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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