anyone know if the list of who the delegates vote for has to be established beforehand? or is it a complete free for all where the delegates can vote for whoever they want?
I don’t know.
It’s my understanding that pledged delegates must vote for their candidate on the first round. No deviation is permitted. And the superdelegates can only vote starting with the second round. That second round starts a free for all.
Biden has way more than enough pledged delegates to win on the first round. So the 2024 nomination is his unless he releases his delegates, or the DNC changes the rules at the last minute.
A last-minute rule change might be to allow pledged delegates to vote as they wish starting on the first round.
That could derail Biden if he refuses to bow out. It would also make a mockery of the primary process.