NDGOP Delegation Votes To Allow Delegates To “Vote Their Conscience” At National Convention Convention

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Written By:
Rob Port

Aug 27, 2012
2:08pm

The NDGOP just sent out this press release about their delegation in Florida:

Treasure Island, Fla. – North Dakota Republican Party delegates to the Republican National Convention caucused today to discuss voluntarily casting their first ballot vote to reflect the results of the March 6 Presidential Preference Caucus.

Rule 3 of the North Dakota Republican Party Caucus states: “North Dakota’s delegates to the Republican National Convention in 2012 shall caucus prior to or at the convention to discuss voluntarily apportioning delegate representation on the first ballot to reflect the results of the Presidential Caucus, with any fractional result rounded to the nearest whole delegate. However, any such apportionment on the first ballot shall be strictly voluntary. The delegates remain free to vote their conscience on all balloting.”

After much discussion, including the fact that some presidential candidates have formally released their delegates, the delegation voted to allow delegates seated on the floor of the National Convention to vote their conscience in accordance with Rule 3. The motion succeeded on an overwhelming voice vote.

You readers will remember the contentious floor fight at the NDGOP’s state convention over the apportionment of national delegates among the presidential candidates. The party held a statewide caucus vote in which Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney finished first, second and third respectively. Yet, the delegates selected by the party at their convention were overwhelmingly those who had publicly pledged their support to Mitt Romney.

Angry convention attendees were told that the caucus vote was meaningless; merely an organization ploy to draw participants into the party not an actual exercise in democracy. Releasing the delegates at the national convention means they are under no obligation to make their votes reflect the outcome of the party’s statewide caucus vote. Not that the delegates really had any plans on doing that anyway.

This is a confusing issue because, obviously, the candidate most ND Republicans preferred (Rick Santorum) has withdrawn, but still one wonders why party activists should even bother participating in caucus votes and other proceedings that are, ultimately, meaningless.