MINNESOTA | 10 Electoral Votes |
Population
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau) Total Population, July 2008 est. 5,220,393 Registration, Nov. 4, 2008, 7 a.m. 3,199,981 plus same day registrants: 542,140 Note: Minnesota has Election Day registration. Minnesota has: 87 counties. Largest counties: Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka, Washington. > Five largest cities: Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Duluth, Bloomington. > Government
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State
of Minnesota Secretary of State Constitution
Party of MN Star
Tribune Politics1-MN
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Voting Eligible Population*: 3,721,943. VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 78.2%. Total Registration: 3,199,981 plus same day registrants: 542,140. |
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2008
Overview The 2008 Republican National Convention, held at Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis-St. Paul from Sept. 1-4, 2008, helped boost the state's economy, but couldn't tip the Minnesota into the Republican column. Obama won with a plurality of 297,945 votes (10.24 percentage points). Much of that came from the two biggest counties, Hennepin and Ramsey, where Obama obtained a total of 603,932 votes to 319,996 for McCain. All told McCain carried 45 counties to 42 for Obama. General Election Details Obama/Allies | McCain/Allies | Nader | Baldwin Photos: Politics at the Minnesota State Fair |
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Democrats 88 Delegates (72 Pledged and 16 Unpledged) and 12 Alternates. 2.17% of the 4,049 Delegate Votes. Feb. 5, 2008:
Precinct Caucuses Clinton
| Obama
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Republicans 41 Delegates: 3 RNC; 14 at-large; 24 by CD (3 x 8 CDs). 1.72% of the 2,380 Delegates. Feb.
5, 2008: Precinct Caucuses Huckabee
| McCain
| Paul
| Romney
Unofficial Results 4,106 of 4,122 99.61%
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Setting the Caucuses
Date
Minnesota Statutes (202A.14)
set out the date for precinct caucuses as the first Tuesday in March,
which
in 2008 is March 4. However, the Minnesota Republican Party and
the
Minnesota DFL have moved to hold caucuses on Feb. 5, 2008. On
July
10, 2007 the Minnesota Republican Party executive committee voted to
hold
caucuses on Feb. 5, and in August 2007 the DFL State Central Committee
approved
the change to Feb. 5 in a mail ballot.
Earlier there were
legislative
efforts to move the date forward, but party leaders determined that
step
was not necessary.
-In February 2007 State
Sen. Dan Larson (DFL-Bloomington) introduced S.F.
No. 893 to move the precinct caucuses from the first Tuesday
in March to the third Tuesday in February and the state primary from
September
to June. On May 9 Larson offered an amendment, which was
approved,
to change the date of the precinct caucuses not to the third Tuesday,
but
to the second Tuesday in February. On May 11 the Senate passed
the
bill by a vote of 55-9, and it was sent on to the House where it went
to
committee.
-In 2005 there was
bipartisan
support for efforts to move the precinct caucuses from the first
Tuesday
of March to the third Tuesday in February (another change >
would move the state primary from mid-September to June). The
thinking
was that February precinct caucuses would coincide with the Wisconsin
primary
to create a "Super Tuesday of the North" or "Frozen Tuesday."
-In 2003 legislation to
move the date of the precinct caucuses passed the Senate but stalled in
the House.
See: "Minnesota
appears
likely to move up '08 party caucuses." Associated Press, June 25,
2007. (in the Star Tribune)
Bill Salisbury. "Minnesota Legislature / Caucuses could be moved
up in 2008." Pioneer Press, May 9, 2007.
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Voting Eligible Population:
3,609,185. VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 78.4%.
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2004
Overview Kerry widened the margin upon Gore's 2000 showing, gaining a plurality of 98,319 votes (3.48 percentage points). Kerry finished ahead in the 4th, 5th and 8th CDs. At the meeting of the Electoral College on Dec. 13, 2004 Minnesota earned an asterisk when one of the 10 electors voted for John Edwards for president. |
General Election -- Tuesday, November 7, 2000 |
Voting Eligible Population:
3,506,432. VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 69.5%. |
Total Voters: 2,457,156. |
2000
Overview Bush made a close race for Minnesota's 10 electoral votes, but on Election Day Gore came out on top, gaining a plurality of 58,607 votes (2.41 percentage points). Gore carried 16 counties to 71 for Bush. The last Republican presidential candidate to carry Minnesota was Richard Nixon, seeking re-election in 1972 against George McGovern. Yet in October at least one poll showed Bush ahead. The state experienced a crush of activity in the closing weeks of the campaign. Nader supporters hoped to obtain as much as 10 percent, which, had it happened could have tipped the state to Bush. Gov. Ventura, who has roiled Minnesota politics since his upset win in 1998, remained neutral in the presidential race. General Election Activity |
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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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