AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ Democratic presidential primary is set to shift to allocating delegates based solely on voting results, after national party leaders rejected the state’s traditional “Two-Step” method that had also included post-election caucuses.
America’s second most populous state votes March 1 as part of the 2016 presidential election’s “Super Tuesday.”
While the exact state tallies may still vary, Texas is expected to have more than 250 Democratic delegates, making it the largest electoral prize of the 12 states planning to vote that day. Only California and New York have more potential delegates, but neither are scheduled to hold “Super Tuesday” primaries.
In previous cycles, two-thirds of Texas’ Democratic presidential delegates were awarded among candidates based on primary results. The rest were selected by caucuses held later.
But high caucus turnout in 2008 allowed Barack Obama to take more Texas Democratic presidential delegates than Hillary Clinton, despite Clinton winning the primary election vote.
Some party voters raised concerns then that the two-tiered system was confusing. But Texas nonetheless sought a Democratic National Committee waiver to continue it — only to have it denied last week.
The new, more straightforward system will be submitted for national party approval next week.
It mandates that candidates capture at least 15 percent of the vote in a Texas Senate district to win a delegate from that district, and that they be allocated at-large delegates by taking at least 15 percent of the statewide vote.
Texas Democratic Party Executive Director Crystal Perkins says the new plan means “individual Democratic primary voters will have more power in the selection of their nominee. “
“Unfortunately, the Texas Two-Step will not take place this election cycle,” Perkins said in a statement Tuesday. “However, Texas Democrats will have an important voice in selecting that nominee.”
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
no mo’ Texas Two Step?
I’m glad about this. Showing up to the polls twice is a royal pain in the arse. The caucus doesn’t start until after the polls close at 7:00 and in 2008, the caucus at my precinct wasn’t released until almost 9:00 PM. Real pain for those of us who have small children. Your choice is pay someone $30 to watch your kid for two hours, or not caucus. What is more, if you didn’t vote in the primary, you couldn’t participate in the caucus anyway. While I am happy that Obama was able to utilize his more motivated supporters to split the Texas delegates despite the shellacking he took in the primary, the process was confusing, difficult, and disenfranchising. I accidentally caucused for Pat Buchanan /jk.
Having been a precinct captain for Obama in 2008- I’ll just say I’m glad the system is gone, though we did work the system effectively in 2008, delivering more delegates for Obama.
The system is confusing for voters. No one will miss it.
No one knew what the hell was going on in the caucus I attended. Someone finally shouted a suggestion to the young kid, a poll watcher with a clip board I believe, that everyone split into groups according to who they supported and sign a sheet stating their support.
We were organized and informed - and we made sure the voters in our precinct were informed as well. 2008 wasn’t a normal primary though - emotions were running high and it was fairly easy to get people to turn out. I don’t think that will be true in other years.