Why is Super Tuesday so important? What's a delegate? And what happens at a brokered convention?
Democratic Convention,Elections
More than a third of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary votes will be cast this Tuesday.
So far, 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls have been battling it out for delegates in four early voting states — Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina — each with its own dedicated debate night, and each getting individualized attention from the candidates.
But they’ll be competing in multiple states that have their primaries on the same day, Super Tuesday.
The day that’s talked about throughout primary season is an important one for Democratic candidates, as it could significantly shape the direction of the remainder of the race and has the potential to establish a breakout frontrunner. Or it could bring multiple campaigns within striking distance of one another.
So what is Super Tuesday and why does it matter? And what’s all this talk about a “brokered convention?” We break it down:
What’s so ‘super’ about Super Tuesday?
On March 3, 2020, also known as Super Tuesday, the largest number of states have their primaries on the same day. The largest number of voters will make their presidential choices, and a large number of delegates is up for grabs.
On March 3, 14 states and one territory from across the country have primary elections: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and American Samoa. Voters in all Super Tuesday states will participate in a primary, while Democrats in American Samoa will caucus. Democrats abroad also start voting on Tuesday and can vote through March 10.
