ARKANSAS | 6 Electoral Votes |
Population
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Arkansas Secretary of State)
Largest counties: Pulaski, Benton, Washington, Sebastian. > Largest cities: Little Rock, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, North Little Rock. > Government
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State
of Arkansas Secretary of State AR
Democratic Party |
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Voting Eligible Population*: 2,033,146. VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 53.4%. Early Voting: Oct. 20-Nov. 3, 2008. > "The state’s early and absentee vote totals comprised about 25 percent of the state’s 1.68 million registered voters with a combined total of around 415,000 votes cast. The early vote total of around 385,000 breaks the previous early vote record in 2004 of 300,350. This year's absentee ballot total is around 10,000 less than 2004’s total of 44,729." -AR SoS Total Registration: 1,684,240. Voter Registration Deadline: Oct. 6, 2008. |
Total Under Votes 8,648 |
2008
Overview Arkansas is one of few states where the McCain-Palin ticket fared better than Bush-Cheney had in 2004 (in terms of both the number and share of votes). Amid low turnout, the McCain ticket carried 66 counties to 9 for Obama and amassed a plurality of 215,707 votes (19.86 percentage points). Hillary Clinton had done very well in the primary, and it is possible that some of her supporters didn't make the shift to Obama. Race may have been a factor for a few voters; Harrison, AR is home to the KKK. Polls consistently showed McCain ahead by about 9 to 16 points. Sen. McCain made one appearance in the state, a finance event at Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas in Rogers on Aug. 8. The Obama campaign did open three offices. "Our mission was to use our activists in the state to phone bank into Missouri and various battleground states. We sent nearly 1,000 Arkansans across the border into Missouri to knock on doors the last 6 weekends of the campaign." Former President Bill Clinton headlined rallies in North Little Rock on Oct. 24 and in Pine Bluff and Jonesboro on Oct. 25. Note: Obama's 9 counties: Chicot, Crittenden, Desha, Jefferson, Lee, Phillips, Pulaski, St. Francis and Woodruff. Obama/Allies | McCain/Allies | Nader |
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Total Registration: 1,570,961. |
Democrats 47 Delegates (35 Pledged, 12 Unpledged) and 6 Alternates. 1.16% of the 4,049 Delegate Votes. 1.11% of the 4,234 Delegate Votes. Official Results
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Republicans 34 Delegates: 3 RNC; 19 at-large; 12 by CD (3 x 4 CDs). 1.43% of the 2,380 Delegates. Allocation
Official Results
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SoS
certifies.
Setting
the Primary
Date
In early March 2005 then
Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) signed into law SB235
"An Act Concerning Presidential Preferential Primary Elections"
which
moved the state's presidential primary from May to the first Tuesday in
February. The bill, by Sen. Tracy Steele (D-North Little Rock),
had
easily passed both houses of the General Assembly.
[Also Note. In the first part of 2006 the Democratic National Committee sought proposals from state parties to hold presidential caucuses or primaries early, in the pre-window period (i.e. before February 5, 2008), in an effort to increase diversity in the early stages of its nominating process. Arkansas Democrats were among several state parties that applied to the DNC by the April 14, 2006 deadline seeking to hold their primary early. However the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee, meeting on July 22, 2006, recommended South Carolina for the new pre-window primary position].
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Voting Eligible Population: 1,969,208. VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 53.6%. Early Voting Begins: Oct. 18, 2004 (15 days before the Election). Total Registration: 1,684,684. Voter Registration Deadline: Oct. 3, 2004 (30 days before the Election). |
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2004
Overview Arkansas is another Southern state where the Kerry-Edwards ticket did not go over too well. The Bush ticket expanded upon its 2000 showing, gaining a plurality of 102,945 votes (9.76 percentage points) and carrying 54 of 75 counties (results by county). General Election Details Kerry/Allies | Bush-Cheney '04 |
General Election -- Tuesday, November 7,
2000 |
Voting Eligible Population:
1,925,961. VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 47.9%. Arkansas has early voting for 15 days prior to Election Day (starting Oct. 23) at county clerks' offices and in multiple locations in Pulaski County. Statewide about 18% voted early or by absentee ballot. Total Registration: 1,553,356. |
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2000
Overview The Bush ticket prevailed in President Clinton's home state, returning Arkansas' six electors to the Republican column. Gov. Bush carried 43 of the state's 75 counties and won by a plurality of 50,172 votes. He kept the race close in Pulaski County (Little Rock), and polled strongly in Northwest Arkansas (for example Benton County). In U.S. House races, Democrats picked up a seat as State Sen. Mike Ross of Prescott defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Jay Dickey of Pine Bluff by 51% to 49%. General Election Activity |
1992 and 1996 General Elections |
1992
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1996
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Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action. |
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