2020 Democratic Calendar - The Road to Milwaukee

updated Aug. 23, 2020                   

This calendar shows dates of first determining steps in state / territory Democratic delegate selection processes.  44 contests are state run primaries and 12 are party run processes.1  The number needed to nominate is 1,991 (50%+1) of the 3,979 pledged delegates 2; the AP reported Biden reached that number on June 5 (+).  The biggest day on the 2020 calendar was Super Tuesday March 3 when 14 states plus AS voted, accounting for 1,344 of 3,979 pledged delegates (33.8%).  As shown below, the coronavirus pandemic radically reshaped the calendar.  For example, April 28 had been scheduled to be the second biggest day on the calendar, a total of 663 delegates accounting for 16.7% of pledged delegates; all six states moved their primaries.  Sixteen states and Puerto Rico postponed their presidential primaries, many to June, several to July and one even in August.  The calendar changes had little effect on the selection of the nominee; the nomination was effectively settled on April 8, when Sen. Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign and former Vice President Joe Biden became the presumptive nominee.  However, from a process point of view there are ramifications.  Primaries and caucuses are but one step in the selection of delegates.  Several states moved presidential primaries outside the June 9 date set in the DNC Delegate Selection Rules2; and many state parties, working in coordination with the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee, made adjustments to their delegate selection plans.  
[State Delegations]

Delegate numbers in the chart below are final and definitive, updated Aug. 4, 2020 (+).  

   
Date
State
System
Pledged
Automatic
Votes
Total
Votes
Alts.

