Final answer:
To determine the number of delegates for a future constitutional convention, historical precedents and current rules must be considered. States historically chose delegates to discuss and vote on the Constitution, and today at least thirty-four states need to apply for a convention. The Electoral College also provides a delegate model based on states' congressional representation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of delegates to be picked for a future constitutional convention can be determined by several historical precedents and current rules regarding representation. During the 1787 Constitutional Convention, each state chose its delegates to discuss and vote on the new Constitution, with the Founding Fathers setting the number of states required to ratify the Constitution at nine. Today, for a national convention to be called, at least thirty-four states must submit applications; this is part of the requirements to propose a constitutional amendment such as the balanced budget amendment currently being considered by some states.
In the context of modern political party conventions, states are assigned delegates based on the number of registered party voters, with adjustments made for various reasons by the national parties. The Electoral College is another example of how the number of delegates (electors) for the purpose of electing the president is determined by each state's number of senators plus the number of representatives in the House of Representatives.