Adding Up the Delegates

The Democrats will send two basic kinds of delegates to their convention this year. The first are those elected in primaries and caucuses. Most are pledged to a particular candidate, while some are elected as uncommitted. Those who are either pledged or have expressed a preference are listed in their candidate's totals. Under the 1984 rules, however, even pledged delegates are not forced to vote for their candidates. The second type consists of 568 slots set aside for party officials and local and national officeholders. These "superdelegates" are technically unpledged. But those who have made their preferences known are listed in the totals for the candidate they support.