2020 Alabama Republican presidential primary explained

Election Name:2020 Alabama Republican presidential primary
Country:Alabama
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2016 Alabama Republican primary
Previous Year:2016
Next Election:2024 Alabama Republican primary
Next Year:2024
Election Date:March 3, 2020
Outgoing Members:NH
Elected Members:AR
Image1:File:Donald Trump official portrait (cropped).jpg
Candidate1:Donald Trump
Color1:283681
Home State1:Florida[1]
Popular Vote1:696,832
Percentage1:96.22%
Delegate Count1:50
Candidate2:Uncommitted
Color2:000000
Home State2:N/A
Delegate Count2:0
Popular Vote2:16,378
Percentage2:2.27%

The 2020 Alabama Republican presidential primary took place in Alabama on March 3, 2020, as one of 14 contests scheduled on Super Tuesday in the 2020 Republican Party presidential primaries for the 2020 United States presidential election. The open primary allocated 50 pledged delegates towards the Republican National Convention, distributed with the "winner take most" system of allocating delegates.[2] This system states that a candidate must receive 20% of the vote to receive any delegates statewide or by congressional district, but only if the winner gets less than 50% of the aggregate vote. Should they receive more than 50% of the vote statewide or by congressional district, it becomes winner-take-all.[3]

Only two candidates ran in this primary: incumbent President Donald Trump, whose sole challenger was former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld. As typical with primary challenges to incumbent presidents,[4] Trump practically ran unopposed, receiving 96.22% of the vote and all 50 delegates. He also carried every single county and congressional district. Weld received a mere 1.52% of the vote, and uncommitted ballots comprised the remaining 2.27% of the vote.

The election corresponded with the highly competitive Republican primary for the 2020 United States Senate election in Alabama, which likely boosted turnout.

Procedure

Alabama is one of 14 states holding primaries on March 3, 2020, also known as "Super Tuesday,"[5] having joined other southern states on the date after a bill on June 10, 2015, shifted the date.[6]

Delegates had to file a Declaration of Candidacy by November 8, 2019, in which they bind themselves to a presidential candidate. Delegates cannot vote contrary to their pledged vote unless they run either in the congressional district wherein they vote or for the at-large delegation, but not both. National Convention District Alternate delegates may be elected by the Congressional District Committee, while at-large alternates are elected by the Republican Executive Committee.

Voting is expected to take place from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. There are 21 delegates allocated based on the results in each congressional district. In the open primary, if a candidate receives a majority of the vote or if only one candidate receives 20% or more of the vote, they're awarded all three of the congressional district's delegates. If no candidate does so, the first-place candidate receives 2 district delegates and the second-place candidate receives 1. If no candidate receives over 20% of the vote, the three district delegates are awarded proportionally to each contender. Of the 50 pledged delegates, 3 are allocated to each congressional district, 10 to at-large delegates, and another 3 are allocated to pledged party leaders and elected officials (PLEO delegates). 16 bonus delegates were allocated as Alabama shares a primary date with numerous other states on Super Tuesday.

The 47 pledged delegates Alabama sent to the national convention were joined by 3 pledged PLEO delegates, consisting of the National Committeeman, National Committeewoman, and chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

Candidates

The following people filed for the Republican presidential primary and were on the ballot in Alabama:[7]

There was also the option of casting an uncommitted ballot, which would not be pledged to any candidate.

Fundraising

According to the Federal Election Commission, between April 1, 2019, and November 23, 2020, Donald Trump raised $5,732,810.44[8] and Bill Weld raised $3,062.20[9] from Alabama-based contributors.

Results

Former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld challenged incumbent president Donald Trump in the Republican primary in Alabama.[10] Trump received 96.22% of the vote and all 50 delegates, while Weld received only 1.52% of the vote. Uncommitted votes made up the other 2.27%.

2020 Alabama Republican presidential primary[11]
CandidatePopular voteDelegates[12]
CountPercentage
Donald Trump (incumbent)695,47096.22%50
Bill Weld10,9621.52%0
Uncommitted16,3782.27%0
Total722,809100%50

