegates and 236 super delegates.

ADVERTISEMENT
The Arbiter - This spring, when a trailing but gaining Hillary Clinton challenged the nomination rules by looking for a new way to determine the Democratic Party's nominee, Nancy Pelosi firmly pronounced that the party's nomination principles should remain "the same." Noting that the super delegates should not overturn the will of the elected delegates, the Speaker of the House frustrated Clintonites and helped assure Obama's path to the nomination.

6 / 11

How are super delegates chosen? - Super delegates are not elected through the primary and caucus process. Instead super delegates are chosen via special Democratic Party rules and include high elected officials, members of Congress (like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA), governors, party committee members and some former office holders.

Can they change their minds? - Unlike delegates awarded through primaries and caucuses, super delegates are not required to stay pledged to a specific candidate. They can -- and have (like Rep. John Lewis, D-GA) -- changed their minds on who they will vote for, for the Democratic nomination.

7 / 11

Can they change their minds? - Unlike delegates awarded through primaries and caucuses, super delegates are not required to stay pledged to a specific candidate. They can -- and have (like Rep. John Lewis, D-GA) -- changed their minds on who they will vote for, for the Democratic nomination.

Mostly White - Despite the two remaining Democratic candidates being a Black man and a White women a majority of the super delegates, like House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), are White men, but White men only make up 28 percent of Democratic voters.

8 / 11

Mostly White - Despite the two remaining Democratic candidates being a Black man and a White women a majority of the super delegates, like House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), are White men, but White men only make up 28 percent of Democratic voters.

Behind Clinton - Black super delegates pledged to Sen. Hillary Clinton: CA Representative Maxine Waters, FL Representative Alcee Hastings, TX Representative Shelia Jackson Lee, NY Representative Charlie Rangel.

9 / 11

Behind Clinton - Black super delegates pledged to Sen. Hillary Clinton: CA Representative Maxine Waters, FL Representative Alcee Hastings, TX Representative Shelia Jackson Lee, NY Representative Charlie Rangel.

Obama Backers - Black super delegates pledged to Sen. Barack Obama: GA Representive John Lewis (initially supported Clinton, but recently changed his vote to Obama), IL Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., MA Governor Deval Patrick, and MI Representative John Conyers.

10 / 11

Obama Backers - Black super delegates pledged to Sen. Barack Obama: GA Representive John Lewis (initially supported Clinton, but recently changed his vote to Obama), IL Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., MA Governor Deval Patrick, and MI Representative John Conyers.

Delegates - Senator Clinton and Senator Obama are both super delegates.

11 / 11

Delegates - Senator Clinton and Senator Obama are both super delegates.