2012 United States presidential election in Alaska

Main article: 2012 United States presidential election

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%

Borough results State house district results Romney   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80% Obama   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%

President before election Barack Obama Democratic Elected President Barack Obama Democratic

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.

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 ^{[lower-alpha 1]} 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

Democratic caucuses

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

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

Candidate ballot access

• Barack Obama/Joseph Biden, Democratic
• Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan, Republican
• Gary Johnson/James P. Gray, Libertarian
• Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala, Green

Write-in candidate access

• Rocky Anderson/Luis J. Rodriguez, Justice

Results

2012 United States presidential election in Alaska [11]
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

Borough and Census Area Flips:

Democratic   Hold   Gain from Republican

Republican   Hold

Boroughs and census areas that flipped from Republican to Democratic

^[2]

• Aleutians West Census Area (largest city: Unalaska)
• Dilingham Census Area (largest city: Dilingham)
• Lake & Peninsula Borough (largest city: Newhalen)
• North Slope Borough (largest city: Utqiaġvik)
• Northwest Arctic Borough (largest city: Kotzebue)
• Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area (largest city: Craig)
• Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area (largest city: Fort Yukon)

See also

• List of 2012 United States presidential electors
• 2012 United States presidential election
• 2008 United States presidential election in Alaska
• 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries
• 2012 Republican Party presidential primaries
• Alaska Democratic Party
• Alaska Republican Party
• United States presidential elections in Alaska

Notes

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

References

1. State of Alaska 2012 General Election Official Results
2. "Alaska Presidential Results by County, 1960-2016|Maps". thecinyc. 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. "2012 Presidential General Election Results - Alaska". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.

External links

• The Green Papers: for Alaska
• The Green Papers: Major state elections in chronological order
• Official website of the Alaska Republican Party
• Official website of the Alaska Democratic Party