Counting delegates: an inexact science

Getting an up-to-date, accurate count on presidential convention delegates committed to the Democratic and Republican candidates is not a matter of simple addition. In the states that hold primaries, delegates are awarded on a proportional basis, and in caucus states delegate allocations at this point are little better than educated guesses.

The Democratic and Republican national committees are not issuing delegate counts of their own.

The tallies kept by the Carter and Kennedy campaigns are close to agreement, and probably are the most complete and nearly accurate indicators on the Democratic side.

On the Republican side, wire service totals are virtually in agreement with those of the individual candidates, except the candidates' allocations of "uncommitted" delegates diverge widely, and United Press International does not allocate uncommitteds.

Here are the estimates of delegates so far won by the candidates, including the Connecticut and New York primaries:

DEMOCRATS Carter Kennedy UPI totals figures figures Carter 859 829 747.5 Kennedy 410 435 399.5 Others and 60 65 27 uncommited Totals 1,329 1,329 1,174 (Total convention delegates - 3,331; needed to nominate - 1,666)

REPUBLICANS (UPI totals) Anderson Bush Reagan Others and uncommitted 45 68 314 55 (Total convention delegates - 1,994; needed to nominate - 998)