Political Dictionary
A superdelegate is an unpledged or automatic party-convention delegate selected because of a leadership or elected position.
Definition
A superdelegate is a commonly used term for certain automatic or unpledged delegates in the Democratic Party’s presidential nominating process. These delegates include party leaders and elected officials. Their voting authority is governed by party rules and has changed over time.
Why It Matters
Superdelegates were created to give experienced party figures a role in nominations, but critics have argued that they can dilute the influence of primary voters. Rule changes have limited their role on an initial convention ballot when a candidate lacks a pledged-delegate majority.
How It Works
Automatic delegates attend the national convention by virtue of party or elected office. Under current party rules, they generally do not vote on the first presidential nomination ballot if their votes could determine the outcome, unless a candidate already has sufficient pledged support.
History
The Democratic Party introduced superdelegates in the early 1980s following reforms that had shifted nomination power toward primaries and caucuses. Their influence became especially controversial during closely contested nomination cycles.
Example
A Democratic governor or member of Congress may attend the national convention as an automatic delegate.
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