2012 United States presidential election in Alabama

Main article: 2012 United States presidential election
2012 United States presidential election in Alabama
← 2008 November 6, 2012 2016 →
Turnout73.2% Decrease
 
Nominee Mitt Romney Barack Obama
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Massachusetts Illinois
Running mate Paul Ryan Joe Biden
Electoral vote 9 0
Popular vote 1,255,925 795,696
Percentage 60.55% 38.36%
County Results
President before election

Barack Obama
Democratic

Elected President

Barack Obama
Democratic

The 2012 United States presidential election in Alabama took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 general election, in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Alabama voters chose nine electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan.

In 2008, Alabama was won by Republican nominee John McCain with a 21.58% margin of victory. Prior to the election, 17 news organizations considered this a state Romney would win, or otherwise considered it a safe red state. Located in the Deep South, Alabama is one of the most conservative states in the country. Alabama has not voted Democratic since it was won by Jimmy Carter in 1976.[1]

Romney won the election in Alabama with 60.55% of the vote, while Obama received 38.36%, a 22.19% margin of victory.[2] While the state swung slightly more Republican from 2008, Obama flipped two McCain counties, Barbour and Conecuh, into the Democratic column, thereby making it the last time either county voted for a Democratic presidential candidate as of the 2024 presidential election.

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Primary elections

Democratic primary

On March 13, 2012, the Alabama Democratic Party held statewide primaries to select delegates for the Democratic nomination, taking place on the same day as the Mississippi Democratic primary and the Utah Democratic caucuses. Incumbent Barack Obama ran unopposed. However, voters also had the option of voting "uncommitted" rather than supporting Obama. Of the 286,780 votes cast, 241,167 (84.09%) were for Obama and 45,613 (15.91%) were uncommitted.[3] Out of the 63 pledged delegates, 55 went to Obama and 8 were uncommitted. The floor vote at the Democratic National Convention allocated all of Alabama's 69 delegates to Obama.[4] Obama won all but 6 counties in the state.

2012 Democratic Party presidential primary in Alabama
← 2008 March 13, 2012 (2012-03-13) 2016 →
69 Democratic National Convention delegates (63 pledged, 6 unpledged)
The number of pledged delegates won is determined by the popular vote
 
Candidate Barack Obama Uncommitted
Home state Illinois N/A
Delegate count 55 8
Popular vote 241,167 45,613
Percentage 84.09% 15.91%
Alabama results by county
  Barack Obama
  Uncommitted

Republican primary

2012 Republican Party presidential primaries in Alabama
← 2008 March 13, 2012 (2012-03-13) 2016 →
 
Candidate Rick Santorum Newt Gingrich Mitt Romney
Home state Pennsylvania Georgia Massachusetts
Delegate count 17 12 10
Popular vote 215,105 182,276 180,321
Percentage 34.55% 29.28% 28.97%
Alabama results by county
  Rick Santorum
  Newt Gingrich
  Mitt Romney
  Tie

The 2012 Alabama Republican primary took place on March 13, 2012, on the same day as the Mississippi Republican primary and the Hawaii Republican caucuses.[5][6] Rick Santorum was declared the winner.[7]

Alabama Republican primary, 2012[8]
Candidate Votes Percentage Projected delegate count
AP
[9] 		CNN
[10] 		FOX
Rick Santorum 215,105 34.55% 22 18 –
Newt Gingrich 182,276 29.28% 14 9 –
Mitt Romney 180,321 28.97% 11 9 –
Ron Paul 30,937 4.97% 0 0 –
Rick Perry (withdrawn) 1,867 0.30% 0 0 –
Michele Bachmann (withdrawn) 1,700 0.27% 0 0 –
Jon Huntsman (withdrawn) 1,049 0.17% 0 0 –
Uncommitted 9,259 1.49% 0 0 –
Unprojected delegates 3 14 50
Total: 622,514 100.00% 50 50 50

General election

Polling

Main article: Statewide opinion polling for the 2012 United States presidential election: Alabama

Opinion polls that have been taken in Alabama have consistently shown Mitt Romney to be leading Barack Obama.

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
Huffington Post[11] Safe R November 6, 2012
CNN[12] Safe R November 6, 2012
New York Times[13] Safe R November 6, 2012
Washington Post[14] Safe R November 6, 2012
RealClearPolitics[15] Solid R November 6, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball[16] Solid R November 5, 2012
FiveThirtyEight[17] Solid R November 6, 2012

Candidate ballot access

Write-in candidate access:

Results

2012 United States presidential election in Alabama[1]
Party Candidate Running mate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Mitt Romney Paul Ryan 1,255,925 60.55% 9
Democratic Barack Obama (incumbent) Joe Biden (incumbent) 795,696 38.36% 0
Libertarian Gary Johnson Jim Gray 12,328 0.59% 0
Write-ins Write-ins 4,011 0.19% 0
Green Jill Stein Cheri Honkala 3,397 0.16% 0
Constitution Virgil Goode Jim Clymer 2,981 0.14% 0
Totals 2,074,338 100.00% 9

