The journey to securing a party’s presidential nomination is a complex process, involving individual primaries, caucuses, and a summer convention where delegates officially select the nominee. The rules and procedures vary between parties, but the ultimate goal remains the same: to win enough delegates to secure the nomination.
The nomination process, which spans from January to June, involves various types of nominating contests and delegates, making the delegate math a challenging task. Success in primaries and caucuses translates into delegates, with the ultimate aim being to accumulate the requisite number of delegates to secure a nomination before the party convention’s delegate voting.
The GOP nominee, for instance, needs to secure at least 1,215 out of 2,429 delegates awarded during the primary process. In years without an incumbent, like the Republicans are experiencing in 2024, the winner often doesn’t reach the required delegate count until May or June. However, if a candidate, like Donald Trump in 2016, maintains a strong lead in early primaries, they could secure the nomination much earlier.
During the early primaries and caucuses, states typically award delegates proportionally, meaning each candidate receives a number of delegates roughly equivalent to their vote percentage. Delegates can be awarded based on statewide results or individual congressional districts. However, after March 15, states can opt to award all their delegates to the candidate with the most votes, making it harder for trailing candidates to gain delegates.
While Iowa and New Hampshire often dominate early discussions due to their early caucuses and primaries, they represent a small number of delegates. The real game-changer is Super Tuesday on March 5, where a significant number of Republican delegates are at stake. On this day, 874 delegates, or 36% of the Republican total, will be up for grabs across 13 primaries and three caucuses, including California, which boasts the most Republican delegates.
However, the delegate math becomes even more complex with the introduction of unbound delegates. These delegates, numbering 142 in total from Pennsylvania, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Guam, are not obligated to support the candidate who won their state and can choose their preferred candidate.
If no candidate reaches the required delegate count during the nominating contests, a scenario not seen for decades, delegates could engage in multiple voting rounds at the convention to select the party’s presidential candidate.
On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden, despite facing little opposition, still needs to secure at least 1,969 of 3,936 pledged delegates. If he fails to secure a majority, he would need support from approximately 740 automatic delegates, comprising party leaders, elected officials, and other influential Democrats.
It’s important to note that Democrats don’t start counting delegates until their South Carolina primary in early February, while Republicans vote in the South Carolina primary in late February. For live election results, visit our 2024 election guide.