Depending on whom you watched for your Super Tuesday updates, chances are good you can be a bit confused by the delegate count.
Each news organization, including KHOU.com, uses a different formula to figure out just how many delegates each candidate has after the ballots are counted.



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Here is the trick. In all reality, with a few exceptions, the numbers cannot be predicted now exactly as they will be come the national party conventions this summer.
That's because each party has its own rules for how delegates are assigned and each state party has its own rules for those delegates as well.
That can make for a very confusing night as you try to handicap the race for president.
At KHOU.com, we follow what the Associated Press reports.Why? Well for one, the AP has better resources that many other news organizations and uses a very conservative -- but very accurate -- system in determining how many delegates are assigned to each candidate.
The AP is also a bit more cautious in assigning delegates, even after a race has been called in favor of one candidate over another in a state.
In short, the AP tracks the delegate races by projecting the number of national convention delegates won by candidates in each presidential primary or caucus, based on state and national party rules, and by interviewing unpledged delegates to obtain their preferences.
In some states, like Iowa and Nevada, local precinct caucuses are the first stage in the allocation process. The AP uses preferences expressed in those caucuses to project the number of national convention delegates each candidate will have when they are chosen at county, congressional district or state conventions.
It's important to remember, that unlike the November elections, the primaries are actually run by the political parties. Therefore, they have their own rules.
If say one of the parties decided to pick the presidential contender via a secret meeting in a backroom of just party officials, they could do that.
In addition, in fact, that is how it used to be.
You will still find third parties that use conventions or meetings of party activists to select a candidate.
It can be confusing, but for those who like to follow politics, it is a fascinating -- and yes often-times frustrating -- process

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