pledged delegate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal
Quick answer
What does “pledged delegate” mean?
A party member who has been formally selected to vote for a specific candidate at a political nominating convention.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A party member who has been formally selected to vote for a specific candidate at a political nominating convention.
A representative bound by a previous commitment (often expressed through a primary election or caucus result) to support a particular candidate's nomination. This is a core element of the U.S. presidential nomination process, distinguishing them from unpledged 'superdelegates'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American, referring to a unique feature of the U.S. presidential election system. In British politics, party leadership is not selected through a comparable delegate-based convention system.
Connotations
In U.S. usage, it signifies a formal, rule-based element of democracy. For non-U.S. audiences, it is a technical term describing a foreign political process.
Frequency
Frequency surges dramatically every four years during U.S. presidential election cycles, especially in primary season. Otherwise, it is very low-frequency outside political analysis.
Grammar
How to Use “pledged delegate” in a Sentence
[Candidate] won/has [number] pledged delegates from [state].The [party] rules govern how pledged delegates are allocated.[State] will send [number] pledged delegates to the convention.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pledged delegate” in a Sentence
verb
American English
- The candidate hopes to *pledge* enough delegates to secure the nomination before the convention.
adjective
American English
- She focused her campaign on states with early *pledged-delegate* allocations.
- The *pledged-delegate* count is the most objective measure of primary success.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in political science to analyze nomination processes, electoral systems, and party rules.
Everyday
Almost exclusively in news reports and discussions about U.S. presidential primary elections.
Technical
Central term in the rulebooks of the Democratic and Republican parties for nominating conventions; used by election analysts and campaign strategists.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “pledged delegate”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “pledged delegate”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pledged delegate”
- Using "pledged delegate" to refer to any party conference attendee.
- Confusing it with "superdelegate" or "unpledged delegate".
- Using it in contexts outside of political nominating conventions (e.g., corporate or UN delegates).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, no, on the first convention ballot. They are formally bound by party rules to vote for the candidate they were allocated to, based on primary or caucus results. Rules vary by party and state, and they may be released for subsequent ballots if no candidate wins on the first.
Individuals are elected or chosen at local or state party meetings (e.g., congressional district caucuses, state conventions) to fill slots allocated to a specific candidate based on that candidate's performance in the state's primary or caucus.
Yes, it is a term specific to the internal nomination processes of U.S. political parties, particularly for the presidency. Other countries have different methods for selecting party leaders and candidates.
It depends on state and party rules. Often, they become free to support another candidate, especially if their candidate releases them. In some cases, they remain bound to vote for that candidate on the first ballot regardless.
A party member who has been formally selected to vote for a specific candidate at a political nominating convention.
Pledged delegate is usually formal in register.
Pledged delegate: in British English it is pronounced /plɛdʒd ˈdɛlɪɡət/, and in American English it is pronounced /plɛdʒd ˈdɛləɡət/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PLEDGE you make to support someone. A PLEDGED DELEGATE is a person officially chosen to represent that pledge by voting for a specific candidate at the big party meeting.
Conceptual Metaphor
A VOTE AS A COMMODITY that can be won, earned, allocated, and counted.
Practice
Quiz
What distinguishes a 'pledged delegate' from a 'superdelegate' in U.S. politics?