Delegates are NOT winner take all in Democratic Primaries.

The Call for the 2020 Convention shall state the base delegation for each delegation.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of each state’s base delegation shall be elected at the congressional district level or smaller.

Twenty-five percent (25%) of each state’s base delegation shall be elected at large.

Delegates so elected shall hereafter be termed “district-level” and “at-large” delegates, respectively.

Each State Democratic Chair shall certify all delegates in writing to the Secretary of the DNC.

From Green Papers.

During the primaries, caucuses, and conventions delegates are "won" by candidates as follows:

District Delegates are proportionally allocated according to the vote in each Congressional (or other) District.

At-Large Delegates are proportionally allocated according to the statewide vote. (Fine point: If a presidential candidate is no longer a candidate at the time of selection of the at-large delegates, that candidate receives NO at-large delegates [Delegate Selection Rules: Rule 11.C.]. In most jurisdictions, the delegates are selected [according to the results of the primary or caucus] some time after the primary.)

Pledged PLEO Delegates are proportionally allocated according to the statewide vote.

Automatic Delegates vote their conscience.


From 270

Pledged delegates are proportionately allocated to candidates getting 15% or more in a primary or caucus. The 15% threshold applies at each geographic level where delegates are awarded.

What that means is if there is a kaboodle of candidates and only 2 candidates meet the 15% threshold, only those votes are considered for determining the delegate allocation. A) 23,000, B) 6,000 ---> A) gets 80% of the delegates and B) gets 20%

If only one candidate receives 15% of all the votes then they receive 100% of the delegates.

Calculations are done at the congressional district level and at the state level.