By county

County Mitt Romney
Republican 		Barack Obama
Democratic 		Various candidates
Other parties 		Margin Total
# % # % # % # %
Autauga 17,379 72.49% 6,363 26.54% 231 0.97% 11,016 45.95% 23,973
Baldwin 66,016 77.22% 18,424 21.55% 1,051 1.23% 47,592 55.67% 85,491
Barbour 5,550 48.19% 5,912 51.33% 55 0.48% -362 -3.14% 11,517
Bibb 6,132 72.83% 2,202 26.15% 86 1.02% 3,930 46.68% 8,420
Blount 20,757 86.27% 2,970 12.34% 333 1.39% 17,787 73.93% 24,060
Bullock 1,251 23.51% 4,061 76.31% 10 0.18% -2,810 -52.80% 5,322
Butler 5,087 53.54% 4,374 46.03% 41 0.43% 713 7.51% 9,502
Calhoun 30,278 65.30% 15,511 33.45% 575 1.25% 14,767 31.85% 46,364
Chambers 7,626 52.13% 6,871 46.97% 132 0.90% 755 5.16% 14,629
Cherokee 7,506 76.65% 2,132 21.77% 154 1.58% 5,374 54.88% 9,792
Chilton 13,932 79.68% 3,397 19.43% 156 0.89% 10,535 60.25% 17,485
Choctaw 4,152 52.06% 3,786 47.47% 38 0.47% 366 4.59% 7,976
Clarke 7,470 53.90% 6,334 45.70% 56 0.40% 1,136 8.20% 13,860
Clay 4,817 72.12% 1,777 26.61% 85 1.27% 3,040 45.51% 6,679
Cleburne 5,272 83.43% 971 15.37% 76 1.20% 4,301 68.06% 6,319
Coffee 14,666 73.99% 4,925 24.85% 230 1.16% 9,741 49.14% 19,821
Colbert 13,936 59.44% 9,166 39.10% 342 1.46% 4,770 20.34% 23,444
Conecuh 3,439 48.95% 3,555 50.60% 31 0.45% -116 -1.65% 7,025
Coosa 3,049 57.72% 2,191 41.48% 42 0.80% 858 16.24% 5,282
Covington 12,153 78.72% 3,158 20.45% 128 0.83% 8,995 58.27% 15,439
Crenshaw 4,331 67.42% 2,050 31.91% 43 0.67% 2,281 35.51% 6,424
Cullman 28,999 83.92% 5,052 14.62% 504 1.46% 23,947 69.30% 34,555
Dale 13,108 70.47% 5,286 28.42% 207 1.11% 7,822 42.05% 18,601
Dallas 6,288 29.99% 14,612 69.70% 64 0.31% -8,324 -39.71% 20,964
DeKalb 18,331 76.54% 5,239 21.87% 380 1.59% 13,092 54.67% 23,950
Elmore 26,253 73.86% 8,954 25.19% 339 0.95% 17,299 48.67% 35,546
Escambia 9,287 62.35% 5,489 36.85% 118 0.80% 3,798 25.50% 14,894
Etowah 29,130 68.34% 12,803 30.04% 691 1.62% 16,327 38.30% 42,624
Fayette 6,054 76.07% 1,817 22.83% 87 1.10% 4,237 53.24% 7,958
Franklin 7,567 69.54% 3,171 29.14% 143 1.32% 4,396 40.40% 10,881
Geneva 9,175 80.97% 2,039 17.99% 117 1.04% 7,136 45.95% 11,331
Greene 804 15.05% 4,521 84.62% 18 0.33% -3,717 -69.57% 5,343
Hale 3,210 37.12% 5,411 62.58% 26 0.30% -2,201 -25.46% 8,647
Henry 5,628 64.20% 3,083 35.17% 55 0.63% 2,545 29.03% 8,766
Houston 29,270 69.72% 12,367 29.46% 347 0.82% 16,903 40.26% 41,984
Jackson 14,439 69.98% 5,822 28.22% 371 1.80% 8,617 41.76% 20,632
Jefferson 141,683 46.53% 159,876 52.50% 2,964 0.97% -18,193 -5.97% 304,523
Lamar 5,457 76.05% 1,646 22.94% 73 1.01% 3,811 53.11% 7,176
Lauderdale 23,911 64.57% 12,511 33.78% 610 1.65% 11,400 30.79% 37,032
Lawrence 8,874 62.72% 5,069 35.83% 205 1.45% 3,805 26.89% 14,148
Lee 32,194 59.08% 21,381 39.23% 921 1.69% 10,813 19.85% 54,496
Limestone 25,295 71.17% 9,829 27.66% 416 1.17% 15,466 43.51% 35,540
Lowndes 1,756 23.34% 5,747 76.39% 20 0.27% -3,991 -53.05% 7,523
Macon 1,331 12.80% 9,045 87.00% 20 0.20% -7,714 -74.20% 10,396
Madison 90,884 58.47% 62,015 39.90% 2,529 1.63% 28,869 18.57% 155,428
Marengo 5,336 46.23% 6,167 53.43% 40 0.34% -831 -7.20% 11,543
Marion 9,697 79.95% 2,249 18.54% 183 1.51% 7,448 61.41% 12,129
Marshall 25,867 79.24% 6,299 19.30% 478 1.46% 19,568 59.94% 32,644
Mobile 94,893 54.18% 78,760 44.97% 1,487 0.85% 16,133 9.21% 175,140
Monroe 5,741 53.57% 4,914 45.85% 62 0.58% 827 7.72% 10,717
Montgomery 38,332 37.56% 63,085 61.81% 650 0.63% -24,753 -24.25% 102,067
Morgan 35,391 71.56% 13,439 27.17% 629 1.27% 21,952 44.39% 49,459
Perry 1,506 24.68% 4,568 74.87% 27 0.45% -3,062 -50.19% 6,101
Pickens 5,124 53.26% 4,455 46.30% 42 0.44% 669 6.96% 9,621
Pike 7,963 56.38% 6,035 42.73% 125 0.89% 1,928 13.65% 14,123
Randolph 7,224 69.32% 3,078 29.54% 119 1.14% 4,146 39.78% 10,421
Russell 8,278 43.78% 10,500 55.53% 132 0.69% -2,222 -11.75% 18,910
Shelby 71,436 77.03% 20,051 21.62% 1,255 1.35% 51,385 55.41% 92,742
St. Clair 29,031 82.39% 5,801 16.46% 403 1.15% 23,230 65.93% 35,235
Sumter 1,586 22.56% 5,421 77.11% 23 0.33% -3,835 -54.55% 7,030
Talladega 19,246 57.60% 13,905 41.61% 265 0.79% 5,341 15.99% 33,416
Tallapoosa 12,396 65.76% 6,319 33.52% 136 0.72% 6,077 32.24% 18,851
Tuscaloosa 45,748 58.08% 32,048 40.68% 976 1.24% 13,700 17.40% 78,772
Walker 21,651 75.74% 6,557 22.94% 377 1.32% 15,094 52.80% 28,585
Washington 5,761 65.56% 2,976 33.87% 50 0.57% 2,785 31.69% 8,787
Wilcox 1,679 25.61% 4,868 74.26% 8 0.13% -3,189 -48.65% 6,555
Winston 8,312 85.44% 1,286 13.22% 130 1.34% 7,026 72.22% 9,728
Totals 1,255,925 60.55% 795,696 38.36% 22,717 1.10% 460,229 22.19% 2,074,338
County Flips:
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

