Georgia at #6 (and I don’t mean football)

Instead, I mean relative delegation strength at the Republican National Convention slated for next September in St. Paul. According to the formula prescribed by the RNC, Georgia’s allocation to the 2008 Convention totals 72 delegates, meaning that it will be the sixth largest state delegation in attendance (along with 69 alternates; national committee member slots do not get alternates, thus accounting for why there are three fewer alternates than delegates).

Had some other states (Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Wyoming) not been penalized delegates by holding their primaries too early, Georgia would have had the seventh largest delegation. Though it is not quite the seventh largest state in terms of population, Georgia gets the maximum allowable number of “at large” delegates, thereby elevating the delegation’s strength accordingly. By opting not to jump the gun, Georgia moved ahead of Florida (which dropped from third to a tie for eleventh).

By my reading of the Convention’s Preliminary Call, the breakdowns are like this:

Original delegate allocation by Rule 13
1. California 173
2. Texas 140
3. Florida 114
4. New York 101
5. Ohio 88
6. Pennsylvania 74
7. Georgia 72
8. Illinois 70
9. North Carolina 69
10. Virginia 63

Final delegate allocation after Rule 16 sanctions
1. California 173
2. Texas 140
3. New York 101
4. Ohio 88
5. Pennsylvania 74
6. Georgia 72
7. Illinois 70
8. North Carolina 69
9. Virginia 63
10. Missouri 58

Those so inclined can review the applicable Rules for themselves: the appointment of delegates and alternates is covered by Rule 13(a) and (b), the timing of primaries is dictated by Rule15(b), and the penalty for violations can be found in Rule 16(a).

Speaking of football, I’m not really disappointed. If someone had told me after the Tennessee game that we would finish the season 10-2 and ranked #5 in the BCS, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. And as a two-time Georgia alumni I know that you can’t spell sugar without UGA. Go Dawgs!

Sphere: Related Content