'Bonus' delegates under scrutiny

If the delegate allocation process used by the Democrats doesn't seem to add up, there's a reason -- it doesn't. Alan Wirzbicki in today's Globe writes about a recent party rule that gives additional delegates to states that abstained from moving their primaries up in 2008:

"As the race for the Democratic nomination between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama develops into a delegate-by-delegate scramble, the contest is drawing fresh scrutiny to the party's unorthodox system of allotting delegates, including an obscure provision that gives more sway to jurisdictions that vote later in the process.

Under the rule, which was adopted last year, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Dakota, along with every other state remaining in the primary season, were awarded extra delegates as an inducement not to move their primary dates forward."

In a tight race where every vote counts, these "bonus" delegates could play a role in deciding the nominee. Read the whole story.