These "selections" taking place on January 3 (Iowa) and January 8 (NH), are confusing me slightly. I'm a new voter (19), but am slightly confused by this race to win over Iowa/NH. What happens in these states on these dates?
Quick question about Election 08'. How do candidates get the nominiation?
- Thread starter Coldkilla
- Start date
So, for example: Obama buys delegates? Figuratively? Wins them over or pays them? What do these delegates do?
generally speaking... when you win a primary in a state, that state's delegates pledge to vote for you in the convention.
whoever has the most votes (delegates) at the party conventions wins his/her party's nomination.
I believe the delegates aren't legally bound to vote for the candidate who won the primary in their state, but that's just how it typically works (same with the electoral college... the electoral voters in any given state aren't necessarily forced to vote for the presidential candidate that their state elected in the general election).
I see. So, what happens during a primary? Do people actually vote? Say today is, January 3rd, Iowa's thing.
It seems odd, that later (during national election), everyone in the country can vote but then the delegates can just essentially (one day) flip the country the bird and vote for whoever they want and no one can stop them... Not saying that would ever happen, it just seems odd that its not a law.
It seems odd, that later (during national election), everyone in the country can vote but then the delegates can just essentially (one day) flip the country the bird and vote for whoever they want and no one can stop them... Not saying that would ever happen, it just seems odd that its not a law.
Lemon law
Lifer
- Nov 6, 2005
- 20,984
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Usually on the first ballot of a political conventions, a delegate is pretty well obligated to vote for the candidate that won that State. After that, the delegate is pretty well a free agent. And all kinds of lets make a deal becomes possible.
In recent years, one candidate on the democratic and republican sides have arrived at the convention with an outright majority of votes. So the convention becomes somewhat of an anti climax, but its possible that 2008 may be an exception.
As I recall, the 1928 democratic convention went over a 100 ballots before Al Smith emerged on top.
In recent years, one candidate on the democratic and republican sides have arrived at the convention with an outright majority of votes. So the convention becomes somewhat of an anti climax, but its possible that 2008 may be an exception.
As I recall, the 1928 democratic convention went over a 100 ballots before Al Smith emerged on top.
Lemon law
Lifer
- Nov 6, 2005
- 20,984
- 3
- 0
In some sense yes, but just one vote per ballot. In a political convention, they keep balloting until one candidate gets a raw majority of the votes. In recent years, that has been achieved on the first ballot for both the democrats and republicans.
In past years, when two strong but somewhat opposing candidates arrive at the convention
with a strong minority of the votes, supporters of one will find the other candidate unacceptable. And then often block that other candidate from ever getting a majority. And someone will often come out of left field to become the compromise candidate. Wendall Wilkie is the classic example of that. I don't think Wilkie has a single delegate coming into the 1940
Republican convention and Wilkie was not even running for the nomination.
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