ALABAMA

9 Electoral Votes

Population
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Alabama Secretary of State)

Total Resident Population, July 1, 2012 est.	4,822,023
Total Registration, Nov. 6, 2012 active	2,854,616

Alabama has: 67 counties.
Largest counties: Jefferson, Mobile, Madison, Montgomery, Shelby. >
Largest cities: Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, Huntsville. >

Government
Governor: Robert Bentley (R) elected in 2010.
State Legislature: Alabama Legislature House 105 seats, Senate 35 seats
Local: Cities, Counties NACO Counties
U.S. House: 6R, 1D - 1. J.Bonner (R) | 2. M.Roby (R) | 3. M.Rogers (R) | 4. R.Aderholt (R) | 5. M.Brooks (R) | 6. S.Bachus (R) | 7. T.Sewell (D).
U.S. Senate: Jeff Sessions (R) re-elected in 2008, Richard C. Shelby (R) re-elected in 2010.

2012
U.S. House: All six Members were re-elected, each gaining over 60% of the vote and one uncontested.
State Legislature: Alabama did not hold state legislative elections in 2012.
More: In the highest profile race on the ballot, Judge Roy Moore was elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, defeating Bob Vance. Public Service Commission President Lucy Baxley lost to Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, meaning the Democrats hold no statewide offices.
Ballot Measures: Voters decided 11 referenda questions, approving all but one.

State of Alabama
Secretary of State

AL Democratic Party
AL Green Party
AL Republican Party
Libertarian Party of AL
Constitution Party of AL

Alabama Live
Media (Newsp.), 2
TV, Radio

Alabama Live Pol.
Doc's Political Parlor

Politics1-AL
Ballotpedia-AL

Heart of Dixie

General Election -- Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Voting Eligible Population*: 3,522,336.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 58.8%.

Total Registration: 2,854,616.
Voter Registration Deadline: October 26, 2012.

Ballot access note: Independent presidential candidates must file petition with signatures of 5,000 qualified electors by Sept. 6, 2012. [PDF]

Official Results > [+]
Obama/Biden (Dem.)	795,696	(38.36)
+Romney/Ryan (Rep.)	1,255,925	(60.55)
Goode/Clymer (Const.)	2,981	(0.14)
Johnson/Gray (Lib.)	12,328	(0.59)
Stein/Honkala (Grn.)	3,397	(0.16)
write-ins	4,011	(0.19)
Total........2,074,338
SOS

Overview: As in the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns, the Republican presidential ticket won with over 60-percent of the vote. The Republicans' plurality was 460,229 votes (22.19 percentage points) and they carried 52 of the 67 counties. The principals made a few visits. Michelle Obama looked into tornado recovery and did a fundraiser in Birmingham (July 18). Republicans did three fundraisers: Mitt Romney in Birmingham (Aug. 15), Ann Romney in Mobile (June 7) and Paul Ryan in Huntsville (Oct. 26). Although Alabama was not competitive, the Obama campaign had a state director and an office in Birminigham. Both sides encouraged volunteers to help out in neighboring Florida.
Obama | (Romney)
BALLOT [PDF]

2012 Presidential Preference Primary -- Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Registration (active): 2,646,579. Ballots Cast: 871,025. Voter Turnout: 32.91%.

Democrats

Unofficial Results

+Barack Obama
166,491

80.91%

Uncommitted 39,276

19.09%

Total 205,767

Republicans
50 Delegates: 3 RNC; 26 at-large; 21 by CD (3 x 7 CDs).
2.19% of the 2,286 Delegates.

At-large delegate allocation - Winner-take-all if candidate receives 50% statewide primary vote; if not, then proportional w/ 20% threshold.
CD delegate allocation - Winner-take-all if candidate receives 50% in CD during
primary; if not, 2 delegates to plurality candidate with remaining delegate to 2nd
place (w/ 20% threshold).

Official Results

Michele Bachmann
1,700

0.27%

Newt Gingrich
182,194

29.30%

Jon Huntsman
1,044

0.17%

Ron Paul
30,902

4.97%

Rick Perry
1,865

0.30%

Mitt Romney
180,244

28.99%

+Rick Santorum
214,540

34.51%

Uncommitted
9,242

1.49%

Total
621,731

Details

General Election -- Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Voting Eligible Population*: 3,398,289.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 61.8%.

