How many delegates does Texas have?
TEXAS - Primary election day in Texas is March 5, but it also ushers in the state's party convention process.
Voters focus on the candidates during the primary, but those votes simply determine how many delegates will represent each candidate at the party conventions.
MORE: What you need to know about the Texas primary
At the conventions, delegates cast their vote for a candidate based on the preferences of the voters.
First, there are precinct conventions, followed by county conventions, and finally the state conventions
At the state convention, delegates also get to create and shape the party platform and rules.
If you want to be a delegate at a convention, you have to have voted in the primary.
MORE: Here's what you need to know before heading to the polls
Texas Republicans have 161 delegates and the Democrats have 273 delegates.
Both party's state conventions will be held May 23 through 25.
There are a total of 2,429 Republican delegates in the country. To win the Republican nomination for president, it takes at least 1,215 delegates.
There are 4,672 Democratic delegates total. To win the Democratic nomination for president, it takes 1,968 delegates.
What is a delegate?
Delegates are people who move the process from the state-level vote through to the conventions.
Both party's national conventions feature thousands of delegates representing all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories.
Delegates are people who are usually very involved in party politics. They're bound to the party candidate who won the state's primary, caucus or convention. But the number of delegates and the way they cast their votes varies by state.
Texas is one of the states that follows a "Winner takes most" method.
The state's Republican party put its own twist on it this year. The majority of the GOP's 161 delegates will vote for the candidate who wins the state primary. And 25% will vote for the candidate who wins the Republican state convention. This could end up being the same candidate.
On the other side, there are 272 Democratic delegates. Twenty-eight of these are actually superdelegates. Superdelegates can support any presidential candidate they want at the national conventions.
Ultimately, it's the candidate who accumulates a majority of the delegates at the national conventions who advances to the general election.
Need a ride to the polls? DART, TRE offering free transportation March 5
