Ballot Talks: Unbound delegates

Guests: Chris Potter, David Hopkins, Kenneth Gross

Understanding a representative democracy like ours can be hard.  This election in particular has illuminated some of the many quirks of our nominating process for president.  First, we talk with CHRIS POTTER of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the advent and implications of so-called “unbound delegates” in Pennsylvania – that is state GOP leaders who have not pledged to vote for any particular presidential candidate at the party’s convention.  Then, the ins and outs of the delegate system – how it evolved and how it leads to the eventual nominees.  Marty speaks with DAVID HOPKINS, a political science professor at Boston College.  Finally, we’ll talk about the lengths campaigns go to woo these uncommitted party leaders to get their backing, and the legalities around this practice when we talk with campaign law expert KENNETH GROSS.