House Democrats to get 2020 delegate allocation process briefing Thursday

Just days before the South Carolina presidential primary and Super Tuesday, officials from the Democratic National Committee will give House Democrats a briefing on the delegate allocation process, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s spokesman Drew Hammill told CNN on Tuesday.

“The Democratic National Convention to nominate the next President of the United States will be held July 13-16th in Milwaukee,” Hammill said. “In the months ahead, there are important dates that relate to delegate selection, the establishment of committees and other member opportunities, and that’s what this briefing will address.”

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The briefing, to be held Thursday afternoon near the Capitol, will include a presentation of the primary process, detailing how delegates are allocated to winners, and will allow time for members to ask questions. DNC rules require all states to allocate their pledged delegates proportionally, both statewide and at a predetermined district level (most commonly by congressional district).

Pelosi, who organized the briefing, alerted members of the Democratic caucus about it on Monday in a Dear Colleague letter.

“Ahead of the Democratic National Convention, I am writing to invite you to a briefing on delegate selection, the establishment of committees and other opportunities for Member participation that lie ahead,” she wrote in the letter.

Members of Congress are “superdelegates” by virtue of their elected position, but new rules implemented this cycle don’t allow them to vote on the first ballot of the convention for the presidential nominee unless it is mathematically impossible for them to impact the outcome.

Sen. Bernie Sanders is the current delegate leader, CNN estimates, after winning two of the first three contests in Nevada and New Hampshire.

It takes 1,991 delegates to win the Democratic nomination on the first ballot of the convention.