Here's what's really at stake on Super Tuesday

A whopping 1,357 delegates are up for grabs this Super Tuesday — March 3 — as citizens in 14 states, American Samoa, and Democrats living overseas will head to the polls to decide which Democrat should take on Donald Trump in November.

To put that number of delegates in perspective, a total of 154 delegates have been awarded in the Iowa and Nevada caucuses and the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries combined.

A candidate needs to win 1,991 pledged delegates in order to become the nominee at the Democratic convention.

Thus far, Sen. Bernie Sanders has gained 60 pledged delegates, leading the rapidly dwindling Democratic field. Former Vice President Joe Biden has 53 delegates, followed by Pete Buttigieg (26), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (8), and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (7).

No other candidates have earned any delegates. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg did not compete in the first four states.

Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropped out of the race after Saturday’s South Carolina primary and both are expected to endorse Biden on Monday night.

On Super Tuesday, the two states with the most delegates at stake are California, with 415, and Texas, with 228. The other states voting on Tuesday are:

• North Carolina (110 delegates at stake)
• Virginia (99)
• Massachusetts (91)
• Minnesota (75)
• Colorado (67)
• Tennessee (64)
• Alabama (52)
• Oklahoma (37)
• Arkansas (31)
• Utah (29)
• Maine (24)
• Vermont (16)
• Democrats living abroad (13)
• American Samoa (6)

As in previous contests, candidates will need to obtain 15% of the vote either statewide or in congressional districts in order to qualify for delegates.

While California has the most available delegates, the state will take days, if not weeks, to process and count all the ballots. In California, voters can mail in their ballots on Super Tuesday, meaning election officials will not have all the ballots until several days later.

The majority of states will likely announce results late Tuesday night or on Wednesday.

The day with the second-most delegates at stake will be April 28 when Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island hold their primaries.

States and territories will continue to hold primaries and caucuses through June 6, when the U.S. Virgin Islands primary takes place.

Democrats will officially vote for the nominee at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee on July 13 through 16.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.