By congressional district

Romney won 6 of 7 congressional districts.[18]

District Romney Obama Representative
1st 61.84% 37.4% Jo Bonner
2nd 62.9% 36.4% Martha Roby
3rd 62.3% 36.8% Mike Rogers
4th 74.8% 23.98% Robert Aderholt
5th 63.87% 34.85% Mo Brooks
6th 74.3% 24.66% Spencer Bachus
7th 27.12% 72.4% Terri Sewell

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Certified General Election Results without write-in appendix" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama. November 25, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2008. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  2. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections – Idaho". Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  3. ^ Kennedy, H. Mark (April 6, 2012). "Democratic Party Primary Results Recertification" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "Alabama Democratic Delegation 2012". www.thegreenpapers.com. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  5. ^ Alabama Republican – The Green Papers
  6. ^ Beyerle, Dana (November 14, 2011). "Republican primary qualifying opens today". The Tuscaloosa News. Halifax Media Group. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  7. ^ "Alabama Election Result 2015 live". infoelections. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "It's All Politics: AP Results: Alabama, Mississippi, Hawaii". NPR. March 13, 2012. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  10. ^ "People Choice 2012: Election Center - Results: Alabama". CNN. April 23, 2012. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012.
  11. ^ "Huffington Post Election Dashboard". HuffPost. Archived from the original on August 13, 2013.
  12. ^ "America's Choice 2012 Election Center: CNN Electoral Map". CNN. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013.
  13. ^ "Election 2012 - The Electoral Map: Building a Path to Victory". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012.
  14. ^ "2012 Presidential Election Results". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 26, 2012.
  15. ^ "RealClearPolitics - 2012 Election Maps - Battle for White House". Archived from the original on June 8, 2011.
  16. ^ "PROJECTION: OBAMA WILL LIKELY WIN SECOND TERM".
  17. ^ "Nate Silver's political calculations predict 2012 election outcome".
  18. ^ "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts". Daily Kos. Retrieved August 11, 2020.