2008 Alaska Democratic presidential caucuses explained

Election Name:2008 Alaska Democratic presidential caucuses
Country:Alaska
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2004 Alaska Democratic presidential caucuses
Previous Year:2004
Next Election:2016 Alaska Democratic presidential caucuses
Next Year:2016
Image Upright:0.55
Image1:Barack Obama Senate portrait crop.jpg
Candidate1:Barack Obama
Colour1:880088
Home State1:Illinois
Popular Vote1:6,674
Percentage1:75.16%
Delegate Count1:9
Candidate2:Hillary Clinton
Colour2:D4AA00
Home State2:New York
Popular Vote2:2,194
Percentage2:24.71%
Delegate Count2:4
Map Size:300px
Outgoing Members:AL
Elected Members:AS

The 2008 Alaska Democratic presidential caucuses took place Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008.[1] This was the first time that Democrats in Alaska participated in Super Tuesday, and the large turnout forced at least one caucusing site to delay closing its doors far beyond the 6 p.m. deadline.[2] The state had a total of 13 delegates at stake. Barack Obama won the Alaska Democratic Caucuses and secured 9 delegates to the Democratic National Convention while Hillary Clinton took 4 delegates. However, the caucus was non-binding, and Alaska's Democratic State Convention in May awarded Obama 10 pledged delegates.

Process

The Alaska Democratic Caucuses were open to all Alaska voters. Non-Democrats and unregistered voters could register or switch party affiliation at the meeting. At the caucus, voters "fanned out" to groups of supporters of their candidate. Then delegates to the state convention on May 24, 2008, were selected from these preference groups. At the district caucuses, candidates required a minimum support threshold of 15 percent to win delegates to the state convention. The same threshold applied at the state convention; candidates needed a support threshold of 15 percent to receive delegates at the Democratic National Convention.[3]

However, the district caucus results were not binding on the state convention delegates. Therefore, although Obama only won 9 delegate votes in the caucuses, at the state convention he secured 10. Unlike many caucus states, the actual number of votes in the Alaska caucuses was disclosed. Many states only tabulate state delegates or state delegate equivalents.[3]

The state convention officially allocated the 13 delegates to the national convention. In addition, the state convention chose five superdelegates to attend the national convention. Superdelegates officially were not pledged to any candidate.[1] However, all of Alaska's superdelegates endorsed either Clinton or Obama.

Results

See also: Results of the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

Alaska Democratic presidential caucus results – 2008
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageState Delegates Delegates
DemocraticBarack Obama6,674 75.16%3069
DemocraticHillary Clinton2,19424.71%1044
DemocraticUncommitted120.14%10
Totals8,880100.00%41113
Voter turnout%

State Convention

Alaska Democratic Presidential State Convention – May 24, 2008
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageDelegates
DemocraticBarack Obama272 77.50%10
DemocraticHillary Clinton7922.50%3
DemocraticUncommitted00.00%0
Totals351100.00%13
Voter turnout%

Superdelegates

SuperdelegateSelected byEndorsement
John DaviesDemocratic National Convention Barack Obama
Patti HigginsDemocratic National ConventionHillary Clinton
Blake JohnsonDemocratic National ConventionBarack Obama
Cindy SpanyersDemocratic National ConventionBarack Obama
Tony KnowlesState Convention DelegatesBarack Obama

Analysis

Barack Obama scored a major victory in the Democratic Caucuses, winning by more than a three-to-one margin over Hillary Clinton.

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Alaska Democratic Delegation 2008 . 2008-02-01 . The Green Papers. https://web.archive.org/web/20080212003237/http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P08/AK-D.phtml. February 12, 2008 . live.
  2. News: Hunter . Don . Sean Cockerham . Kyle Hopkins . Alaskans statewide have their say . . 2008-02-06 . 2008-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080207134137/http://www.adn.com/politics/story/306521.html . 2008-02-07 . dead .
  3. Web site: INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MODEL DELEGATE SELECTION PLAN FOR THE 2008 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION. https://web.archive.org/web/20080206195840/http://alaskademocrats.org/pdf/uploaded/2008%20Alaska%20Delegate%20Selection%20Plan%20Final.pdf . dead . 2008-02-06 . PDF . . 2007-10-23 . 2008-02-24 .