Someone sent me the report of the State Republican Central Committee this morning on how the selection of presidential delegates would now be taking place, as a result of the party being in violation of national bylaws, and needing to change the rules to conform.
The result after studying the issue?
“The committee determined that if we elect the actual delegates and alternates at the State National Delegate Selection meeting held in March, instead of nominating slates of delegates, then those delegates and alternates will have been “elected or selected” at least 45 days prior to the national convention. This would bring us into compliance. The national rules allow for the binding of delegates separately from the election of those delegates. So our national delegates could still be bound to support the winner of the Primary Election, which can be held at its normal date.
Accordingly, the committee has concluded that the best resolution is to elect our delegates and alternates at the statewide meeting provided for in our current system and then bind those delegates and alternates to support the presidential candidate who receives the most votes at the Primary Election.”
As I’m reading this, it appears that there will be no more “slates of delegates” based on each presidential candidate. There will be just “the slate of SDGOP delegates.” And they will be “bound to support the winner of the primary election.”
So, if I’m reading this correctly, it doesn’t matter if you support Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Chris Christie or Rand Paul. Every delegate is thrown into the same big pot, and whoever comes up with the most votes at the State National Delegate Selection meeting held in March wins a delegate or alternate position, and they’re bound to vote for the sole winner of the South Dakota primary, even if the vote is split 30-25-25-20.
What are your thoughts on it?
I’d expressly note that we shouldn’t be critical of those who tried to make the best of a bad situation. This was a process change forced upon the SDGOP by the National Republican Party.
But, personally, I think we’ve lost something because of the change. I always liked to see who supported each presidential candidate on the primary ballot, even those who were uncommitted. Not that we’ll be allowed uncommitted delegates anymore.
And seeing people like my daughter Meredith, who was an 18 year old Santorum delegate 4 years ago, will become a relic of the past. Because now there will be far greater competition for far fewer National Convention positions.
Define “bound.”
Are they capable of casting their vote for someone other than the candidate whom the electorate selected as South Dakota’s nominee? If so, what is the penalty?
Binding delegates doesn’t work. I first learned this in 1968, before I was old enough to vote, watching the catastrophe of the Democratic Convention in Chicago. The delegates from Massachusetts were bound to Eugene McCarthy for the first ballot, after that they were free. Instead, many or all of them voted for Humphrey. Somebody tried to challenge the validity of that vote with the chairman of the convention and was ignored.
Don’t know what happened to them when they got home.
Anne you should rephrase your post. Binding Liberal Democrats from the 60’s never worked. This will work Anne. It may not always but after the American Disaster; Obama, it sure will.
Its pretty straightforward, delegates will have to sign legal papers to be a delegate and will have their first ballot cast for the winning candidate whether they like it or not. It doesn’t matter what a delegate says, it matters what the Secretary of Convention writes down. The Secretary of Convention will have to do as legally required.