Delegates vs popular vote? Can someone explain?

[muh_roads]

People are saying we may have won more delegates than anyone else in Maine, Louisiana & Nevada. The MSM is only reporting on straw polls and popular votes, but in the end these don't matter or something? I'm so confused. I'm sick of getting all hyped for nothing. That whole "billionaire supports Paul" fiasco is something I don't want to experience again in terms of being let down.

So can Paul really win this thing with the most delegates even though the MSM shows him in 2nd, 3rd, & 4th place in Super Tuesday states? Has this ever happened before when someone received more delegates at a convention but not the popular vote?

 

[brandon]

Is it possible for him to win the most delegates and not win the popular vote once? Yes, it is possible. It may have happenned in the three states you listed. Could it happen nationwide? Well, it could, but it is unlikely.

 

[TXcarlosTX]

brokered convention - 2nd ballot voting is a MUST!!!

 

[muh_roads]

People are also saying that there are uncommitted delegates who are secretly Paul supporters, but couldn't cast their votes for certain reasons...and they will finally be included once the state conventions roll around...?

 

[Acidlump]

The delegates are commited to the top placers in the first round. But in a brokered convention they can vote for whoever they want,

 

[Jodi]

I hope I have this right. If not feel free to correct me. When all the primaries and caucus elections are over. On Sept 1-4 the people that are delegates go to the National Convention. Whoever has the most delegates if over 51% becomes the nominee for the R party. If there is not a clear majority the convention then becomes brokered and the delegates are then unbound to vote for who they choose. When they go in the beginning some are bound to who may have won primary/caucus. Which is the reason we need RP supporters to be delegates. The more of us in a brokered convention could give RP the nod.

 

[muh_roads]

The delegates are commited to the top placers in the first round. But in a brokered convention they can vote for whoever they want,

hmm okay so they are split by % no matter what. They have to go to someone like Romney whether they like it or not. But if a brokered convention happens, then they can individually cast support for anyone they want? Is this how it works?

 

[Jodi]

People are saying we may have won more delegates than anyone else in Maine, Louisiana & Nevada. The MSM is only reporting on straw polls and popular votes, but in the end these don't matter or something? I'm so confused. I'm sick of getting all hyped for nothing. That whole "billionaire supports Paul" fiasco is something I don't want to experience again in terms of being let down.

So can Paul really win this thing with the most delegates even though the MSM shows him in 2nd, 3rd, & 4th place in Super Tuesday states? Has this ever happened before when someone received more delegates at a convention but not the popular vote?

Yes I believe al gore won the popular vote but bush had the delegates.

 

[akalucas]

Paul has more delegates than being reported but nowhere near enough to meet the requirement of 50% of delegates in the first round of voting in the convention. Also, in order for the supporters that are delegates that are bound to vote for another candidate to be able to vote for Paul, there would have to be a broken convention. Meaning no candidate got 50% of delegates. In order to qualify for the next round of voting a candidate have had to of least won 5 states (popular vote).

as much as important winning delegates are it wont mean squat if we dont at least win 5 states. at this point the chances of that happening are very slim, but anything can change. We must keep going full steam cause i have a feeling that if Paul doesnt get the nomination he is going to need all the support that will had grown to that point to further the cause of freedom. Im just not sure what his plan b is.

 

[MikeStanart]

Yes I believe al gore won the popular vote but bush had the delegates.

We're not talking about the Electoral College in this situation. We're referring to the delegates awarded for the GOP nomination.

 

[Jodi]

Paul has more delegates than being reported but nowhere near enough to meet the requirement of 50% of delegates in the first round of voting in the convention. Also, in order for the supporters that are delegates that are bound to vote for another candidate to be able to vote for Paul, there would have to be a broken convention. Meaning no candidate got 50% of delegates. In order to qualify for the next round of voting a candidate have had to of least won 5 states (popular vote).

as much as important winning delegates are it wont mean squat if we dont at least win 5 states. at this point the chances of that happening are very slim, but anything can change. We must keep going full steam cause i have a feeling that if Paul doesnt get the nomination he is going to need all the support that will had grown to that point to further the cause of freedom. Im just not sure what his plan b is.

I was listening to rush awhile back and he had newt on. They were talking about a brokered convention. rush made mention of the r party not wanting any of the remaining candidates and that newt could be crowned as the nominee. Was he wrong in that then?

 

[Jodi]

We're not talking about the Electoral College in this situation. We're referring to the delegates awarded for the GOP nomination.

My bad.

 

[bappley]

no. I think the actual rule is you have to have the majority of the delegates from 5 states vote for you, right?

 

[hvac ak47]

Paul has more delegates than being reported but nowhere near enough to meet the requirement of 50% of delegates in the first round of voting in the convention. Also, in order for the supporters that are delegates that are bound to vote for another candidate to be able to vote for Paul, there would have to be a broken convention. Meaning no candidate got 50% of delegates. In order to qualify for the next round of voting a candidate have had to of least won 5 states (popular vote).

as much as important winning delegates are it wont mean squat if we dont at least win 5 states. at this point the chances of that happening are very slim, but anything can change. We must keep going full steam cause i have a feeling that if Paul doesnt get the nomination he is going to need all the support that will had grown to that point to further the cause of freedom. Im just not sure what his plan b is.

I dont think he needs the popular vote in 5 states. I think he needs the most delegates in 5 states.

 

[sinjo]

Wow - why all these questions about the voting process and delegates?

All we have to do is tap our own memories and/or class notes from the civics classes we took back in elementary, junior/middle & high school.

/sarcasm off

 

[muh_roads]

Does anyone have that letter that Paul sent out about his secret strategy to win thru delegates and a brokered convention? He was talking about how the popular vote won't matter in this case.

I guess what we should be hoping for is that Romney, McCain & Huckabee (Georgia) all gather some states? I've heard Paul may get 1st place in Alaska...some scientific poll a while back had him in 1st there.

 

[speciallyblend]

stop worrying about it if the gop doesnt nominate Ron Paul, then we nominate him are you really going to vote for a big intrusive government republican war mongerer?? after supporting Ron Paul?? I THINK NOT

Ron Paul vs hillary republicans

 

[akalucas]

I dont think he needs the popular vote in 5 states. I think he needs the most delegates in 5 states.

ok, now that i look closer at the rules i think you're right. But in the first round of voting most delegates are bound to the person that won 1st place in that state. I think there are 3 main type of ways delegates are given out.

1. Winner take all...1st place person takes all the candidates

2. Proportional delegates-- person that won 1st place receives the most delegates and the rest are proportioned off depending how much % of the population voted for them.

3. All delegates unbound-- means all the delegates that get chosen to go to the convention get vote for whomever they want regardless who won.

The only way i see right now for Paul to have a majority of delegates in 5 states would be states that go by the 3rd option.

I know Maine has all unbound delegates. Anybody have a list of such states. that would be cool to know because I dont see how Paul can win states with a majority vote right now. Maybe, that way we can focus a lot of effort on those states while also continuing getting delegates from other type of states, so they count on the 2nd round of voting.


Here's the official rule on this

(b) Each candidate for nomination for President of the United States and Vice
President of the United States shall demonstrate the support of a majority of the delegates
from each of five (5) or more states, severally, prior to the presentation of the name of that
candidate for nomination.

found here: http://www.gop.com/images/2008_Call_FINAL.pdf

 

[akalucas]

some useful info here too: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/horseraceblog/2008/01/looking_ahead_to_the_republica.html