The Problem with Super-Delegates

Grant Reeher, Professor of Political Science at Maxwell School at Syracuse University, Director of the Alan K. Campbell Public Affairs Institute, and Host of the Campbell Conversations on WRVO, said the super-delegate count only matters when they vote in the convention.

Grant Reeher

“The media need to stop lumping super-delegates into the total delegate counts for Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.  Super-delegate preferences represent publicly stated intentions, are not bound on a first ballot, and are tantamount to pre-election polls.  The media, however, have been reporting them as election results.  Including them in the totals creates the misleading impression that when Clinton passes the “50% + 1″ mark, which she will do before the convention, the race is officially over–and diminishes the perceived importance of the late primaries.  But super-delegates will not be pledged until they actually vote at the convention.”

Reeher is available to speak to media and can be reached via email at gdreeher@maxwell.syr.edu or by contacting Ellen James Mbuqe, Director of News and Public Relations at Syracuse University at ejmbuqe@syr.edu, 315.443.1897, or 412.496.0551.