Will California Make Or Break Bernie Sanders?

California is holding its primary elections on June 7, and that may be the make or break date for Bernie Sanders.

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Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton may act like they have their party’s nominations sewed up, but both may find their paths to the White House unraveling on June 7. That’s when California and five other states will be holding their primaries, and those states may make a major difference, especially in an election year where people are discussing brokered conventions for the first time in years. For the first time in decades, Californian voters may actually see their votes make a major difference in determining the candidates, according to the Los Angeles Times. California has over 500 delegates, but because it votes so late, the field of candidates has been thoroughly winnowed before Californians get to make their choice.

The mainstream media would have you believe that Trump and Clinton are the only candidates left in the race. Over half of the states and territories of the United States haven’t voted yet. Although several candidates have dropped out of the race, the election is far from settled yet. Super Tuesday and Mega Tuesday do not decide the candidates for the whole country. Five states still have caucuses this month. Other states are voting in April, May, and June. And the mainstream media, as the Inquisitr has pointed out previously, seem to have trouble taking Senator Sanders seriously.

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Normally, voter turnout is low in California because by the time they get their primary, both major parties have already determined their candidates. This year, California, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota will have primaries and caucuses on June 7 and for once, their voice will actually be heard. Iowa will also be having a primary election on June 7, but they made their selections for presidential candidates in caucuses February 1.

Of course, Californians will need to make sure they are registered to vote properly. According to the Independent Voter Network‘s website, hundreds of thousands of Californians will not be able to vote for Clinton vs. Sanders or Trump vs. Cruz vs. Kasich. Many people accidentally registered with the American Independent Party (AIP), thinking they were registering as Independent voters.

“Voters registered with AIP may not be aware that the only presidential primary they can vote in is the AIP primary. As a registered member of a qualifying political party, they are barred from participating in any other party primary, meaning most voters registered with the party will likely be unable to declare their candidate preference under the current system.”

In California, voters who register to vote as “no party preference” (NPP) may vote in any party’s primary, if that party has a modified-closed presidential primary. If the party has a closed presidential primary, only registered members of that party may vote in the primary. As explained by the California Secretary of State’s office, voters who are registered with a qualified political party may only vote in their party’s primary. In California, the qualified political parties are the Democrats, the Republicans, the American Independent Party, the Americans Elect Party, the Green Party, Libertarians, and the Peace and Freedom Party.

The New York Times says Clinton currently has 1,139 delegates to Sanders’ 825 delegates. Candidates need 2,383 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. The 712 super-delegates are not irrevocably pledged to Clinton; they are allowed to change their minds. Donald Trump currently has 673 delegates, Ted Cruz 410, and John Kasich 143. To avoid a brokered convention, one Republican candidate must get 1,237 delegates before the convention to win the nomination. Now that the Republican Party is down to three candidates, Trump’s numbers may fall. Up until now, the votes have been divided among a large field; Trump has usually had more Republicans vote against him than for him. Ironically, Marco Rubio has more delegates than Kasich, and the rules of how those delegates must vote now that their candidate is out of the race vary from state to state. A brokered Republican convention is very possible.

Democrats haven’t had a brokered convention since 1952. Will they have one in 2016, or will delegate-rich California push Bernie Sanders past Hillary Clinton?

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[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]