2012 United States presidential election in Alaska

The 2012 United States presidential election in Alaska took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Alaska voters chose three electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan.

2012 United States presidential election in Alaska

← 2008 November 6, 2012 2016 →
 
Nominee Mitt Romney Barack Obama
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Massachusetts Illinois
Running mate Paul Ryan Joe Biden
Electoral vote 3 0
Popular vote 164,676 122,640
Percentage 54.80% 40.81%


President before election

Barack Obama
Democratic

Elected President

Barack Obama
Democratic

Prior to the election, 17 news organizations considered this a state Romney would win, or otherwise considered as a safe red state. Romney won the state of Alaska with 54.80% of the vote, while Obama received 40.81%.[1] This was the first time since 1968 that a Democrat received more than 40% of the vote in Alaska. No Democrat has won Alaska since it was won by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Although Romney easily won its three electoral votes, it was one of six states[a] to swing toward Obama relative to 2008, when Alaska was won with a 21.5% margin of victory by Republican nominee John McCain running with the incumbent governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, as his vice-presidential candidate. Obama closed his margin of defeat by 7.55% compared to his 2008 loss, thereby making it the state with the strongest Democratic gain in 2012.

He also flipped seven boroughs and census areas he had lost in 2008.[2] As of the 2020 election, this is the last election in which Haines Borough voted for the Republican candidate.

Caucuses

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Democratic caucuses

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The Alaska Democratic caucuses were held from April 10 to 14, 2012, with the state party convention being held from May 11 to 13.[3] Precincts within House Districts combined to hold caucuses to pledge delegates to the State Convention. Obama ran mostly unopposed (with the exception of Randall Terry, who was on the ballot but received no votes) and consequently received all of the 500 popular votes and 24 delegates.

2012 Alaska Democratic presidential caucuses
 
← 2008 April 14, 2012 2016 →

24 Democratic National Convention delegates (19 pledged, 5 unpledged)
The number of pledged delegates won is determined by the popular vote
     
Candidate Barack Obama Uncommitted
Home state Illinois N/A
Delegate count 19 0
Popular vote 500 0
Percentage 100.00% 0.00%

Republican caucuses

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2012 United States presidential caucuses in Alaska (Republican Party)
 
← 2008 March 6, 2012 2016 →
     
Candidate Mitt Romney Rick Santorum
Home state Massachusetts Pennsylvania
Delegate count 8 7
Popular vote 4,285 3,860
Percentage 32.42% 29.20%

     
Candidate Ron Paul Newt Gingrich
Home state Texas Georgia
Delegate count 6 3
Popular vote 3,175 1,865
Percentage 24.02% 14.11%

The Alaska Republican caucuses were held Super Tuesday, March 6, 2012.[4][5][6] The presidential preference poll portion of the caucuses was scheduled between 4 pm and 8 pm local time (which is 8 pm to midnight EST) at locations across the state and one caucus in Washington, D.C.[7]

Similar to the 2012 Nevada caucuses, the results of the presidential preference poll will be used to directly and proportionately apportion 24 national convention delegates among the candidates.[8] Another 3 super delegates are unbound and not determined by the caucus results.[9]

2012 Alaska Republican presidential caucuses[10]
Candidate Votes Percentage Estimated national delegates
Mitt Romney 4,285 32.42% 8
Rick Santorum 3,860 29.20% 7
Ron Paul 3,175 24.02% 6
Newt Gingrich 1,865 14.11% 3
Uncommitted 34 0.26%
Unprojected delegates: 3
Totals 13,219 100.00% 27

General election

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Predictions

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Source Ranking As of
Huffington Post[11] Safe R November 6, 2012
CNN[12] Safe R November 6, 2012
New York Times[13] Safe R November 6, 2012
Washington Post[14] Safe R November 6, 2012
RealClearPolitics[15] Solid R November 6, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball[16] Solid R November 5, 2012
FiveThirtyEight[17] Solid R November 6, 2012

Candidate ballot access

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Write-in candidate access

Results

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2012 United States presidential election in Alaska[18]
Party Candidate Running mate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Mitt Romney Paul Ryan 164,676 54.80% 3
Democratic Barack Obama (incumbent) Joe Biden (incumbent) 122,640 40.81% 0
Libertarian Gary Johnson Jim Gray 7,392 2.46% 0
Green Jill Stein Cheri Honkala 2,917 0.97% 0
Write-ins Write-ins 2,870 0.96% 0
Totals 300,495 100.00% 3

Boroughs and census areas that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The others being Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, and New York.

References

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  1. ^ State of Alaska 2012 General Election Official Results
  2. ^ "Alaska Presidential Results by County, 1960-2016|Maps". thecinyc. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  3. ^ "Alaska Democratic Delegation 2012". www.thegreenpapers.com. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "Alaska Republican Events". Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  5. ^ "Primary and Caucus Printable Calendar". CNN. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  6. ^ "Presidential Primary Dates" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  7. ^ "2012 Convention Process". ARP. Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
  8. ^ "2012 Convention Process". ARP. Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
  9. ^ Nate Silver (March 4, 2012). "Romney Could Win Majority of Super Tuesday Delegates". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  10. ^ New York Times, Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  11. ^ "Huffington Post Election Dashboard". HuffPost. Archived from the original on August 13, 2013.
  12. ^ "America's Choice 2012 Election Center: CNN Electoral Map". CNN. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013.
  13. ^ "Election 2012 - The Electoral Map: Building a Path to Victory". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012.
  14. ^ "2012 Presidential Election Results". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 26, 2012.
  15. ^ "RealClearPolitics - 2012 Election Maps - Battle for White House". Archived from the original on June 8, 2011.
  16. ^ "PROJECTION: OBAMA WILL LIKELY WIN SECOND TERM".
  17. ^ "Nate Silver's political calculations predict 2012 election outcome".
  18. ^ "2012 Presidential General Election Results - Alaska". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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