How to be a convention delegate
J. LARRY DAVIS

Did you ever see those people on TV, wearing funny hats and carrying signs at political conventions, and wonder how they got to be there? How is it that they get to select their party's candidate for president? It all begins at the local precinct convention. Simply voting for the candidate of your choice is not enough in a Texas presidential primary election.

Texas, unlike many other states, does not have "registered Democrats" or "registered Republicans". A voter declares his party affiliation when he casts a vote in that party's primary election, held every two years. A person who does not vote in a party's primary election is considered an Independent. What many people don't realize is that both major political parties hold a local precinct convention at 7:15 p.m. after the polling places have closed. Anyone who has voted in that party's primary election may participate in the precinct convention. After obtaining the convention packet from the respective party's election judge, the precinct chair or any responsible person may call the convention to order. The first order of business is to elect a convention chairman and a recording secretary. Convention attendees may state a preference for their presidential candidate or sign in as "uncommitted". This is not a secret ballot. Then convention attendees then elect delegates and alternates to attend their party's county (or senatorial district) convention. The number of delegates and alternates allowed for each voting precinct is determined by that precinct's number of votes cast for the party's candidate for Governor in the last general election. Currently, Democrats may elect one delegate and one alternate for every 15 votes (or fraction over) cast for the party's gubernatorial candidate in 2006. Names of precinct convention delegates and alternates, along with minutes of the convention and any proposed resolutions for the party's platform are then returned to the election judge who returns them in a special envelope to the county party's chairman or in some cases, the precinct chair may deliver the information to the county chair within 72 hours.

The county party's (or senatorial district's) convention will be held on March 29th this year. Precinct delegates and alternates should receive a notice from their respective county chairs about the time and place for the convention. At the county convention, the county chairman calls the meeting to order. A permanent convention chair and a permanent convention secretary are elected and preside throughout the convention.

During presidential election years, delegates and alternates to the state convention are elected based on the percentages of convention attendees stated preference for one particular presidential candidate or another. These people are called "committed delegates". There may also be "uncommitted delegates" who are selected from those attendees who do not express a preference for a particular candidate at that time. Some delegates are elected at-large but most are chosen from the various precinct quotas. One delegate and one alternate to the state Democratic Party convention may be elected for every 180 votes cast for the party's nominee in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Delegate selection should also take into account the geographical distribution, gender, age and ethnic make-up of the convention.

In June of even numbered years, both major political parties hold a state convention. Delegates and alternates from all 254 counties in Texas assemble at the convention to make resolutions, adopt planks for the party's platform, make rules for the convention and elect delegates and alternates to attend the party's national convention.

At the national convention, in presidential election years, delegates who have committed for a particular presidential candidate are bound to cast their vote for that candidate on the first round of voting only.

If no candidate receives a majority on the first round of voting, then those committed delegates are free to vote for whomever they choose on any subsequent rounds of voting. The voting process continues until one candidate has a majority (50%+1). Regardless of who may have received more popular votes in the primary election, a presidential candidate must receive a majority of votes from national convention delegates to win the party's nomination to run for president in the general election.

With the number of declared candidates from both parties, it is entirely possible that one or both of the major political conventions will be deadlocked on the first vote. That means that the selection of that party's candidate for president may be decided by those people on TV wearing the funny hats and carrying signs.

So now you know how the political system works. It all begins at the local voting box with the precinct convention on the night of the primary. If you want to get involved in presidential politics in Texas, the place to begin is at your precinct convention. Maybe we'll even get to see you on TV one day, wearing a funny hat and carrying a sign.