Do Texas Democratic delegates have to vote for Biden? Here's what to know ahead of the DNC

President Joe Biden has ended his reelection campaign less than a month before the Democratic National Convention. What does that mean for Texas' Democratic delegates, who were elected last month to nominate Biden for president?

Here's what we know:

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How many Democratic delegates does Texas have?

Of the 3,896 delegates nationally, Texas has 273. This number comes from a Democratic bylaws formula, which is based on each state’s population and percentage of the total Democratic vote.

Do Texas delegates have to vote for Biden?

Texas Democrats don’t technically have to vote for Biden, thanks to a “good conscience” clause in Democratic delegate selection rules.

Rule 13(J) states that “delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.” It has existed since the 1980s but has never affected a nomination.

Have Texas' Democratic delegates been selected?

Yes, the Texas Democratic Party selected its delegation during the 2024 Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso in June.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Are Texas Democratic delegates required to vote for Biden?