Total Registration: 2,841,195 (active).
(169,443 inactive) >
Voter Registration Deadline: Oct. 24, 2008.

Official Results
Obama/Biden (Dem.)	813,479	(38.74)
+McCain/Palin (Rep.)	1,266,546	(60.32)
Baldwin/Castle (Ind.)	4,310	(0.21)
Barr/Root (Ind.)	4,991	(0.24)
Nader/Gonzalez (Ind.)	6,788	(0.32)
w/ins	3,705	(0.18)
Total........2,099,819

2008 Overview
The McCain-Palin ticket won Alabama with a plurality of 453,067 votes (21.58 percentage points), carrying 54 of the state's 67 counties. Although the candidates bypassed Alabama in the Fall (the only principal event was Michelle Obama's appearance at a fundraiser in Mountain Brook (Birmingham) on June 23), Alabama activists helped out in neighboring Florida. Obama campaign volunteers made calls daily and traveled to Florida and knocked on doors every weekend. Turnout inspired by the Obama campaign contributed to Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright's (D) narrow win in the 2nd CD. Also of note, voter registration increased by more than 280,000 in the nine months between the presidential primary and the general election.
Obama/Allies | McCain/Allies | Nader

General Election -- Tuesday, November 2, 2004

Voting Eligible Population: 3,292,608.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 57.2%.

According to the Census Bureau (1), Alabama had the highest percentage of any state of people voting in person on Election Day, 96.7%.

Total Registration: 2,597,629.
Voter Registration Deadline: Oct. 22, 2004.

Official Results
Kerry/Edwards (Dem.)	693,933	(36.84)
+Bush/Cheney (Rep.)	1,176,394	(62.46)
Badnarik/Campagna (Ind.)	3,495	(0.19)
Nader/Pierce (Ind.)	6,701	(0.36)
Peroutka/Baldwin (Ind.)	1,994	(0.11)
w/ins	898	(0.05)
Total........1,883,415

2004 Overview
The last Democrat to win in Alabama was Jimmy Carter in 1976. Bush-Cheney padded upon their 2000 showing and continued the Republican winning streak. Bush-Cheney gained a plurality of 482,461 votes (25.62 percentage points) over the Kerry-Edwards ticket and finished ahead in 56 of the state's 67 counties.
General Election Details
Kerry/Allies | Bush-Cheney '04

General Election -- Tuesday, November 7, 2000

Voting Eligible Population: 3,241,682.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 51.6%.

Voter Registration: 2,528,963.

Official Results

Gore/Lieberman (Dem.)
692,611

(41.57)

Browne/Olivier (Lib.)
5,893

(0.35)

+Bush/Cheney (Rep.)
941,173

(56.48)

Buchanan/Foster (Ind.)
6,351

(0.38)

Hagelin/Goldhaber (Ind.)
447

(0.02)

Nader/LaDuke (Ind.)
18,323

(1.10)

Phillips/Frazier (Ind.)
775

(0.05)

Write-ins
699

(0.04)

Total........1,666,272

2000 Overview
Bush consistently had a comfortable lead in the polls, and there were no surprises on Election Day as the Bush-Cheney ticket won with a plurality of 248,562 votes (14.91 percentage points) and finished ahead of Gore-Lieberman in 49 of the state's 67 counties. In other races, "Ten Commandments" judge Roy Moore handily won the race for chief justice of the state Supreme Court, and voters approved Amendment 2 to remove the state's ban on interracial marriages.
General Election Activity

1992 and 1996 General Elections

1992

Bush (Rep.)..........804,283	(47.64)
Clinton (Dem.)......690,080	(40.88)
Perot (Ind.)...........183,109	(10.85)
Others (5+w/ins).....10,588	(0.63)
Total........1,688,060

1996

Dole (Rep.)...........769,044	(50.12)
Clinton (Dem.)......662,165	(43.16)
Perot (Ind.).............92,149	(6.00)
Others (4+w/ins).....10,991	(0.72)
Total........1,534,349

Archive Pages: 2008 | 2004 | 2000