I disagree with Ms. Russell’s letter arguing that the Democratic Party’s system of having super-delegates participate in nominating a presidential candidate is “not democratic” (page A4, April 15 Herald).
First of all, the presidential primaries are not like the general election, in which citizens have a constitutional right to vote regardless of party affiliation or participation. This is the Democratic Party (a non-governmental organization) deciding which candidate to put its collective money and influence behind.
Political parties are organized to help elect candidates that represent a party’s agenda, decided on by party members. Anyone is welcome to participate in such decision-making (and become a “party insider”) by becoming active in the Party (any time, not just during a presidential election year): www.wa-democrats.org.
Secondly, super-delegates are people who have already been elected to represent Democratic interests. They consist of Democratic governors, Democratic members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, elected members of the Democratic Party at national and state levels, and a few former members of each of these groups, including previous presidents and vice presidents.
It is not “corruption” for the Democratic Party (remember — a non-governmental organization) to grant 20 percent of its nominating votes to its most involved and experienced members and 80 percent to primary voters and caucus-goers (who, in Washington, don’t even have to be registered Democrats), most of whom do not otherwise participate in the Party.
It is also not “corruption” that super-delegates have started out favoring Clinton, a longtime member of the Party , over Sanders, a lifelong Independent, who first declared himself a Democrat on his application for candidacy for the nomination.
Democratic Party super-delegates do not exist to upset the will of the people; in 2008, they ultimately switched from backing Clinton to Obama when Obama won more pledged delegates. Super-delegates exist to help select the Democratic candidate most likely win the general election.
This year, I know many Republicans who are sorry they don’t have the same super-delegate system in their nominating process given their current front-runners either don’t represent the party (Trump) or represent an extreme faction (Cruz).
Melissa Fleming
Poulsbo
