The West Virginia Democratic Party recently decided to choose all delegates to the national presidential convention in April, before the May presidential primary. Therefore, the May presidential primary will be mostly a “beauty contest” (i.e., the results will be analogous to a public opinion poll, but have no binding effect). The party also voted to let independents vote in its primaries in 2008. Although, in the past, West Virginia Republicans have let independents vote in their primary, this is the first time West Virginia Democrats have permitted independents to vote.
Is the primary conducted at taxpayer expense? If so it should be canceled because it is a waste of taxpayer money if it has no effect.
The primary is conducted at state expense, but it doesn’t cost much money since West Virginia’s presidential primary is conducted on the same day that the state’s primary for other office is held.
Richard, The WV Dem delegate allocation plan calls for a allocating the the pledged national delegates proportionally according to the May Presidential primary vote. I believe that the change in by-laws only means that they are no longer directly voting for the individuals to fill those delegate spots on the May ballot. In the past few cycles the Presidential primary has been binding, and delegates were voted for separately on the primary ballot for ‘ranking purposes’. This is no longer the case-the delegate candidates are now voted for at the state convention. But the number of pledged delegate spots awarded to presidential candidates is still determined by the primary vote. So the primary is not a beauty contest. Unless I have missed an update to the delegate allocation plan submitted to the DNC.. Have you heard something different?
DR
Are the delegates released from their proportional assignments after the first ballot?