Look! At the Democratic National Convention! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s . superdelegates!

And while these superdelegates may not be able to fly or see through walls, they do have one power that has Democrats worried. This select group could be the deciding voters in who will be the presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, possibly going against the popular vote in the primary elections.

The scenario would have to be if neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama has the 2,025 delegates needed to claim the nomination after the primaries are over, according to a Feb. 14 CNN article. Then, these superdelegates – mostly made up of politicians and party members such as Sen. Edward Kennedy and former president Bill Clinton – would cast their votes not necessarily according to how their state voted. The Democratic Party established the system in 1982 in an effort to bring more moderate Democrats back to its conventions.

While the superdelegates could potentially go against what voters around the country have decided, there are enough natural checks in the system to avoid having to get rid of the superdelegates. The current setup avoids the possibility of a fight for the nomination at the party convention and helps keep a more moderate voice for the party, both important functions for the party.

If neither Democratic candidate can claim enough delegates, the superdelegates could pick against the winner of the popular vote, but they would have to worry about the reaction from their constituents. Voters would hold their politicians accountable the next time that superdelegate is up for election if their voice was not properly represented.

The superdelegates should also be wary of alienating party supporters. If Democratic voters feel their voices were not properly heard, then the party runs the risk of creating a whole generation of apathetic voters