Alaska

ALASKA

3 Electoral Votes

Population
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Division of Elections)

Total Population, July 1, 2008 est.	686,293
Total Registration, Oct. 12, 2008	495,731

Rep. 126,583 (25.53%) Dem. 76,729 (15.48%) AI 13,810 (2.79%) Lib. 6,972 (1.41%) Rep.Mod. 3,939 (0.79%) Grn. 2,949 (0.59%) Vet. 1,935 (0.39%) Non-Partisan 77,227 (15.58%) Undeclared 185,587 (37.44%)
Alaska has: 17 boroughs, 145 cities, 447 precincts.

Government
Governor: Sarah Palin (R) elected Nov. 2006.
State Legislature: Alaska Legislature    House: 40 seats, Senate 20 seats
Local: Communities DCED
U.S. House: 1R - At Large: Don Young (R)
U.S. Senate: Ted Stevens (R) (appointed Dec. 1968) up for re-election in 2008, Lisa Murkowski (R) (appointed Dec. 2002) elected Nov. 2004.

2008
update U.S. Senate: After serving in the Senate for close to 40 years, Sen. Ted Stevens (R) faced the daunting challenge of campaigning while in the midst of a trial for failing to disclose gifts. Stevens narrowly lost to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D).  Begich declared victory on Nov. 18, ultimately winning by 3,953 votes (1.25 percentage points) out of 317,723 total.
U.S. House: Rep. Don Young (R) faced corruption charges, but defeated two primary challengers and prevailed in the general election over former Democratic House Leader Ethan Berkowitz (D).

    > Democrats pick up U.S. Senate seat and gain a tie in the state Senate. MORE

State of Alaska
Division of Elections

AK Democratic Party
AK Libertarian Party
Green Party of AK
Republican Party of AK
AK Independence Party

Anchorage Daily News
Media (Newsp.)
TV, Radio

Politics1-AK

The Last Frontier

General Election -- Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Voting Eligible Population*: 477,763.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 68.3%.

Voting early or absentee in person at absentee voting locations began Oct. 20, 2008.
Over 119,000 voted early, absentee or questioned ballots.

Total Registration: 495,731.
Registration Deadline: Oct. 5, 2008.

Official Results >
Baldwin/Castle (AI)	1,660	(0.51)
Barr/Root (Lib.)	1,589	(0.49)
+McCain/Palin (Rep.)	193,841	(59.42)
Nader/Gonzalez (Ind.)	3,783	(1.16)
Obama/Biden (Dem.)	123,594	(37.89)
w/ins	1,730	(0.53)
Total........326,197

Ballots cast: 327,341. >

2008 Overview
The Obama campaign had begun a serious organizing effort in Alaska, opening four offices in July. After Sen. McCain's selection of Gov. Palin as his running mate, the Democratic campaign shifted some of its resources to other states, although it did keep a presence including the four offices. McCain/Palin carried the state with a plurality of 70,247 votes (21.53 percentage points).
Obama/Allies | McCain/Allies | Nader

[Primary Election: August 26, 2008]

Democratic District Caucuses / Republican District Conventions -- Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Registration, Jan. 3, 2008: Rep. 118,267 (24.67%) Dem. 68,170 (14.22%) AI 13,786 (2.88%) Lib. 8,117 (1.69%) Rep.Mod. 4,646 (0.97%) Grn. 3,458 (0.72%) Vet. 2,249 (0.47%) Non-Partisan 75,234 (15.70%) Undeclared 185,409 (38.68%) Total 479,336.

Democrats
18 Delegates (13 Pledged, 5 Unpledged) and 4 Alternates. >
0.44% of the 4,049 Delegate Votes. 0.43% of the 4,234 Delegate Votes.

Two-tier caucus/convention system.
Precinct/House District caucuses on Feb. 5, 2008.
State Convention: May 23-25, 2008 in Palmer.

Filing Requirements: File a petition of candidacy and filing fee of $1,000 with the State Party by early Jan. 2008. (Forms available Dec. 5, 2007). >

Obama

...Mike Gravel, who represented Alaska in the U.S. Senate for two terms Jan. 3, 1969 to Jan. 2, 1981, but now lives in No. Virginia is a darkhorse candidate for the Democratic nomination.

Results of Feb. 5, 2008 District Caucuses
100% of Districts Reporting

% of Delegates Number of Delegates Number of Supporters

Biden

Clinton 24.7% 104 2,194

Edwards

Gravel

Kucinich

Obama 75.2% 306 6,674

Richardson

Uncommitted 0.25% 1 12

Total
411 8,880

[press release]

Republicans
29 Delegates: 3 RNC; 23 at-large; 3 by CD (3 x 1 CD).
1.22% of the 2,380 Delegates.

Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, and Ron Paul qualified for the ballot.
Delegate allocation is proportional to District Convention vote.
State Convention: March 13-15, 2008. >

Huckabee - On Feb. 23, 2007 the campaign announced the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Don Young (AK).

McCain - endorsed by the Juneau Empire (Feb. 3, 2008).

Paul - 2 offices, 11 field staffers, and 40 district chairs operating statewide as of Jan. 28, 2008.

Romney - endorsements include Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

former
Giuliani - Anchorage Municipal Assemblyman Dan Sullivan announced as a co-chair on Oct. 24, 2007.

Results of Feb. 5, 2008 District Conventions
as of Feb. 14, 2008 as posted on the Alaska Republican Party website

Total Ballots Counted: 12,204
Mitt Romney has 5,378 Votes and 12 Delegates
Mike Huckabee has 2,672 Votes and 6 Delegates
Ron Paul has 2,050 Votes and 5 Delegates
John McCain has 1,894 and 3 Delegates

General Election -- Tuesday, November 2, 2004

Voting Eligible Population: 452,124.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 69.1%.

Approximately 85,000 voted early, absentee or questioned ballots.

Registration: Rep. 117,445 (25.04%) Dem. 70,930 (15.12%) AI 15,653 (3.32%) Lib. 7,296 (1.56%) Grn. 4,466 (0.95%) Rep.Mod. 4,363 (0.93%) Non-Partisan 69,505 (14.82%) Undeclared 176,663 (37.66%) Other 2,721 (0.58%) Total: 472,160.

Registration Deadline: Oct. 3, 2004.

Official Results 439 of 439 precincts

Nader/Camejo (Pop.)
5,069

(1.62)

Cobb/LaMarche (Grn.)
1,058

(0.34)

Peroutka/Baldwin (AI)
2,092
(0.67)

Kerry/Edwards (Dem.) 111,025 (35.52)

Badnarik/Campagna (Lib.) 1,675
(0.54)

+Bush/Cheney (Rep.)
190,889

(61.07)

w/ins
790

(0.25)

Total........312,598

Ballots cast: 314,502.
2004 Overview
Bush-Cheney finished with a very comfortable plurality of 79,864 votes (25.55 percentage points).
General Election Details

Election Pamphlet statements.

[Primary Election: August 24, 2004]

General Election -- Tuesday, November 7, 2000

Voting Eligible Population: 419,111.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 68.1%.

Registration: Rep. 116,059 (24.5%) Dem. 76,561 (16.2%) AI 19,346 (4.1%) Lib. 6,884 (1.5%) Grn. 4,260 (0.9%) Rep.Mod. 2,094 (0.4%) Non-Partisan 76,137 (16.1%) Undeclared 167,132 (35.3%) Other 5,175 (1.1%) Total: 473,648.

Official Results

Nader/LaDuke (Grn.)
28,747

(10.07)

Browne/Olivier (Lib.)
2,636

(0.92)

Buchanan/Foster (Ref.)
5,192

(1.82)

+Bush/Cheney (Rep.)
167,398

(58.62)

Gore/Lieberman (Dem.)
79,004

(27.67)

Hagelin/Goldhaber (NLP)
919

(0.32)

Phillips/Frazier (Const.)
596

(0.21)

Write-ins
1,068

(0.37)

Total........285,560

Ballots Cast: 287,825.

2000 Overview
Alaska remained very securely in the Republican column as Bush-Cheney thumped Gore-Lieberman by a more than two-to-one margin. Bush's plurality was 88,394 votes (30.95 percentage points). Ralph Nader achieved his best showing nationwide in Alaska, receiving 10% of the vote. Pat Buchanan stumped in the state on Oct. 23-24 and advertised > heavily but could not break 2%.

Of interest: Alaska Statutes provide for the candidates to submit position statements of 250 words or less and biographical statements of 150 words or less for the Election Pamphlet. See how the candidates presented themselves: here.

1992 and 1996 General Elections

1992

Bush (Rep.)...........102,000	(39.46)
Clinton (Dem.)..........78,294	(30.29)
Perot (No P.)...........73,481	(28.42)
Others (6+w/ins)........4,731	(1.83)
Total........258,506

1996

Dole (Rep.)............122,746	(50.80)
Clinton (Dem.).........80,380	(33.27)
Perot (Ref.).............26,333	(10.90)
Nader (Grn.)..............7,597	(3.14)
Others (3+w/ins).......4,564	(1.88)
Total........241,620

2004 page >
2000 page >