To: Democratic National Committee and Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Abolish The Rigged Superdelegate System!
If Superdelegates are allowed to vote for a candidate that they want and not who the American people voted for, than what is the point of voting if the system is rigged?
Please abolish the Superdelegate process and let the American people choose who they want the Democratic nominee to be.
Please abolish the Superdelegate process and let the American people choose who they want the Democratic nominee to be.
Why is this important?
Despite Bernie Sanders' big win in New Hampshire, both he and Hillary received the same number of delegates. Why? There are two different types of delegates in the Democratic Party Presidential Nomination Process; Pledged Delegates and Unpledged/ Superdelegates.
During an interview on CNN, Jake Tapper asked DNC chair and Florida congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz about the difference between to two delegates.
Tapper asked Schultz, “Hillary Clinton lost to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire by 22 percentage points, the biggest victory in a contested Democratic primary there since John F. Kennedy, but it looks as though Clinton and Sanders are leaving the Granite State with the same number of delegates in their pockets because Clinton has the support of New Hampshire’s superdelegates, these party insiders. What do you tell voters who are new to the process who say this makes them feel like it’s all rigged?”
Schultz replied, “Well, let me just make sure that I can clarify exactly what was available during the primaries in Iowa and in New Hampshire. The unpledged delegates are a separate category. The only thing available on the ballot in a primary and a caucus is the pledged delegates— those that are tied to the candidate that they are pledged to support, and they receive a proportional number of delegates going into our convention. Unpledged delegates exist really to make sure that party leaders and elected officials don’t have to be in a position where they are running against grassroots activists. We are as a Democratic Party really highlight and emphasize inclusiveness and diversity at our convention, and so we want to give every opportunity to grassroots activists and diverse, committed Democrats to be able to participate, attend, and be a delegate at the convention. And so we separate out those unpledged delegates to make sure that there isn’t competition between them.”
Tapper responded, “I’m not sure that that answer would satisfy an anxious young voter..."
Tapper is correct. As an anxious young voter myself, I am concerned that the Superdelegate process of the Democratic Party is undemocratic. If, Party elites are the ones who ultimately get to decide who the nominee will be, then what's the point of casting a vote for a candidate?
I my view, the American people are the ones who should decide, not the Party elites.
Please sign and share this petition, demanding that the Democratic Party abolish the Superdelegate system and restore the power to the American people.
During an interview on CNN, Jake Tapper asked DNC chair and Florida congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz about the difference between to two delegates.
Tapper asked Schultz, “Hillary Clinton lost to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire by 22 percentage points, the biggest victory in a contested Democratic primary there since John F. Kennedy, but it looks as though Clinton and Sanders are leaving the Granite State with the same number of delegates in their pockets because Clinton has the support of New Hampshire’s superdelegates, these party insiders. What do you tell voters who are new to the process who say this makes them feel like it’s all rigged?”
Schultz replied, “Well, let me just make sure that I can clarify exactly what was available during the primaries in Iowa and in New Hampshire. The unpledged delegates are a separate category. The only thing available on the ballot in a primary and a caucus is the pledged delegates— those that are tied to the candidate that they are pledged to support, and they receive a proportional number of delegates going into our convention. Unpledged delegates exist really to make sure that party leaders and elected officials don’t have to be in a position where they are running against grassroots activists. We are as a Democratic Party really highlight and emphasize inclusiveness and diversity at our convention, and so we want to give every opportunity to grassroots activists and diverse, committed Democrats to be able to participate, attend, and be a delegate at the convention. And so we separate out those unpledged delegates to make sure that there isn’t competition between them.”
Tapper responded, “I’m not sure that that answer would satisfy an anxious young voter..."
Tapper is correct. As an anxious young voter myself, I am concerned that the Superdelegate process of the Democratic Party is undemocratic. If, Party elites are the ones who ultimately get to decide who the nominee will be, then what's the point of casting a vote for a candidate?
I my view, the American people are the ones who should decide, not the Party elites.
Please sign and share this petition, demanding that the Democratic Party abolish the Superdelegate system and restore the power to the American people.