Is there anything about this election that is not bigger than ever? We’ve seen two Super Tuesdays, and voter turn out is super high, and super-sized budgets are funding a super tight Democratic race. It seems like the word “super” is about to lose all its meaning. So what are next… super delegates.

The super delegates causing a buzz this election have been around for years. Anyone born after 1982 doesn’t know a Democratic primary without them, but few people under the age of 26 know they even exist, let alone understand what they do.   It’s fair to say that people who wore Mebembers Only jackets the first time they were cool don’t totally understand how they work.

“It’s a really confusing system, and I hope the way I’m explaining it makes sense,” Chairman of the Pima County Democratic Party, Vince Rabago, said repeatedly while explaining how some delegates are more super than others in the Democratic primary.

They are state elected officials, former Democratic presidents, vice presidents, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives leaders, and members of Democratic National Committee.

Super delegates are so important this year, because candidates can’t be sure they have them in their pocket. Regular delegates are awarded after each state primary. This is true everywhere except in Florida and Michigan, where votes might not count this year, because they moved up their primaries.

As primary season wraps up, both candidates will know how many delegates are in their pocket, but they wont be sure how many of the nearly 800 super delegates they have. Even though many of the super delegates have openly supported candidates, they can change their vote up to the days of the convention.

“They will certainly play a role,” Rabago said. “I think most of them feel a little worried. I think they, of course, want to make sure they are representing their district.”

For instance, Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva is endorsing Obama, but Clinton won his district and state. Grijalva is an Obama supporter, but he could flip-flop for his constituents. Sounds like politics at its best--elected officials endorsing one candidate, but changing their mind to represent the people who keep them in office.

“That’s why you see the Presidential candidates calling these super delegates trying to get their vote, because it’s important at the end of the day and will be important when you have such a tight horse race,” Rabago said.
 
Think Clinton has to spend a lot of time on the phone with her former president and super delegate husband?

Some super delegates will vote for the candidate their constituents supported, but others wont. That begs the question of how representative will these unpledged, nominee-deciding voters be of the entire Democratic Party. Aside from the state representatives going with their gut instead of their voters, how will people in Florida and Michigan feel when the super delegates decide the Democratic candidate and they might not get a say in the matter?

Arizona has 11 super delegates and one of those seats is up for grabs.  The Vice Chair of the State Democratic Party is stepping down, so there will be an election to fill that position on April 26.

“People are campaigning to become the Vice Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party not only because it’s important and an important position to have, but also because they would become a super delegate,” Rabago said.


What are the odds that a more than quarter-century old tradition is encouraging people to take an active role in their political party?  Guess that’s what a super stimulated, super snug, super suspenseful primary will do for the American public. Let’s just hope the super spirit lasts until November.