The National Nominating Conventions: Are They Worth It and What’s Next?

Abstract

In recent history, national party nominating conventions have not been very significant in determining the party nominees, relevant platforms, and hard and fast rules that last very long. To many observers national nominating conventions have become a mere ratification of the primary and caucus process. This begs the question, “Are national party nominating conventions worth the effort?” Certainly, the reforms discussed in chapter 4 seem to have accomplished at least one thing across the two parties—the delegations to the conventions do appear to look more like the general electorate. Both sets of delegates are more diverse than in the 1960s, though the Democrats are perhaps more diverse, partly due to their more stringent representational requirements and the makeup of the Democratic constituency. What does this diversity, in both parties, really mean if the delegates are left with nothing to decide?