Democratic delegate rules, 2024
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Date: November 5, 2024  |
2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee will be selected by delegates to the 2024 Democratic National Convention. The national nominating convention is the formal ceremony during which the party officially selects its nominee. The delegates are individuals chosen to represent their state, territory, or Democrats Abroad at the convention.
In 2024, there are an estimated 4,532 delegates: 3,788 pledged delegates and 744 automatic delegates—more commonly known as superdelegates.[1]
To win the Democratic nomination, a presidential candidate needs to receive support from a majority of the pledged delegates on the first ballot: an estimated 1,895 pledged delegates.[2][1]
If the convention is contested and goes to a second ballot or more, automatic delegates—commonly referred to as superdelegates—are able to vote and a candidate must receive majority support from all delegates—2,258 votes. Previously, superdelegates were able to vote on the first ballot. This rule changed after the 2016 presidential election, when the Unity Reform Commission proposed several ways to reduce the number and power of superdelegates.[3][4] To learn more about the 2020 Democratic National Convention, click here.
This page provides an overview of the types of delegates to the convention and a summary of delegates by state. Election dates, delegate counts, and delegate allocation rules are subject to change as each state finalizes its delegation selection process.
Delegate selection and allocation
Delegates are individuals chosen to represent their state at their party's national nominating convention. They are typically party activists, local political leaders, or early supporters of a particular presidential candidate. They are either selected in primaries, caucuses, or local party conventions, or included because of their positions as elected representatives or members of the party leadership.[5]
The number of delegates awarded to each state is determined by a formula that factors the state's popular vote for the Democratic nominee in the previous three elections, the state's electoral votes, and when the state's primary is held.[6]
Each state has its own method for selecting delegates that may occur at the county, district, and/or state level. In some states, a voter directly votes for a presidential candidate in the presidential preference primary and delegates are separately chosen at party conventions.[7] In other states, a voter indirectly votes for a presidential candidate by supporting a delegate or delegates committed to him or her.[8]
Delegates are allocated proportionally based on the outcome of each state's primary contest. A candidate is typically only eligible to receive a share of the pledged delegates at stake if they win at least 15 percent of votes cast in a primary or caucus. That standard is referred to as the 15 percent threshold.[9] In addition to pledged delegates, there are alternate delegates for each state, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. territories, and Democrats Abroad. Alternates attend the convention but do not vote unless a pledged delegate is unable to attend.[10][6]
Pledged vs. automatic delegates
Pledged delegates
Pledged delegates are elected during primaries, caucuses, or party conventions, and must express either a presidential candidate preference or an uncommitted preference as a condition of their election. Rule 13(J) of the Democratic National Committee defines a pledged delegate's responsibility:
| “ | Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.[11] | ” |
| —Rule 13(J), 2020 Delegate Selection Rules[10] | ||
There are three distinct types of pledged delegates:[12]
- Pledged district delegates are distributed and elected at the congressional or state legislative district level.
- Pledged at-large delegates are distributed and elected statewide.
- Pledged PLEO delegates are party leaders and elected officials. Pledged PLEO delegates are most often selected in a similar manner to at-large delegates.[12]
Automatic delegates
Automatic delegates are unpledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Automatic delegates, who are often called superdelegates, are not required to pledge their support to any presidential candidate. Automatic delegates include members of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic members of Congress, Democratic governors, or distinguished party leaders, including former presidents and vice presidents. They are free to support any presidential candidate of their choosing.[12]
Following the 2016 presidential election, the Unity Reform Commission was formed to revise the Democratic nominating process, including reducing the number and power of automatic delegates.[13][14][15] At the conclusion of the party's national convention on August 25, 2018, officials voted to adopt a measure banning automatic delegates from voting on the first ballot at a contested national convention.[16]
Overview of Democratic pledged and automatic delegates by state
The map below compares delegate counts by state. A lighter shade of blue indicates a smaller number of delegates while a darker shade indicates a larger number.
The following chart lists the election type, delegate type breakdown, and total delegates for each state and territory.
Percentage of Democratic pledged delegates awarded over time
The following chart and table show the percentage of pledged delegates awarded over time following the primary or caucus of each state and territory. The percentage reflects the percentage of pledged delegates awarded by each date. States are still in the process of planning their primary nominating events, and this section will be updated as primary dates become available.
Historical comparison of delegate counts, 2016-2024
The table below displays the number of Democratic delegates each state had in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, alongside an estimate of how many delegates each state will have in the 2024 presidential election.
Republican delegate rules
- See also: Republican delegate rules, 2024
The 2024 Republican presidential nominee will be selected by delegates to the Republican National Convention, which will be held July 15-18, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The national nominating convention is the formal ceremony during which the party officially selects its nominee and adopts a party platform. The delegates are individuals chosen to represent their state or territory at the convention.
In 2024, there are an estimated 2,469 delegates: 2,365 pledged delegates and 104 unpledged delegates.
To win the Republican nomination, a presidential candidate must receive support from a majority of delegates—an estimated 1,235 delegates.[17]
Click here to learn more about 2020 Republican Party delegate rules by state.
See also
- Presidential candidates, 2024
- Democratic presidential nomination, 2024
- Republican presidential nomination, 2024
- Democratic delegate rules, 2020
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Green Papers, "Presidential Primaries 2024 Democratic Delegate Vote Allocation," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ The Democratic National Committee calculates a majority as 50% plus one delegate.
- ↑ Politico, "Kemp poised to spurn Trump on Georgia Senate pick," December 2, 2019
- ↑ The New York Times, "How to Win the Democratic Nomination, and Why It Could Get Complicated," February 22, 2020
- ↑ Council on Foreign Relations, "The Role of Delegates in the U.S. Presidential Nominating Process," February 9, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Green Papers, "The Math Behind the Democratic Delegate Allocation," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ Vote Citrus, "Sample Ballot," accessed April 19, 2019
- ↑ Columbia County, "Sample Primary Ballot," accessed April 19, 2019
- ↑ If no candidate crosses the 15 percent threshold, it is lowered to half the percentage received by the frontrunner.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Democratic National Committee, "Delegate Selection Rules for the 2020 Democratic National Convention," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Congressional Research Service, "The Presidential Nominating Process and the National Party Conventions, 2016: Frequently Asked Questions," December 30, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "DNC 'unity' panel recommends huge cut in superdelegates," December 9, 2017
- ↑ NPR, "DNC Group Calls For Drastic Cut In 'Superdelegates' As Part Of Nomination Process," December 9, 2017
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "Who are the Democratic superdelegates?" May 5, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Democrats strip superdelegates of power in picking presidential nominee," August 25, 2018
- ↑ The Green Papers, "Presidential Primaries 2024 Republican Pledged and Unpledged Delegate Summary," accessed March 27, 2023
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