It’s funny how conventions are a lot like campaigns. A month ago, my fellow delegates and I didn’t receive a whole lot of information about our role at this year’s Democratic National Convention. Now, a week before the convention, I’m just about buried under. Today alone, I got seven Fed Ex packages with invitations to different delegate seminars, receptions, events and soirees. Two phone calls about convention-related business. And I don’t even want to count number of emails.
All this is typical for members of North Carolina’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention.
When I tell people that I’ll be leaving for the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado in six days, I tend to get some of the same questions. I’ll attempt to answer some of those questions here.
- What do delegates actually DO?
You probably thought you voted for president on May 6th. Well, sorta. In fact, it is the delegates to the party’s nominating convention who actually choose the party’s candidate. The primary determines how the state’s allotment of delegates gets distributed. A delegate’s primary role is to determine who gets the party’s nomination. There are other roles, though. Delegates also determine the party platform, adopt party rules and well, party.
- But Mark, you are an alternate delegate. What’s the difference between that and a full delegate?
Not a whole lot except that an alternate delegate only has voting priviledges on the convention floor when replacing another pledged delegate. So, if a delegate pledged to Obama decides to go siteseeing during a convention session, an alternate Obama delegate stands in while the full delegate is out. Alternates delegates stand by to pinch hit as needed, and have all the rights, priviledges and responsibilities of full delegates.
So you’re not a superdelegate?
Well, I think I’m pretty super, and my dog agrees. But no, I’m not a superdelegate. A superdelegate is simply a delegate who doesn’t have to pledge on behalf of any particular candidate. Other delegates and alternates are pledged to support a particular candidate. I am an Obama delegate.
- So what’s a typical day like for a delegate?
From 7:30 am until 10 am, North Carolina delegates attend a delegation breakfast. At the breakfast strategy is discussed, convention credentials are issued and elected officials are heard from.
From 10 until about 2pm, delegates are on their own. The convention usually will open around 3pm, though it’s a good idea to get their early (the fire marshals don’t play around with the occupancy maximums, even at conventions). The convention will last until around 9 pm Mountain time.
After 9, the parties begin. And they are work, people-work. Seriously.