Feb. 3
Iowa
Caucus
41
8
49
5

Feb. 11 New Hampshire
Primary
24
9
33
2

Feb. 22 Nevada
Caucus
36
13
49
3

Feb. 29 South Carolina
Primary
54
10
64
5









Mar. 3
Alabama
Primary
52
8
60
4


American Samoa
Caucus
6
5
11
2


Arkansas
Primary
31
5
36
3


California
Primary
415
79
494
35


Colorado
Primary
67
12
79
6


Maine
Primary
24
8
32
3


Massachusetts
Primary
91
23
114
9


Minnesota
Primary
75
16
91
6


North Carolina
Primary
110
12
122
9


Oklahoma
Primary
37
6
43
3


Tennessee
Primary
64
9
73
7


Texas
Primary
228
32
260
21


Utah
Primary
29
5
34
2


Vermont
Primary
16
8
24
2


Virginia
Primary
99
25
124
8









Mar. 10 Democrats Abroad
Primary*
13
4
17
2


Idaho
Primary
20
5
25
2


Michigan
Primary
125
22
147
10


Mississippi
Primary
36
5
41
3


Missouri
Primary
68
11
79
6


North Dakota
Caucus
14
4
18
2


Washington
Primary
89
20
109
7









Mar. 14
No. Mariana Islands
Caucus
6
5
11
2









Mar. 17
Arizona
Primary
67
13
80
6


Florida
Primary
219
30
249
18


Illinois
Primary
155
27
182
13


Ohio
Primary
136
17
153
11









Mar. 24
Georgia
Primary
105
14
119
9









Mar. 29 Puerto Rico
Primary
51
8
59
5









Apr. 4
Alaska
Primary*
15
4
19
2


Hawaii
Primary*
24
9
33
2


Louisiana
Primary
54
6
60
4


Wyoming
Caucus
14
4
18
2









Apr. 7
Wisconsin
Primary
84
13
97
7









Apr. 10
(Apr. 4)
*Alaska [all mail in]
Primary*
15
4
19
2









Apr. 17
(Apr. 4)
*Wyoming [all mail in]
Caucus
14
4
18
3









Apr 26
(Mar. 29)
*Puerto Rico

Primary
51
8
59
5









Apr. 28
Connecticut
Primary
60
15
75
5


Delaware
Primary
21
11
32
2


Maryland
Primary
96
23
119
8


New York
Primary
274
50
324
23


Pennsylvania
Primary
186
24
210
16


Rhode Island
Primary
26
9
35
2

(Mar. 17) *Ohio
Primary
136
18
154
11









May 2
Kansas [all mail in]
Primary*
39
6
45
3


Guam
Caucus
6
5
11
2









May 5
Indiana
Primary
70
7
77
6









May 12
Nebraska
Primary
29
4
33
2


West Virginia
Primary
28
6
34
2









May 19
Kentucky
Primary
54
6
60
5


Oregon
Primary
61
13
74
5

(Mar. 24)
*Georgia
Primary
105
14
119
9









May 22
(Apr. 4)
*Hawaii [all mail in]
Primary*
24
9
33
2









June 2
District of Columbia
Primary
20
25
45
2


Montana
Primary
19
6
25
2


New Jersey
Primary
107
21
128
9


New Mexico
Primary
34
12
46
4


South Dakota
Primary
16
5
21
3

(Apr. 28) *Connecticut
Primary
60
15
75
5

(Apr. 28) *Delaware
Primary
21
11
32
2

(May 5)
*Indiana
Primary
82
7
89
8

(Apr. 28)
*Maryland
Primary
96
24
120
8

(Apr. 28) *Pennsylvania
Primary
186
24
210
16

(Apr. 28) *Rhode Island
Primary
26
9
35
3









June 6
Guam
Caucus
7
6
13
2


Virgin Islands
Caucus
7
6
13
1









June 9
(May 12)
*West Virginia
Primary
28
6
34
2

(May 19)
**Georgia
Primary
105
13
118
9









June 20
(Apr. 4)
*Louisiana
Primary
54
6
60
4









June 23
(May 19)
*Kentucky
Primary
54
6
60
5

(Apr. 28) *New York
Primary
274
50
324
23









July 7
(June 2)
*New Jersey
Primary
126
20
146
11

(Apr. 28) *Delaware
Primary
21
11
32
2









July 11
(Apr. 4/
June 20)

**Louisiana
Primary
54
6
60
4









July 12
**Puerto Rico
Primary
51
7
58
5









Aug. 11
(June 2/
Apr. 28)
**Connecticut
Primary
60
15
75
5










unassigned*


2











Total


3,979
770
4,747
357

  There are 4,747 delegate votes, but 4,751 delegates; the difference is due to Democrats Abroad, which has fractional votes (21 delegates, 17 votes).        

Notes.

1. Per DNC advisor Rick Boylan: "any state government run first step is called a 'primary.' Any state party run first step, is called a 'caucus' -- even if it's a state party run primary."  [indicated above as primary*]  Further details are spelled out in the DNC Delegate Selection Rules.


2. The formula for distribution of delegate votes among the 50 states and DC is set out in the DNC Call to the Convention.  The base number of delegates, which for 2020 is 3,200, is multiplied by the allocation factor.  The formula for the allocation factor gives "equal weight to the sum of the vote for the Democratic candidates in the three (3) most recent presidential elections and to population by electoral vote":


       A =


1
2
(
SDV 2008 + SDV 2012 + SDV 2016
TDV 2008 + TDV 2012 + TDV 2016
+
SEV
538
)

Provisions are made for Puerto Rico, Democrats Abroad, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas and U.S.V.I. bringing the base total to 3,278.

75% of base delegates are district delegates and 25% are at-large: 2,437 and 841.

Bonus delegates are awarded to states holding later contests or contests on the same date as two or more bordering states ('regional clusters").  211 bonus delegates were awarded to 24 states for 2020.  These resulted in an additional 154 district level delegates and 57 at-large delegates.

On top of the base delegates, a further 15% is added for Party Leader and Elected Officials (PLEOs). There are 490 PLEOs.

Automatic (unpledged) delegates comprise members of the DNC, the president and vice president, members of the U.S. House and Senate and governors.  The number and distribution of allocation of automatic delegates can change up to the time of the convention due to elections and changes among the DNC affiliated organizations.  *For example, Rick Boylan explains that the unassigned automatic delegate listed at the bottom the chart above is the result of: "A labor at-large member [of the DNC from North Carolina] resigned his labor position, which created a vacancy. There's no available process for the DNC to elect a new at-large member to fill that position."  There were 770 automatic delegate votes comprising 446 DNC Members, 276 Members of Congress (following the passing of Rep. John Lewis), 26 Governors and 22 Distinguished Party Leaders.

Finally, there are alternates.  Rick Boylan helpfully explains, "The Call, in Art. I, Sec. I., allocates alternates to the states and territories. States receive one alternate for every 12 delegate positions, with each delegation getting at least two alternates." If a state receives bonus delegates it can potentially receive bonus alternates. Further, per rule 19.B the DNC can allocate extra alternates to ensure that presidential candidates who won delegates also have an alternate.


3. DNC Delegate Selection Rules 12A:
"No meetings, caucuses, conventions or primaries which constitute the first determining stage in the presidential nomination process...may be held prior to the first Tuesday in March or after the second Tuesday in June in the calendar year of the national convention."



See also:
Presidential Candidate Written Affirmation (2019) [PDF]  

Biden for President and Friends of Bernie Sanders.  "Memo to State Parties: Allocation and Election of At-Large and PLEO Delegates and Standing Committee Members."  April 30, 2020.

2016 Democratic Calendar.

2016
2020
4,765 total delegates and 347 alternates
4,753 total delegates and 345 alternates
39 primaries and 17 caucus/conventions
44 primaries and 12 caucuses 

Super Tuesday:
11 states and AS

Super Tuesday
14 states and AS


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