Editing Superdelegate (section)

====2016 election====
In 2016, a campaign for superdelegates was a feature of the campaign between former Secretary of State [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] and U.S. Senator [[Bernie Sanders]] for the Democratic nomination; Sanders' campaigns and his supporters initially criticized the role of superdelegates, the majority of whom favored Clinton.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Strauss|first1=Daniel|title=Sanders supporters revolt against superdelegates|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/bernie-sanders-superdelegates-democrats-219286|website=Politico|access-date=March 9, 2016}}</ref><ref name=Rieger>JM Rieger, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/02/20/bernie-sanders-pushed-contested-convention-2016-now-he-wants-avoid-one/ Bernie Sanders pushed for a contested convention in 2016. Now he wants to avoid one.],  ''Washington Post''(March 1, 2020).</ref><ref>Domenico Montanaro, [https://www.npr.org/2015/11/13/455812702/clinton-has-45-to-1-superdelegate-advantage-over-sanders Clinton Has 45-To-1 'Superdelegate' Advantage Over Sanders], NPR (November 13, 2015).</ref> Several mainstream media outlets included superdelegates in the candidate delegate totals during the primary elections although superdelegates do not vote until the convention and may change their minds on whom they are planning to vote for anytime before the convention. The DNC asked media outlets to not include superdelegate pledges in delegate totals,<ref>{{cite news| last = Abramson | first = Seth | title = The National Media Has Been Instructed By the DNC Not to Count superdelegates, So Why Have They Refused? | newspaper = Huffington Post | date = March 2, 2016 | url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-abramson/the-national-media-has-be_b_9364170.html }}</ref> but many outlets, including the Associated Press, NBC, CBS, and Politico, continued to report total pledged delegates, lumping together superdelegates and pledged delegates. Sanders supporters objected to this practice, argued that it inflated Clinton's lead and discouraged Sanders supporters.<ref>{{cite news| last = Abramson| first = Seth| title = Clinton Delegate Lead Down to 194, Even as Dramatic Miscounting of Delegates by Media Continues| newspaper = Huffington Post | date = Apr 18, 2016 | url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-abramson/clintons-delegate-lead-do_b_9711160.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last = Ryan | first = Shane | title = The AP Announcing Clinton's "Victory" Was an Embarrassment to Journalism and U.S. Politics | magazine = Paste Magazine  | date = June 7, 2016| url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/06/the-ap-announcing-clintons-victory-was-an-embarras.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Phillips | first = Amber | title = How Maine Democrats just voted to abolish superdelegates | newspaper = Washington Post | date = May 9, 2016 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/04/14/one-bernie-sanders-supporter-thinks-she-has-a-way-to-fix-the-superdelegate-process/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Ryan  | first = Shane | title = After Sanders' Big Win in New Hampshire, Establishment Figures Want to Scare You with Superdelegates. Here's Why It's Bullshit | magazine = Paste Magazine | date = February 10, 2016  | url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/02/after-sanders-big-win-in-new-hampshire-establishme.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Atkins | first = David  | title = End the Superdelegates. End the Caucuses. For Democracy's Sake. | magazine = Washington Monthly | date = February 27, 2016 | url=http://washingtonmonthly.com/2016/02/27/end-the-superdelegates-end-the-caucuses-for-democracys-sake/ }}</ref>
 
Sanders initially said that the candidate with the majority of pledged delegates should be the nominee; in May 2016, after falling behind in the elected delegate count, he shifted, pushed for a contested convention and arguing that, "The responsibility that superdelegates have is to decide what is best for this country and what is best for the Democratic Party."<ref name=Rieger/><ref name=Yen>Hope Yen, [https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hillary-clinton-politics-election-2020-super-tuesday-a5f8f2335cf1b617dbb6626845b1c4a8 AP FACT CHECK: Sanders' shift on delegates needed to win], Associated Press (March 1, 2020).</ref> Ultimately, Clinton won the nomination without relying on the votes of superdelegates; she led Sanders by a substantial number of elected delegates (from primary and caucus votes), as well by a substantial margin in the popular vote.<ref name=Yen/><ref>Nate Cohn, [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/07/upshot/how-hillary-clinton-reached-the-magic-number.html Pledges Pushed Hillary Clinton Over the Magic Number], ''New York Times'' (June 6, 2016).</ref> She became the [[presumptive nominee]] in early June 2016, after the [[2016 California Democratic presidential primary|California primary]]; at the time, Clinton had 1812 pledged delegates and 572 superdelegates, and Sanders had 1520 pledged delegates and 46 superdelegates.<ref>Carrie Dann, [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/clinton-hits-magic-number-delegates-clinch-nomination-n586181 Clinton Hits 'Magic Number' of Delegates to Clinch Nomination], NBC News (June 6, 2016).</ref> Sanders continued to campaign after the last Democratic primary, unsuccessfully seeking to persuade superdelegates to switch their allegiance to him;<ref name=Rieger/><ref>Amita Kelly, [https://www.npr.org/2016/05/19/478705022/sanders-campaign-now-says-superdelegates-are-key-to-winning-nomination Sanders Campaign Now Embraces Superdelegates As Key To Nomination], NPR (May 19, 2016).</ref> ultimately, he conceded the race and endorsed Clinton on July 12, 2016.<ref name=Rieger/>