Explaining the Delegate System

CNN.com published an excellent summary of the delegate system for any of you that are interested. You can read the whole thing in 5 to 10 minutes.

It explains how delegates are awarded in each party, what "super-delegates" are and how a candidate wins their support. (Make sure to click each of the three tabs: "The Math", "Who are the delegates" and "Winning delegates").

Some of you may be wondering why talk of delegates is becoming increasingly common in this Presidential race when it was rarely mentioned in past elections. The answer is that we have not had such a closely contested primary race on both sides in a long time. Even with the recent narrowing of the field (e.g. the exit of Giuliani, Thompson and Edwards) - it is still possible that neither party will have a candidate with a majority of delegates prior to their convention.

It is an exciting (and stressful) time to be a political junkie...