With the Republican National Convention approaching, the specter of a brokered convention looms like a mysterious cloud over the Presidential race. There’s been a lot of talk over not just which candidate will have the most delegates beforehand, but if and how each state’s delegates could change sides. Here’s a rundown of the rules for Washington, and how it impacts the overall situation.
May 24, 2016 Virginia Presidential Primary Results:
Candidate Popular Vote % Delegates Awarded
How many delegates are there? 44 delegates
Who are they? Delegates are typically active party members or local leaders. Each state also has three (3) delegates who are members of the Republican National Committee (RNC)
How are delegates chosen? In Washington, each of the state’s ten congressional districts elect three (3) delegates from that congressional district’s caucus. Eleven (11) at-large delegates are elected by a majority vote on the floor of the WA GOP State Convention. Lastly, three (3) delegates are elected that also serve as members of the RNC.
How are delegates allocated? In Washington, all forty-four (44) delegates are allocated on a winner-take-most basis. In the state’s ten congressional districts, if a candidate wins a majority (50%) of the vote, that candidate is awarded all three (3) delegates. If two or more candidates receive at least 20% in a congressional district, the candidate with the highest vote total is awarded two (2) delegates and the candidate with the next highest vote total is awarded one (1) delegate. The fourteen (14) statewide at-large delegates (ten (10) base; one (1) bonus; three (3) RNC delegates) are allocated proportionally to candidates who obtain at least 20% of statewide popular vote total.
At what point can delegates switch candidates? In Washington, delegates are bound to a candidate on the first ballot only. If no candidate wins the nomination on the first ballot, candidates are free to vote for any candidate of their choice on subsequent ballots at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
What effect could this have on the convention? TBD.
