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Column: Doing the Texas two-step in primary
Javier
Quintanilla
Staff Reporter
thesouthtexan @yahoo.com
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TIn Texas, there is popular dance country music lovers refer as the two-step. In politics, people might be familiar with the two-step flow process which became a crutch for many voters in the 1920s and 40s. Clearly, one term involves dancing, and the other involves politics. That something else is what has become the focus for many voters not just in Texas, but those keeping a close eye nationwide. Relying on the media and famous figures for the information necessary to cast a decision for a particular candidate, is how this term first became popularized. Now, in Texas, the term is making a comeback among those who are becoming more familiar with how the delegate selection process works. This new form of the Texas two-step has a completely different meaning. It is now used to describe the primary voting system and how it operates in conjunction with the caucuses.
In a nutshell, the two-step process in today’s context refers to the system in which a percentage of the delegates selected to the national convention are determined first in the primary and then fifteen minutes after the polls close on election day (March 4th) the remaining percentage of delegates are chosen by those who attend their respective precinct caucuses. This dance move has created concern among those in districts where the Hispanic vote is concentrated. The reason there is so much concern is because in those same districts where the Hispanic votes were plentiful in highly-contested local elections, voters may not get the same voice because they did not vote in a general election in which the candidates were not involved in a heated contest. Since the number of proportionate delegates is based on voter turnout for the last presidential and gubernatorial election (2004 Dem. Nominee John Kerry and 2006 Dem. Gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell), Democratic voters find themselves in an unwanted position—to possibly be the deciding factor in a race that pits two well-spoken individuals in N.Y. Sen. Hilary Rodham Clinton and IL Sen. Barrack Obama against each other.
According to delegate selection plan drawn up for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Texas has a total of 228 delegates and 32 alternates. On the Republican side, which in this primary election cycle does not seem to find itself in nearly as much a highly contested race as the Democrats, 140 delegates and 137 alternates will be selected. Both party systems maintain a proportional selection process which takes into account the results of the primary and a smaller percentage of delegates which are nominated at the respective state conventions.
The smaller percentage of delegates appointed at large through a three tier system of delegate conventions is where most people are a bit puzzled. With an average of 65 percent of the delegates selected through a statewide primary election and 35 percent delegates chosen through this tiered system of conventions, it becomes increasingly important to understand how it works.
Without making more complicated than it already is, the formula is simple; as long as you vote in the primary early or on that day, you qualify to attend the precinct convention that will nominate delegates to go to the county/senatorial district conventions to take place at a later date and of course if you are chosen as a delegate there, you can go on to the state convention.
As you may know, this year’s democratic presidential candidates find themselves in a highly contested race and more and more voters are wondering how Texas will impact the overall picture. In considering this convoluted system of selecting delegates, it is no wonder that both presidential candidates have campaigned heavily in our area and Texas seems to yet again be in the circus spotlight like a two-headed rattlesnake. Let’s hope the rattling sound doesn’t scare away the voters.