As a colleague, friend and supporter of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders for over 25 years and a former superdelegate to Democratic Party presidential conventions, I was especially gratified to participate in and then witness his overwhelming victory in the Hawaii Democratic Party presidential preference poll on Saturday.

But as I have observed the steady rise of Sanders both in terms of elected delegates and favorable approval ratings in relation to the early lead of former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, I must object to the continued reporting of delegate counts implying that Clinton has essentially closed out the contest.

This is because the press conflates the unbound “pledges” of superdelegates to her with the bound obligation of delegates won by either by Sanders or Clinton in caucuses and primaries.

Hawaii has 35 delegates, of whom 10 are superdelegates, consisting of our four congressional members, four Democratic Party elected leaders and the governor and lieutenant governor.

This same super-delegation pattern plays out across the nation.

Even though Sanders won 70 percent of the vote in Hawaii, he will not be able to count on a like percentage of the superdelegate votes. The majority of superdelegates here and nationwide assumed Clinton would not have serious opposition and “committed” to her early on.

My simple point is an appeal for renewed allegiance to the democratic process.

Sanders is surging. He outpolls Clinton in match-ups with Donald Trump, should Trump become the Republican candidate.

Sanders leads Clinton among crucial categories of Democratic voters, often by substantial margins, and is drawing even with her in national preference polls.

It would be ironic, indeed — as we follow the current brawl in the Republican Party over whether the candidate with the most delegates won by election should be nominated — if the Democratic Party though it superdelegates predetermined who would be supported regardless of the still-to-be determined outcome of upcoming caucuses and primaries.

I do not object to superdelegates having a preference. I had my own for then-Sen. Barack Obama when virtually no one, superdelegate or not, thought he had a chance. But a preference is not a command.

The nomination for president, particularly with the prospect of a Trump victory, demands respect for and encouragement of the broadest possible participation by Democratic Party voters.

Sanders is entitled, and his supporters are entitled, to have the opportunity to advance his campaign to victory. The Democratic Party, and the nation by extension, will be the better for the effort.

Superdelegates would do well to assure Democratic voters they are open to and listening to their preference, especially those feeling the Bern.