Question regarding caucus tallies

[krkaufman]

I'm a bit uncertain as to how the Nevada/Iowa caucuses work, and if they function differently.

It appears that if a candidate does not get more than 15% support of those caucusing within a precinct, then their supporters are required to shift their support to a "viable" (i.e. > 15%) candidate or to "Uncommitted." So, if I'm reading this right, a candidate could have 14% support in every precinct across the state but still walk away with 0% of the delegate vote count. Yes? No? (This seems very fubar, if true.

[RB TexLa]

1. That could happen, they aren't very small d democratic

[krkaufman]

4. That's what I was thinking. Quite undemocratic.

And I'm none too fond of all the superdelegates involved in the Dem nomination, either, as that also seems like an undemocratic twist to the nomination process -- a chance for the Party elite to overrule the choice of the people.

[RB TexLa]

6. It's very unlikely they will ever have the opportunity to do that, and more unlikely that they would

do it if they had the chance. It's really honorary now.

[krkaufman]

7. I sincerely hope you're right.

(Though I still don't like the undemocratic appearance it gives the Democratic Party.)

[Emit]

2. Yes, that is correct, except, as I understand

Caucuses that elect one delegate -- the delegate has to be elected by the whole caucus
Caucuses that elect two delegates -- viable groups must contain 25% of attendees
Caucuses that elect three delegates -- viable groups must contain 1/6th of attendees
Caucuses that elect four or more delegates -- viable groups must contain 15% of attendees

On edit, the uncommitted group is treated just as a candidate group. If the uncommitted group has a viable count after the first alignment, they can't realign and are 'stuck' in their group.

[krkaufman]

5. thx for details.

[CoffeeCat]

3. I'm in Iowa...yes that's true...

Those are the caucus rules in Iowa and I assume it's true for Nevada.

Supporters organize into groups, in the room. Then, supporters are counted in each candidate group.

Then, a total count for the whole room is done.

If a candidate group does not have 15 percent support, that candidate is deemed "not viable."

Those supporting "nonviable" candidates can lobby supporters of other candidates to join them, to
help make that candidate viable. I was in the Obama camp, and we gave a few of our people to
Biden, to help make him "viable". Biden was 2 short of viability.

If it is apparent, that a candidate isn't "viable" then those supporters must join another
candidate group. If they opt not to do this, their individual vote is not counted.

99 percent of supporters who must make that choice--join another candidate group.

Then, after all of this "realignment" a new--and final--count is taken.

Then, delegates are assigned to each candidate---based on the percentage of support each
candidate gets.