It is no surprise how close the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination has become. What is surprising is that the eventual outcome may not rest in their hands.

There are 3,253 Democratic delegates available from state primaries and caucuses, and a candidate must procure 2,025 of them in order to win the nomination. As Obama and Clinton continue to trade delegates, it is very possible that neither candidate’s total will reach the needed sum after all states have cast their ballots. So where does this leave the fate of the Democratic nominations process? In the hands of super-delegates.

Officially known as “unpledged party leader and elected official delegates,” these super-delegates are current or former officeholders and party officials. Though they seldom play a decisive role in selecting a candidate, the potential power these delegates have in this year’s Democratic race is becoming increasingly apparent.

There are currently 796 super-delegates that will be eligible to vote in the unfolding battle between Obama and Clinton. If neither of these candidates is able to obtain the majority of delegates needed from the state primaries and caucuses, the fate of the Democratic Party will lie not in the hands of the voters, but in the hands of the super-delegates.

Sound like a lot of power being invested in the hands of a select group of elite individuals? It has the potential to work out that way. However, the development of the Democratic super-delegates was not intended to usurp power from the ordinary voter. Enacted after the 1980 election, super-delegates were seen as a way of giving a stronger voice to party officials, in the hopes of providing more unity for the Democratic Party. During primary season, the liberal-minded activists can often overshadow the rest of the Democratic Party. Super-delegates were seen as a way of better representing the overall feelings of Democratic voters, not just those from the far left.

There was a method behind the madness when the super-delegates were created in 1980. However, there is nothing to ensure which way the super-delegates will swing. Super-delegates can simply confirm and vote for the candidate who wins the majority of delegates from the state elections, as was the case in 1984. Candidate Walter Mondale won a majority of state delegates, but fell 40 delegates short of the total number needed to officially win the Democratic nomination. The super-delegates acted in the interests of the voters, overwhelmingly supporting Mondale, confirming him as the Democratic nominee. However, there are no rules that obligate the super-delegates to follow the opinions of those delegates from the state primaries and caucuses. This is where the potential for controversy arises.

As the race between potential candidates Obama and Clinton intensifies, super-delegates have begun speaking out. Unfortunately, this seems to be a move by the super-delegates to invoke unnecessary influence on the race. As illustrated, the super-delegates may at some later time have the power to cast the deciding vote in determining the Democratic presidential candidate. However, this should only be when either Obama or Clinton is unable to obtain the majority needed on their own, through state primaries and caucuses. It is a shame that super-delegates have started voicing their opinions so openly. By speaking out before they are actually needed, super-delegates are telling the Democratic voters that their voices are not truly what matters.