There were 652 credentialed delegates. This means 327 votes were required for a majority. Bob Barr finished with just 324 votes.
Possible explanation: Perhaps only a majority of ballots cast during a particular round was required, as opposed to a majority of the credentialed delegates. However, 327 was stated to be the number required for victory, and if this explanation is the case, then there should have been no such statement.
As it is, a minor manipulation of the NOTA vote — which could have escaped detection — could have made the difference between a Barr nomination and a hopeless deadlock.
Now this, from a highly placed insider in the Mike Gravel campaign:
A bunch of us on the campaign were looking at the final numbers during ballot 6, and NOTA only received 4 votes. We know of 10 people in our camp alone who voted NOTA. We’re trying to figure out more.
NOTA in fact received 26 votes during the final round of balloting, but perhaps the insider is discussing a particular state delegation. It’s unclear.
After the first round of balloting, vote totals were announced quickly and displayed on the monitor for only a brief period of time. They were confirmed by state chairs.
UPDATE: Here is the bylaws section dealing with the presidential “majority” vote required:
The Party’s nominee for President shall be chosen by majority vote. If no candidate has attained a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes and any candidates polling less than 5% shall be struck from subsequent ballots. This procedure shall be repeated after every ballot in which no candidate has received a majority vote, until one candidate attains a majority.
The obvious question: Majority of what?
Update #2: To answer the question above.
A quorum shall consist of 40% of the total number of delegates registered in attendance at the Convention.
17 responses so far ↓
1 Ross Levin // May 28, 2008 at 2:49 pm
So what does it mean if he didn’t actually win?
2 Brian Miller // May 28, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Perhaps only a majority of ballots cast during a particular round was required
I believe this is correct. In fact, it was the departure of a number of delegates from the floor that helped contribute to Kubby’s loss in the VP voting.
3 Ross Levin // May 28, 2008 at 2:55 pm
By the way, I have another press release from John Murhy’s campaign (he’s an independent running for Congress in PA’s 16th District). I would be willing to post it…
4 G.E. // May 28, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Brian – Yes, W.A.R. certainly had less than a majority of the credentialed delegates. But the Barr aspect stands out because the chair or the credentials-committee leader specifically said “327″ as the magic number.
Our Michigan delegation lost one person during the course of balloting. In all, there were 626 who cast ballots the final round — meaning 26 credentialed delegates did not cast votes the final round.
5 Brian Miller // May 28, 2008 at 3:00 pm
the credentials-committee leader specifically said “327″ as the magic number
The magic number if 100% of credentialed delegates cast a vote.
However, I’m 99% certain that the requirement is not a majority of credentialed delegates, but rather a majority of voting delegates.
6 Brian Miller // May 28, 2008 at 3:01 pm
In other words, if 324 of the delegates had left to go to Starbucks during the voting, and the remaining 3 had all voted for Barr, Barr would have won.
7 aynrkey // May 28, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Unless you plan to show this to the LP Judicial Committee, then this is a waste of time and energy.
8 G.E. // May 28, 2008 at 3:03 pm
ayn – This is a news blog. Someone passed me this news. I posted it. The only waste of time or energy is posting comments if you think it’s a waste of time and energy.
9 G.E. // May 28, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Brian – You’re undoubtedly right on some level, but I’m sure there must be a minimum for a quorum.
10 G.E. // May 28, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Ross – I emailed you.
11 aynrkey // May 28, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Ok, GE, then my comment goes back to your source. If the original author won’t act on what was written, the original author is saying the grapes our sour.
12 G.E. // May 28, 2008 at 3:20 pm
ayn – For all I know, the original author is taking other steps.
13 Fred Church Ortiz // May 28, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I thought Michigan was solid Ruwart, what happenned to the dropout?
14 Lance Brown // May 28, 2008 at 4:05 pm
It has to be based on a majority of the votes cast, otherwise a large enough delegate walkout could result in no one being able to win at all.
15 G.E. // May 28, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Fred – On the first ballot, Mary had 12 votes; Kubby 1. There were a total of 26. Mary held at 13 through most rounds, but the final tally was 16 for her, 8 for Barr, and 1 for NOTA. One other guy left.
16 G.E. // May 28, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Lance – It appears you are right — with a quorum at a mere 40% of the delegates in attendance. But you’d think that with all of the incessant debating over the bylaws, that they could be a little more specific. Also, it was WRONG for whoever said it, from the podium, to say the winner would need 327 if that was not the case… Which it appears was not.
17 Jerry S. // May 29, 2008 at 7:55 pm
LOL-327 on that first ballot, if ALL certified delegates voted. It is always the majority of votes cast. Barr actually could have won with (what?) 314 votes on that sixth ballot. It’s always 50 % + 1 vote of the votes cast !
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