• MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    The delegates are bound to vote for Biden on the first ballot. They cannot just decide to vote for someone else. Where are you getting this?

    • WoahWoah@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      They’re “getting this” from reality. Delegates are not legally bound to vote for whomever they’ve pledged to support from the primaries. It is strongly encouraged to do so, but whether they actually do is a matter of norms rather than an enforceable law. And a handful of delegates have voted other than their pledge numerous times in the past.

      There’s nothing stopping delegates from deciding to vote for whoever they’d like. And if enough of them can be convinced to nominate someone other than Biden, that’s the actual nominee. Primaries don’t actually matter other than serving as a way to influence the national convention: who the delegates vote for at the national convention is all that matters, and they are not legally bound to their pledge.