Delegates are generally supposed to represent voters.

When voters cast ballots in the presidential primaries, they are really voting for delegates.

Those delegates, in turn, are the actual people who will vote on the party's nominee at the summer convention.

But delegates might not personally support the candidate that voters picked.

In a few states, candidates pick their delegates outright, but in most cases they have less control. Many delegates are elected by party members at local and state conventions. The candidates often conduct parallel campaigns to get their supporters named as delegates.

Here are examples of the variety of methods for selecting delegates used in different states. In fact, many states use two or more methods.

The outcome of the convention could come down to whom the delegates personally favor.

When they get to the convention, most delegates are "bound" to vote for the candidate voters have chosen in their state or district. But if no candidate gets the 1,237 delegates needed to win, subsequent votes will be held until someone does.