Convention delegates represent their state or territory of residence and cast a vote toward the nomination of the Republican Party's candidates for president and vice president of the United States.

All delegates have a seat on the convention floor and are expected to attend and participate in the various convention sessions. Some delegates are chosen to represent their delegation on one of the four standing convention committees (Resolutions, sometimes referred to as the "Platform Committee;" Credentials; Rules; and Permanent Organization). In addition to the official convention proceedings, most state Republican parties organize activities in the host city for their delegation.

How to Become a Delegate

The process for becoming a delegate to the convention varies from state to state. Any Republican of voting age can be a delegate or alternate delegate and interested individuals should work through their state's Republican Party. Generally, there are three ways whereby a person can become a national convention delegate. Delegates and alternates are selected, elected, or allocated either through a presidential primary in the state, or through a state party caucus or convention process, or by some combination of both.

For information on how your state's process works, please contact your state's Republican Party headquarters. Contact information for each state's Republican Party can be found here.

The number of delegates allotted to each state varies. The computations used to calculate 2008 delegate allocation are based on The Rules of the Republican Party established during the 2004 National Convention. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has the party rules available online here. To read the official Call for the 2008 Republican National Convention, please click here.

Under national Republican Party Rules, the window for selecting, electing, and allocating 2008 Republican National Convention delegates and alternate delegates will occur between February 5th and July 28th. Shortly thereafter they will begin planning their trip to Minnesota in September! There is much to consider, and questions about travel arrangements, what to pack, and convention week schedules are likely to arise.

Not to worry! Convention planners have already made great strides in planning for the arrival of the roughly 2,380 delegates and 2,230 alternate delegates who will travel to Minneapolis-Saint Paul for the four-day event. Delegates should plan on a busy week and, if possible, consider extending their convention week stay to take it all in.

• Travel – Delegates will travel to Minneapolis-Saint Paul via planes, trains, and automobiles. Some will journey thousands of miles and others (members of the Minnesota delegation!) may simply go the distance of city blocks. In terms of travel planning, delegates and alternate delegates should first contact their state party. Delegations will often travel to the convention together and states may coordinate many of the arrangements.
  
  
• Hotels – Roughly 16,000 rooms in more than 100 hotels throughout Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Bloomington, and the surrounding areas have been blocked to host many of the 45,000 delegates, alternate delegates, members of the media, and other guests expected to attend the convention. Delegations will begin to receive hotel assignments in the spring.
  
  
• Attractions – The Minneapolis-Saint Paul area offers a truly astounding array of cultural treasures and entertainment options. There are world-renowned museums, many of which were the recipients of recent cutting edge architectural expansions; a theater district which trails only Broadway in terms of volume and accolades; the fourth most active jazz scene in the country; and an energy that can't be duplicated. Learn more about the host cities attractions.