First of all, what exactly is a superdelegate, besides some big scary word that corporate media likes to use?

From wikipedia: A “superdelegate” or an “unpledged delegate” is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention or Republican National Convention that is seated automatically, based on their status as current (Republican and Democratic) or former (Democratic only) party leader or elected official.

Although “superdelegate” was originally coined and created to describe this type of Democratic delegate, the term has become widely used to describe these delegates in both parties, even though it is not an official term used by either party.

For Democrats, superdelegates fall into two categories:

delegates seated based on other positions they hold, who are formally described (in Rule 9.A) as “unpledged party leader and elected official delegates” (unpledged PLEO delegates); and

additional unpledged delegates selected by each state party (in a fixed predetermined number), who are formally described (in Rule 9.B) as “unpledged add-on delegates” and who need not hold any party or elected position before their selection as delegates.

In some presidential elections, superdelegates can play a major role in determining the Democratic nominee, especially in a close race. Unlike delegates though, superdelegates are not bound to represent the popular vote of a region at the Democratic National Convention; they are free to support any candidate for the nomination.

Superdelegates are not selected on the basis of party primaries and caucuses in each state. Instead, superdelegate standing is based on the status of current or former officeholders and party officials, including all Democratic members of Congress. Superdelegate is a term that arose in the 1970s. Clinton’s camp declared in late August that they had 1/5th of the delegates needed to win and had secured the support of 440 of the roughly 700 superdelegates, although some have questioned that statement.

“This is really about how you put the numbers together.”

Hillary Clinton

In order for a candidate to win the party nomination for president, he or she must gain the majority of delegate votes. We’ll cover the delegates in another article. The purpose of superdelegates is for high-ranking Democrats to maintain some control over the nominating process and each state has it’s own unique amount of delegates and superdelegates.

Based on the table below listing delegates and superdelegates and using Iowa as an example, and also assuming that Hillary Clinton has 75% of the superdelegates secured, if Bernie Sanders grabs 56 percent of the vote and Clinton grabs 44 percent of the vote, Bernie would get 25 delegates and Clinton 21. Add the superdelegates, 6 for Clinton and 2 for Bernie and it is a tie.

Of course as you’ll see on this list, some states such as New Hampshire and Massachusetts have 25% or higher superdelegate counts, so the formula varies a little bit and then you have Vermont, Sanders’ home state which has 15 delegates and 8 superdelegates but we are gonna call Vermont in favor of Sanders. (Bold move I know)

Let’s look at a state like Illinois which has 160 delegates and 30 super delegates while also assuming that Hillary Clinton has 75% of the superdelegates on her side, if Bernie Sanders grabs 54.5 percent of the vote and Clinton grabs 45.5 percent of the vote, Bernie would get 87 delegates and Clinton 73. Add the superdelegates, 22 for Clinton and 8 for Bernie and it is a tie.

Those figures also assume of course that no one is in the race, so to be on the safe side let’s give O’Malley 8% of the vote in Illinois. To do that we’ll shave 4% off of both Clinton and Sanders’ totals. In that scenario Sanders would need 50.5 percent of the vote to gain 81 delegates and 8 superdelegates, for a total of 89. Clinton would have 41.5 percent of the vote amounting to 66 delegates and 22 superdelegates for a total of 88 and O’Malley, assuming he’s got no super delegate support would have around 12. Keep in mind all figures have been rounded up.

Date[49][50] State/territory Calculated delegates[51] Type[a] Pledged Superdelegates February 1, 2016 Iowa 46 8 Semi-open caucus February 9, 2016 New Hampshire 24 8 Semi-closed primary February 20, 2016 Nevada 31 8 Closed caucus February 27, 2016 South Carolina 51 6 Open primary March 1, 2016 Alabama 52 6 Open primary March 1, 2016 Arkansas 32 5 Open primary March 1, 2016 Colorado 64 13 Closed caucus March 1–8, 2016 Democrats abroad 13 4 Closed primary March 1, 2016 Georgia 98 14 Open primary March 1, 2016 Massachusetts 95 26 Semi-closed primary March 1, 2016 Minnesota 78 16 Open caucus March 1, 2016 Oklahoma 38 4 Semi-closed primary March 1, 2016 Tennessee 68 9 Open primary March 1, 2016 Texas 208 29 Open primary March 1, 2016 Vermont 15 8 Open primary March 1, 2016 Virginia 95 17 Open primary March 5, 2016 Louisiana 54 7 Closed primary March 5, 2016 Nebraska 26 5 Closed caucus March 5, 2016 Kansas 33 4 Closed caucus March 6, 2016 Maine 25 5 Closed caucus March 8, 2016 Mississippi 36 5 Open primary March 8, 2016 Michigan 133 19 Open primary March 15, 2016 Florida 207 31 Closed primary March 15, 2016 Illinois 160 30 Semi-closed primary March 15, 2016 Missouri 75 13 Open primary March 15, 2016 North Carolina 107 13 Semi-closed primary March 15, 2016 Ohio 148 17 Semi-open primary March 22, 2016 Arizona 63 12 Closed primary March 22, 2016 Idaho 20 4 Semi-closed caucus March 22, 2016 Utah 24 4 Semi-open caucus March 26, 2016 Alaska 14 4 Closed caucus March 26, 2016 Hawaii 22 9 Semi-closed caucus March 26, 2016 Washington 86 16 Open caucus April 5, 2016 Wisconsin 79 10 Open primary April 9, 2016 Wyoming 13 4 Closed caucus April 19, 2016 New York 233 44 Closed primary April 26, 2016 Maryland 78 27 Closed primary April 26, 2016 Connecticut 51 14 Closed primary April 26, 2016 Delaware 17 10 Closed primary April 26, 2016 Pennsylvania 160 21 Closed primary April 26, 2016 Rhode Island 22 9 Semi-closed primary May 3, 2016 Indiana 70 9 Open primary May 7, 2016 Guam 6 5 Closed caucus May 10, 2016 West Virginia 26 9 Semi-closed primary May 17, 2016 Kentucky 47 6 Closed primary May 17, 2016 Oregon 52 12 Closed primary June 5, 2016 Puerto Rico 51 7 Open primary June 7, 2016 California 405 71 Semi-closed primary June 7, 2016 Montana 15 7 Open primary June 7, 2016 New Jersey 110 16 Closed primary June 7, 2016 New Mexico 29 9 Closed primary June 7, 2016 South Dakota 15 5 Semi-open primary June 14, 2016 District of Columbia 17 20 Closed primary TBA North Dakota 14 5 Open primary TBA American Samoa 6 4 Open caucus TBA Northern Marianas 6 5 N/A TBA Virgin Islands 6 5 Closed caucus

So all things considered, even if Clinton has the big edge in terms of superdelegates that have committed, Bernie still has the edge for winning the nomination. It’s no secret (except to some Clinton supporters) that Sanders has a massive following with the millennial crowd and with the politically disenchanted. Plus let’s not forget that Clinton had the edge over Obama with superdelegates but many of them switched teams and I’d look for some of the same thing to happen in 2016. Make no mistake, he’ll get his share of superdelegates and if the young people vote, Bernie wins easily.

To take a line from quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers early in the 2014 season – RELAX.

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