Democratic Party delegate selection procedures allow more than one "winner" in Iowa and every state holding a primary or caucus in 2008. Democratic delegates are selected on the basis of proportional representation - that is, a candidate is awarded a number of delegates that reflects their percentage share of the popular vote. If a state primary/caucus has, for example, 30 delegates available, a candidate getting 50% of the popular vote gets 50% of the delegates - 15. A candidate getting 30% of the popular vote gets 30% of the delegates - 9, and so on. (In Iowa, though, a candidate must clear a percentile threshhold or the candidate listed as the voter's second choice on the under-performing ballots is moved up to first choice position on the discarded ballot of candidates who do not meet the minimum. Darned if I can find how many delegates are selected by popular vote in the January caucuses or the popular vote percentage a candidate must have to get any delegates at all. Research continuing . . . )
BTW . . . all the more reason for Mass. to hold its's primaries in March, as scheduled. Chances are a Democratic candidate by then will not have a delegate total high enough to clear the nomination. (Republican primaries are held on a winner-take-all basis, though).
