Delegates are they bound?

[j6p]

Can they still vote for Ron Paul even though there bound or do many people still vote for a diffrent person?

 

[Badger Paul]

No they can vote for another candidate if their candidate drops out. Or they can saty committed. It's their choice.

 

[j6p]

Thank you for the clarification. possitive that our delegates are committed to Ron. How do we go about electing the Delegates and alternative delegates? Do we goto the polls and vote with the Ron Paul supporter cannidate slate? I know one Ron paul supporter is running for congress and he is listed as a delegate can we vote for same person as delegate for do we have to vote for another Ron Paul supporter? Thank you.

 

[jimvrp]

Delegate rules

Delegates are bound to vote for the candidate that wins in their respective congressional district.... provided that candidate has not specifically released them. If they have not been released, then the delegate is bound to their district's winning candidate for the 1st ballot at the convention. If that candidate wins at least 35% of the vote on the first ballot, the delegate remains bound to that candidate for the 2nd ballot as well. After the 2nd ballot, the delegate may vote for whomever they wish, irrespective of the number of votes a candidate receives at the convention.

So, suppose a delegate committed to Ron Paul happens to win the delegate race, but some candidate besides Ron Paul wins the popular vote within their congressional district. On the first ballot at the convention, the Ron Paul delegate must vote for the candidate that won the district (not Ron Paul). If that candidate receives at least 35% of the vote on the first ballot, the delegate must again vote for that candidate on the 2nd ballot. If the vote goes to a 3rd ballot, the delegate is released, and may now vote for Ron Paul, and can continue to vote for Ron Paul on subsequent ballots until Ron Paul wins the majority, or some other candidate wins the majority.

I think it's pretty unlikely that a RP delegate will win without RP also winning a district, but it is possible.

 

[j6p]

Which district would a ron paul delegate has the highest chance in winning?

 

[jimvrp]

It's very hard to say. The districts are gerrymandered so that 6 are safe for the Democrats, and 1 is safe for Republicans, and 1 is a tossup (currently held by a big spending Republican).

One strategy would target the heavily Democratic districts, since we would need fewer Republican votes in those districts in order to win. I think they are doing something like this in California (e.g. in San Francisco).

RP supporter Collins Bailey is running for Congress and as a delegate in the 5th district. He already has some name recognition since he is an elected member of the school board in his county. My guess is that he has the best shot at getting elected. The 5th district is heavily Democratic, and is represented by Steny Hoyer who is Democratic whip, or some such high priest in the Democratic hierarchy.

My guess at 2nd best shot is RP supporter Rich Matthews who is also running for Congress and delegate in the heavily Democratic 2nd district. As the sole Republican on the ballot for Congress, he's guaranteed to make it past the primary, and so should get some support from the Republican establishment.

 

[j6p]

It sounds like district 2 would be a winner since he guranteed to make it past the primary. Also someone else said that the state convetion their is like one or two ballots that if it get less then 30% then he is not bound by popular vote. How does the process work in maryland? Would it be likely he would be released? Maryland is confusing.

 

[jimvrp]

Maryland has delegates who are awarded at the congressional district level (3 per CD), and 10 'at-large' delegates who are awarded at the state level. The CD delegates are bound to vote for the candidate who wins the primary vote in their congressional district; the 'at-large' delegates are bound to vote for the candidate who wins the state-wide vote count. The 'at-large' delegates are chosen at the state convention; the CD delegates are elected as part of the primary election.

These delegates are obligated to vote as directed by the voters for the 1st two ballots at the national convention unless (1) their candidate releases them or (2) their candidate receives less than 35% on the 1st ballot.

There are 3 additional 'at-large' delegates who are not bound to any candidate. These delegates are the Republican party insiders... the folks who in the old days would have dispensed with the wishes of the voters, and chosen the Republican candidate at meetings in a smoke filled room.

 

[Arek]

Yea Maryland really has messed up districts. Sadly the Republican part of my districtt is screwed up considering this district runs from Garret County-Fredrick County. Therefore since the heavy population is in Fredrick and I believe it is very Democrat the pockets of Republicanism in the three Western Counties is overrode in the General Election. In the primary it might be possible to get delegates elected because your avergae voter skips the whole delegate matter.

 

[presentationmall]

Delegates are bound to vote for the candidate that wins in their respective congressional district.... provided that candidate has not specifically released them. If they have not been released, then the delegate is bound to their district's winning candidate for the 1st ballot at the convention. If that candidate wins at least 35% of the vote on the first ballot, the delegate remains bound to that candidate for the 2nd ballot as well. After the 2nd ballot, the delegate may vote for whomever they wish, irrespective of the number of votes a candidate receives at the convention.

So, suppose a delegate committed to Ron Paul happens to win the delegate race, but some candidate besides Ron Paul wins the popular vote within their congressional district. On the first ballot at the convention, the Ron Paul delegate must vote for the candidate that won the district (not Ron Paul). If that candidate receives at least 35% of the vote on the first ballot, the delegate must again vote for that candidate on the 2nd ballot. If the vote goes to a 3rd ballot, the delegate is released, and may now vote for Ron Paul, and can continue to vote for Ron Paul on subsequent ballots until Ron Paul wins the majority, or some other candidate wins the majority.

I think it's pretty unlikely that a RP delegate will win without RP also winning a district, but it is possible.

Thanks for your information.

 

[WilliamC]

Let's just say, for sake of argument, that a Ron Paul supporter is "bound" to vote for, oh, Romney.

What happens to him or his vote if he actually votes for Ron Paul instead?

Does it just not count?

Is he arrested?

What?