Does The U.S. Electoral Process Reflect The Will Of The People

A donkey in a superhero outfit
Some Peoples Votes Are Worth More Than Others
Some People’s Votes Are Worth More Than Others
Image: www.dailykos.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:  Nick Russo     TheAnimatingContest.com      February 18, 2016

Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire by 22 points ( 60% to 38% ).  After receiving 151,584 votes to 95,252 votes or 60% of the vote in New Hampshire, it appears candidate Sanders in actuality lost.  Bernie Sanders leaves New Hampshire with at least 13 delegates while Hillary Clinton leaves with at least 15 delegates. How did this happen?

Its all about Unpledged Delegates compared to Pledged Delegates (see here).  When we vote in state party primaries, voters are electing delegates to go to the national party conventions and chose a person as the national party’s candidate for President of the United States.  In these state primaries, most of the delegates elected are Pledged, or obligated by party rule, to vote for the candidate receiving the highest vote total.  In other words, Pledged Delegates represent the Will of the People at the national convention.

Unpledged Delegates, however, exist in many states and are not obligated to vote for the candidate receiving the most votes.  These Unpledged Delegates can vote for anyone they wish, for any reason, and usually are made up of Party Leaders or elected officials i.e. Governors.  Unpledged delegates make up 15-20% of the national delegate total.

 

Here is the math in New Hampshire: As reported by the Daily Caller

Results reflecting the Will of the People:  New Hampshire has 24 “pledged” delegates, which are allotted based on the popular vote. Sanders has 13, and Clinton has 9, with 2 currently allotted to neither.

Results NOT reflecting the Will of the People:  But under Democratic National Committee rules, New Hampshire also has 8 superdelegates, party officials who are free to commit to whomever they like, regardless of how their state votes.

New Hampshire has 8 superdelegates6 of which are committed to Hillary Clinton, giving her a total of 15 delegates from New Hampshire as of Wednesday, Feb 17th at 9 a.m.

The state’s 2 remaining superdelegates remain uncommitted.

Hillary Clinton is, therefore, getting at least 15 delegates from New Hampshire (9 Pledged from election results + 6 Unpledged ).

Bernie Sanders is getting at least 13 delegates from New Hampshire  (13 Pledged Delegates from election results).

The two uncommitted “Superdelegates” if gained could give Bernie Sanders a tie with Hillary (15 to 15) or the superdelegates could go to Clinton and give her a 17 to 13 delegate lead after her losing the primary by 22 points.  Either way after “winning” by a huge margin Bernie Sanders has in effect Lost in New Hampshire thanks to the Superdelegates.


 

This same scenario is playing out nationally where Hillary Clinton already has a huge lead in delegates due to the “unpledged super delegates” already predetermined to vote for her. The Delegate total after Hillary essentially tied in Iowa and received a huge loss in New Hampshire as reported by Fox News is:

Clinton holds a commanding lead after a razor-thin victory in Iowa and a shellacking in New Hampshire. Clinton has 394 delegates, both super and electorally assigned, to only 42 for Sanders.  It takes 2,382 delegates to win the nomination.

This is the new America where, as taught in federally funded schools, 2+2=5  and when you get the most votes in an election you actually lose.  Don’t worry Republicans, your Party also has superdelegates who are NOT obligated to vote for the candidate which the People have chosen.


Are you Really being represented by the United States’ electoral process or do Party Leaders have more say than the People in determining elections?

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