2008-03-10

The half delegate

So this post should be about how Clinton got what she needed from the voters in Texas and Ohio.  And perhaps that would follow into the concern of many that the Democrats won't have a decisive candidate before the convention.  I'd like to draw attention to a more minor detail of the whole process, and that is the half delegate.  WHAT IS A HALF DELEGATE?  I first noticed this while browsing the New York Times results summary:


You will notice that in "Democrats Abroad" that Clinton received 1.5 delegates to Obama's 3.  As of the date of this post, you would also notice that the New York Times is estimating Obama will receive 159.5 delegates based on a Survey of Superdelegates.  

So  in the case of the survey, a half delegate *could* be someone who basically said they'll flip a coin on the day of the vote.  While not all that helpful to report in a race this close, it is a valid statistical way to describe a delegate in such a quantum probabilistic state.  But in the case of the Democrats abroad, 1.5 delegates have pledged their vote for Clinton.  Does this mean that US territories get less of a vote?  I can't imagine someone agreed to give their arms to Obama and legs to Clinton.  What gives?