Nebraska Democratic caucuses, 2008
Encyclopedia
The Nebraska
Democratic
Presidential Caucuses took place on February 9, 2008, where 24 of the state's 31 convention delegates were chosen. Like he did throughout many other states that held caucuses instead of primaries, Barack Obama
won the Nebraska Democratic Caucus by more than a two-to-one margin of victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton
. On May 13, 2008, the state also held a non-binding primary election which Obama also won but the margin of victory was considerably smaller.
After signing in, participants gathered into preference groups for each candidate. A minimum 15 percent of participants was required for viability. Only members of non-viable groups were permitted to realign to other viable groups. Afterwards, delegates were divided and elected to the county conventions in June.
The primary election held on May 13 was not binding on any county delegates, all of whom had been selected at the caucuses. However, it may have played a role in showing superdelegate
s to the Democratic National Convention the preference of Nebraska Democrats.
County delegates were committed to vote in the county conventions for the candidate they had supported during the caucuses. However, the same viability rules applied as at the precinct caucuses. The county conventions elected delegates to the Nebraska Democratic Party State Convention which took place June 20–22, who then elected delegates to the Democratic National Convention. The State Convention chose eight delegates pledged to Clinton and 16 pledged to Obama, the same number as the estimates following the main caucuses.
National Pledged Delegates Determined: 16 (of 24)
Primary Date: May 13, 2008
National Pledged Delegates Determined: 0 (of 24)
, which contains Omaha
, where he won with 77.12 percent of the vote, as well as in Lancaster County
, which contains the state capital of Lincoln
and is home to the University of Nebraska. Most of Clinton's wins in the state came in the far more rural
counties in Western Nebraska. However, during the non-binding primary, Clinton carried almost every county in Nebraska except for Douglas and Lancaster counties which gave Obama the edge and narrow victory.
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Presidential Caucuses took place on February 9, 2008, where 24 of the state's 31 convention delegates were chosen. Like he did throughout many other states that held caucuses instead of primaries, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
won the Nebraska Democratic Caucus by more than a two-to-one margin of victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
. On May 13, 2008, the state also held a non-binding primary election which Obama also won but the margin of victory was considerably smaller.
Polls
Process
The Nebraska Democratic Caucus was open to all registered Democratic voters. Voters who were eligible to vote in the general election but were unregistered or registered with another party could register as Democrats at the caucus. Absentee votes for the disabled, those on active military duty, and full time students were permitted.After signing in, participants gathered into preference groups for each candidate. A minimum 15 percent of participants was required for viability. Only members of non-viable groups were permitted to realign to other viable groups. Afterwards, delegates were divided and elected to the county conventions in June.
The primary election held on May 13 was not binding on any county delegates, all of whom had been selected at the caucuses. However, it may have played a role in showing superdelegate
Superdelegate
"Superdelegate" is an informal term commonly used for some of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the United States Democratic Party....
s to the Democratic National Convention the preference of Nebraska Democrats.
County delegates were committed to vote in the county conventions for the candidate they had supported during the caucuses. However, the same viability rules applied as at the precinct caucuses. The county conventions elected delegates to the Nebraska Democratic Party State Convention which took place June 20–22, who then elected delegates to the Democratic National Convention. The State Convention chose eight delegates pledged to Clinton and 16 pledged to Obama, the same number as the estimates following the main caucuses.
Precinct Caucus Results
Caucus Date: February 9, 2008National Pledged Delegates Determined: 16 (of 24)
| Nebraska Democratic Presidential Caucus Results – 2008 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Delegates | ||
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... |
26,126 | 67.56% | 16 | ||
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the... |
12,445 | 32.18% | 8 | ||
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Uncommitted | 99 | 0.26% | 0 | ||
| Totals | 38,670 | 100.00% | 24 | |||
| Voter turnout | % | — | ||||
Primary
The Nebraska Democratic Party does not use the results of the primary to determine its delegates.Primary Date: May 13, 2008
National Pledged Delegates Determined: 0 (of 24)
| Nebraska Democratic Presidential Primary Results – 2008 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Delegates | ||
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... |
46,670 | 49.06% | 0 | ||
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the... |
43,979 | 46.24% | 0 | ||
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Mike Gravel Mike Gravel Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel is a former Democratic United States Senator from Alaska, who served two terms from 1969 to 1981, and a former candidate in the 2008 presidential election.... |
3,886 | 4.09% | 0 | ||
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Write-ins Write-in candidate A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu... |
584 | 0.61% | 0 | ||
| Totals | 95,119 | 100.00% | 0 | |||
| Voter turnout | % | — | ||||
Analysis
Barack Obama performed extremely well throughout the state of Nebraska in the caucus, winning a majority of counties. His large margin of victory can be attributed to his overwhelming wins in Douglas CountyDouglas County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 463,585 people, 182,194 households, and 115,146 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,401 people per square mile . There were 192,672 housing units at an average density of 582 per square mile...
, which contains Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, where he won with 77.12 percent of the vote, as well as in Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 250,291 people, 99,187 households, and 60,702 families residing in the county. The population density was 298 people per square mile . There were 104,217 housing units at an average density of 124 per square mile...
, which contains the state capital of Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
and is home to the University of Nebraska. Most of Clinton's wins in the state came in the far more rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
counties in Western Nebraska. However, during the non-binding primary, Clinton carried almost every county in Nebraska except for Douglas and Lancaster counties which gave Obama the edge and narrow victory.
See also
- Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008The 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
- Nebraska Republican primary, 2008Nebraska Republican primary, 2008The 2008 Nebraska Republican primary took place on May 13, 2008. John McCain won the primary, although he had secured his party's nomination weeks before the election through his performance in earlier primary contests....