Parties: GOP, Democrats differ on delegate rules

When suburban delegates pack their bags for national political conventions, they usually expect a few days of too much food, too little sleep, lots of party spirit and a cut-and-dried role: Vote for the candidate who months earlier locked up the presidential nomination.

This year could bring more of the same. Or, something different and more compelling.

It's certainly possible that with primaries and caucuses in 23 states, including Illinois, on Feb. 5, one candidate from each party could emerge as the obvious choice and waltz into the summer conventions simply to be anointed.

But if that doesn't happen, at least a few observers theorize that the early rush could steal from candidates the ability to gradually build momentum from early strong showings. That line of thinking suggests that -- with few large states left to vote -- the Feb. 5 primaries could yield results so splintered that no one candidate claims enough delegates to lock up the nomination in advance of the conventions.

Which would give delegates a larger and more closely watched role than usual.

So, when Illinois primary voters go to the polls six weeks earlier than usual, they will not only state their preference for presidential nominees, but they also will elect delegates to the major parties' 2008 national conventions, who may play a significant role in the outcome.

The Democrats meet in Denver from Aug. 25 to 28 and the Republicans in Minneapolis-St. Paul from Sept. 1 to 4.

Slates of Illinois Democratic delegate candidates are all set, but because of differences in party rules, Republican hopefuls have until next Wednesday to turn in nominating petitions to get on the primary ballot.

Here's a look at who seeks election as a delegate, their role and their motivation for serving in this capacity.

Is each delegate affiliated with a particular presidential candidate?

Yes; that affiliation is noted on the ballot.

How are delegates chosen to appear on the ballot?

Often, delegates have an existing relationship with the presidential candidate or some member of the campaign staff. Beyond that, each presidential campaign recruits local party activists or elected officials whose well-known names will grab voters' attention in the ballot booth.

May voters cast a ballot for one presidential candidate but also for delegates affiliated with others?

Yes, although a voter who strongly backs a particular presidential candidate would logically vote for his or her designated delegates, as it is they who actually cast ballots at the national convention.

How many delegates does each party elect in Illinois?

Statewide, according to their respective party rules, Democrats will elect 100 delegates and 19 alternates; Republicans will elect 57 delegates and 57 alternates.

Are delegates elected at-large statewide?

No, each party elects a predetermined number of delegates from each of the state's 19 congressional districts.

Do voters in each district elect the same number of delegates?

No. Each party apportions delegates so that it selects the highest concentration from its strongholds. Meaning, for instance, that Democrats send more delegates to their convention from Chicago than from the suburbs, while Republicans do the opposite.

If a candidate wins his or her party's popular primary vote in a certain congressional district, is he or she awarded all the delegates available in that district?

No. The Republican delegation will consist of delegates receiving the highest vote totals in each district regardless of their candidate affiliation. Democrats follow a formula in which a presidential candidate must receive at least 15 percent of a district's votes before any of his or her delegates may be selected.

Do the parties adhere to rules concerning the ethnic, racial or gender composition of their national convention delegations?

The Democrats do; the Republicans do not.

Will the Green Party elect delegates?

No. Although four Green presidential hopefuls have spots on the Illinois primary ballot, primary voters who choose a Green ballot will not vote for delegates.

What must delegates do to earn a spot on the primary ballot?

Illinois has several requirements, including petition signatures of several hundred residents.

If a delegate for a given presidential hopeful is elected on Feb. 5, is he or she required to vote for that candidate at the national convention?

Generally speaking, yes, at least for the convention's first ballot. But when one party's presidential candidate has the nomination sewn up before the convention, a state's delegates often agree to unite behind that party in advance of the convention. That might not happen this time. Says West suburban Republican state Rep. Jim Durkin, a John McCain delegate: "My advice this time to delegates would be to keep their powder dry and don't commit early to anybody except their own candidate."

What role do delegates play other than casting a vote at the convention?

Officially, none. Typically, though, each delegate promotes his or her candidate's candidacy in Illinois. Some even work on their candidate's behalf in other states.

Who pays for a delegate's convention trip?

The delegate himself or herself, at costs estimated from $1,500 to $3,000. Christine Cegelis, a Bill Richardson delegate and former U.S. House candidate from Rolling Meadows, notes that "you have to go to the convention on your own dime, so there is a certain amount of commitment here."

What, exactly, do delegates get for their work and expense?

Most cite the satisfaction of backing a candidate in whom they believe. Others, cite the rare opportunity to participate on a central stage. Brian McPartlin, a Hillary Clinton delegate from Mount Prospect, offers a view similar to other delegates when he says, "I look at this from a historical perspective, from a chance to be involved in government of the people and for the people, which is what our country was founded on."

What are the odds that either party's nomination will not be settled by convention time and that Illinois delegates actually will have a voice in a brokered convention?

No word from Vegas. But national polls indicate no runaway leader in the Republican field even as polls also show Barack Obama gaining ground on Clinton among Democrats.

When was the last time either party opened its national convention without the nominee already known?

It was 1952, when back-room convention deals resulted in the Democrats nominating Adlai Stevenson and the Republicans nominating Dwight Eisenhower.