In some state conventions fake “unity slates” are promoted, with appeals to Santorum and Gingrich delegates to join them in electing delegates that they promise represent the three campaigns proportionately but will shut out Ron Paul. The ”unity slates” are actually all Romney delegates.
In other states “Romney Rules” help make up for the candidate’s unenthusiastic support. In Idaho, for example, where Romney has a Mormon base and won 61% of the vote in a statewide beauty contest, it was nevertheless feared that the candidate would not win a single precinct election in the delegate process. In almost each of the elections, it was feared that Ron Paul supporters would have a plurality.
The solution? A backwards election. It goes like this. The candidate who gets the most votes doesn’t matter, rather the candidate with the fewest is dropped. Voting continues with successive ballots until one is left. If one candidate gets at least 50% of the counties he then gets the whole statewide delegation.