2016 Primary Election
Delegates and What They Do
By Keysha Drexel
When voters see their ballot for the presidential primary March 1, they’ll also see a long list of delegates to choose from.
These people are vying for spots to go to the parties’ national conventions and cast Alabama’s official votes to nominate their candidate. The presidential candidate receiving at least 15 percent of the vote in Alabama will get a proportional number of delegates representing them at the national convention.
Voters at the polls March 1 can pick the delegates who will attend the convention, but you must choose delegates who support the candidate you voted for at the top of the ballot. Votes for delegates who support someone other than the presidential candidate you chose will not be counted.
For those voting Democrat, delegates for each congressional district will be divided by gender and by which presidential candidate they support. Voters can choose up to four male and four female delegates.
For those voting Republican, the delegates are voted on by place. Voters select one delegate supporting their chosen presidential candidate to each place.