WASHINGTON – For the hundreds of would-be presidential delegates on the ballot, Tuesday’s primary vote will determine whether or not they go to their party’s national conventions this summer.
But some party officials can book their hotel rooms now without fear.
After Maryland voters choose 45 Democratic and 24 Republican delegates Tuesday, the parties will step in and fill out the delegations through a mix of political protocol and privilege.
Ultimately, Maryland will send 98 Democrats to that party’s national convention in Boston and 39 Republicans to the New York convention.
The 15 additional Republican delegates, known as at-large delegates, are chosen at the state party convention in early May. At-large slots are reserved for chair of the state Republican Party, the two state representatives on the Republican National Committee, and Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich.
The final Republican delegation will include:
— 24 pledged delegates who will be chosen at the polls Tuesday. Voters will also choose 24 alternates who can step if necessary.
— and 15 at-large delegates that include 11 chosen by state Republican Party (plus 11 alternates), as well as the state party chair, the national committeeman and committeewoman and the governor.
In addition to the 45 pledged delegates who will be selected in the primary, Democrats will choose another 24 pledged delegates at their state convention, which is also in May.
Unlike the Republicans, whose at-large delegates are pledged to the leading state vote-getter, the allegiance of the additional Democratic delegates is based on the results of the primary election.
The last 29 Democratic delegates are known as unpledged, or “superdelegates,” who are free to vote for whichever candidate they choose, regardless of the outcome on Tuesday. All of the superdelegate slots are reserved for specific state party officials and elected officeholders.
The final Democratic delegation will include:
— 69 pledged delegates, split between the 45 who will be selected Tuesday (plus 7 alternates) and the 24 delegates (plus 4 alternates) who will be chosen at the May convention.
— and 29 unpledged delegates, which include the 14 Democratic National Committee members living in Maryland, the six Democratic congressmen and two Democratic senators from the state, the state party chair and vice chair, four members of the Democratic National Committee elected by the state party, and state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., chairman of the national Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
-30- CNS 02-27-04