Results by county

2020 Alabama Republican primary
(results per county)! rowspan="3"
Total votes cast
CountyDonald TrumpBill WeldUncommitted
Votes%Votes%Votes%
Autauga9,61996.14%1401.40%2462.46%10,005
Baldwin39,08995.78%6701.64%1,0522.58%40,811
Barbour2,73998.56%170.61%230.83%2,779
Bibb3,97097.95%320.79%511.26%4,053
Blount12,81998.04%1070.82%1491.14%13,075
Bullock42098.13%10.23%71.64%428
Butler3,39197.00%401.14%651.86%3,496
Calhoun16,53997.43%1620.95%2751.62%16,976
Chambers4,09397.13%380.90%831.97%4,214
Cherokee5,52096.30%941.64%1182.06%5,732
Chilton8,95198.29%750.82%810.89%9,107
Choctaw1,63298.85%120.73%70.42%1,651
Clarke4,22898.01%360.83%501.16%4,314
Clay3,83696.65%531.34%802.02%3,969
Cleburne3,19397.685230.70%531.62%3,269
Coffee9,27096.86%1231.29%1781.86%9,571
Colbert8,59897.13%1011.14%1531.73%8,852
Conecuh1,34498.53%50.37%151.10%1,364
Coosa2,06496.49%271.26%482.24%2,139
Covington7,99597.69%690.84%1201.47%8,184
Crenshaw2,38197.82%150.62%381.56%2,434
Cullman21,16097.41%2241.03%3381.56%21,722
Dale7,83697.14%911.13%1401.74%8,067
Dallas98598.30%60.60%111.10%1,002
DeKalb11,67898.09%820.69%1451.22%11,905
Elmore14,97796.79%1891.22%3081.99%15,474
Escambia5,13197.86%320.61%801.53%5,243
Etowah16,63996.51%2121.23%3892.26%17,240
Fayette4,46097.83%420.92%571.25%4,559
Franklin5,37096.31%781.40%1282.30%5,576
Geneva6,09697.54%520.83%1021.63%6,250
Greene41998.59%40.94%20.47%425
Hale1,44698.43%110.75%120.82%1,469
Henry3,53098.03%200.56%511.42%3,601
Houston17,96596.46%2391.28%4212.26%18,625
Jackson9,65895.33%1621.60%3113.07%10,131
Jefferson65,17795.15%1,2411.81%2,0803.04%68,498
Lamar3,14398.65%160.50%270.85%3,186
Lauderdale15,57295.31%2821.73%4842.96%16,338
Lawrence5,83897.51%510.85%981.64%5,987
Lee14,17995.01%2992.00%4452.98%14,923
Limestone15,56596.15%2771.71%3462.14%16,188
Lowndes65398.64%40.60%50.76%662
Macon51498.47%30.57%50.96%522
Madison46,82392.50%1,8173.59%1,9823.92%50,622
Marengo2,75498.64%80.29%301.07%2,792
Marion6,28598.00%480.75%801.25%6,413
Marshall15,86497.62%1550.95%2311.42%16,250
Mobile46,89795.79%8131.66%1,2492.55%48,959
Monroe3,59998.33%230.63%381.04%3,660
Montgomery17,21494.56%3942.16%5973.28%18,205
Morgan20,94495.68%4291.96%5162.36%21,889
Perry59497.06%30.49%152.45%612
Pickens2,97098.64%150.50%260.86%3,011
Pike4,04796.68%641.53%751.79%4,186
Randolph4,74297.11%591.21%821.68%4,883
Russell3,06197.86%190.61%481.53%3,128
Shelby38,47495.63%6781.69%1,0812.69%40,233
St. Clair17,15497.89%1470.84%2231.27%17,524
Sumter28895.36%41.32%103.31%302
Talladega11,36397.60%1070.92%1721.48%11,642
Tallapoosa7,69097.24%841.06%1341.69%7,908
Tuscaloosa22,61996.37%3311.41%5212.22%23,471
Walker15,09196.21%2521.61%3432.19%15,686
Washington2,63599.32%110.41%70.26%2,653
Wilcox70199.01%30.42%40.56%708
Winston5,34197.66%571.04%711.30%5,469
Total696,83296.22%10,9781.52%16,4122.27%724,222

Results by congressional district

2020 Alabama Republican primary
(estimated results per congressional district)[13]
DistrictDonald TrumpBill WeldUncommittedTotal votes cast
Votes%DelegatesVotes%DelegatesVotes%Delegates
1st98,26796.10%31,5591.52%02,4322.38%0102,258
2nd99,62596.74%31,2711.23%02,0882.03%0102,984
3rd93,16196.98%31,1261.17%01,7771.85%096,064
4th126,91697.21%31,4231.09%02,2221.70%0130,561
5th126,21494.49%33,2002.40%04,1603.11%0133,574
6th100,38796.07%31,5821.51%02,5252.42%0104,494
7th64,30196.15%39781.46%01,5952.39%066,874
At-large696,83296.22%2910,9781.52%016,4122.27%0724,222
Total Delegates500050

See also

Notes

  1. News: Trump, a symbol of New York, is officially a Floridian now. Politico. October 31, 2019. February 3, 2020. Matthew Choi.
  2. Web site: Bloomberg news: Michael Bloomberg launches presidential campaign in Alabama. The Montgomery Advertiser. Brian Lyman. November 8, 2019. November 27, 2019.
  3. Web site: Explaining the Super Tuesday primaries: The Republicans. National Constitution Center.
  4. Waxman. Olivia B.. October 10, 2019. Could Trump Lose the Republican Nomination? Here's the History of Primary Challenges to Incumbent Presidents. December 16, 2020. Time.
  5. Web site: Putnam. Josh. The 2020 Presidential Primary Calendar. June 22, 2019. Frontloading HQ.
  6. News: Hogan. Melanie. June 10, 2015. SEC Presidential Primary. WVAS. June 22, 2019.
  7. Web site: 2020 Primary Election Sample Ballots Alabama Secretary of State. December 16, 2020. Alabama Secretary of State.
  8. Web site: TRUMP, DONALD J. - Candidate overview. December 16, 2020. Federal Election Commission. en.
  9. Web site: WELD, WILLIAM FLOYD (BILL) – Candidate overview. December 16, 2020. Federal Election Commission. en.
  10. Web site: View your county's sample ballot for Alabama's March 3 primary election. Sean Ross. February 4, 2020. Yellowhammer News. January 17, 2020 .
  11. Web site: Republican Party – Official 2020 Primary Election Results. March 11, 2020. Alabama.gov. Alabama Secretary of State. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200329065556/https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/election-2020/Republican_Party-Official_2020_Primary_Election_Results.xlsx. March 29, 2020. March 25, 2020.
  12. Web site: Alabama Election Results 2020. PBS NewsHour. en-us. March 26, 2020.
  13. Web site: Alabama Republican Delegation 2020. December 16, 2020. The Green Papers.