With the tense rivalry between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders showing no sign of fading, the party’s nominee for president will likely be decided by “superdelegates” at this summer’s Democratic convention.
The Democratic superdelegates are made up of party officials, governors, senators, representatives, and other senior leadership, all of whom get to cast a vote for the Democratic nominee. Some Sanders supporters, who have accused top Democratic brass of trying to steer the nominating process, have railed against the superdelegates for taking power away from the grassroots, though the Vermont senator’s campaign has more recently begun to court them. The clash between grassroots Sanders supporters and establishment party officials came to a head over the weekend at the Nevada state convention.
Watch the video above to learn everything you need to know about superdelegates.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How the Electoral College Actually Works
- Your Vote Is Safe
- Mel Robbins Will Make You Do It
- Why Vinegar Is So Good for You
- The Surprising Health Benefits of Pain
- You Don’t Have to Dread the End of Daylight Saving
- The 20 Best Halloween TV Episodes of All Time
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Write to Mathew Katz at matt.katz@time.com