Discussion Question # 10
Discussion Question # 10
The difference between Super Delegates and pledged delegates lies on the manner of putting preference to candidates. The Democratic Party uses Super Delegates and pledged delegates. A candidate for the Democratic nomination should win a majority of combined delegates’ votes during the Democratic National Convention (Bone, 2005). Pledged delegates are either chosen at the state or local level, bearing in mind that they will remain supportive to a particular candidate at the convention. Pledged delegate, however, are not bound in voting for that particular candidate. Thus, the candidates are privileged to periodically review the delegates’ list and remove any of those they believe would not be supportive. Super delegates, on the other hand, are usually Democratic members of Congress, former presidents, Governors, and other party leaders. They are usually not allowed to put a preference for a candidate support the values of the party at all cost.
Super delegates’ appropriateness
A super delegate is an uncommitted delegate, a member of the party elite who goes to the convention and cast their vote based on his or her own judgment. Therefore, Super delegates are no superior to the regular delegates since it is the constitution that governs/directs the election process (Polsby & Wildavsky, 2000). However, for the purpose of diversifying the powers from the voters, the Democratic Party Super Delegates control about 15% of the final nomination process meaning that their presence is appropriate for the general Party functions.
Does inclusion of the Super Delegates’ votes influence the legitimacy of the nomination?
References
Bone, H. A. (2005). American politics and the party system. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Polsby, N. W., & Wildavsky, A. B. (2000). Presidential elections: Strategies and structures of American politics. New York: Chatham House Publishers.
