Super Tuesday explained
From left, Democratic presidential candidates, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. and businessman Tom Steyer, greet one another on stage at the end of the Democratic presidential primary debate at the Gaillard Center, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, in Charleston, S.C., co-hosted by CBS News and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Next Tuesday, March 3, marks a pivotal day for the presidential race. Commonly known as “Super Tuesday,” it’s the day 14 states will hold their primary elections.
Super Tuesday will likely give great insight into which candidate will clinch the nomination of the Democrat party. This will determine which candidate will go on to face incumbent President Donald Trump in November.
Why isn’t there as much buzz about the Republican primaries?
As the incumbent candidate for the presidency, Trump has had overwhelming support from Republican voters thus far, steamrolling every other candidate for the Republican ticket this November.
President Donald Trump gestures as he walks offstage after speaking at a campaign rally, Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Trump has claimed over 90% of the popular vote and 144 pledged delegates. Only a single representative has been pledged to a candidate other than Trump, belonging to former Governor of Massachusetts Bill Weld.
Kansas, Nevada, South Carolina, Alaska and Hawaii state committees have all voted to cancel their Republican caucuses and primaries. Kansas, Nevada and Hawaii have granted Trump victory due to his incumbent status instead of holding primaries.
On the other hand, the outcome of the Democratic primary is still relatively up for grabs between several candidates, prompting a need for more detailed analysis.
How many delegates are needed for the Democrat nomination?
In the 2020 race for the presidency, the states of Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada have each concluded their caucuses.
So far, 97 delegates have been pledged between five candidates over the past three primary races. The delegates will represent their state when voting for a presidential nominee at the Democratic National Convention.
54 delegates are up for grabs between Democratic candidates in the South Carolina primary this Saturday.
On Super Tuesday, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia will hold their primaries — a total of 1,344 delegates will be allotted between the Democratic candidates.
There is a total of 3,979 delegates to be distributed. Still, a candidate needs to win only 1,991 delegates to ensure their nomination as the Democrat candidate for the presidential election.
Besides the presidency, what else will we be voting for?
While the presidency’s importance cannot be understated, primary ballots include far more options for a range of other offices and positions.
Primary ballots include fields where voters can select or write-in their candidate for positions in federal legislative bodies like the Senate and House. The ballots also include state legislatures as well as highly localized contests like county government and school districts.
Ballots may also include propositions, which are measures brought directly to voters rather than their elected representatives. Voters decide on whether or not a proposition will be passed into law.
Beyond the presidential race, the ballots distributed on Super Tuesday will be highly localized. For example, not every state will have a Senate seat up for grabs, and propositions can vary from city to city and state to state.
If you are unsure of what will be on your ballot, sample ballots can usually be found on a county’s website.
How do I know if I can vote?
If you have registered to vote in the past but are unsure of your current voter status, you can check your status on the National Association of Secretaries of State website.
The NASS website also offers visitors comprehensive details about the voting process.
Unfortunately, the deadlines for some states’ early and absentee voting have already passed. Voters who have missed both deadlines must either vote in person on the date of their state’s primary or risk missing the chance to cast a vote in the primary.
Be sure to keep informed about the voting process. Much of the information concerning primary voting will also be relevant to the general election, which is slated for Nov. 3.
