May 6, 2008

More than 200 Alaskans Run for Delegate to Democratic National Convention

From a Alaska Democratic Party press release:

More than 200 Alaskans elected at the caucuses on Super Tuesday are running to become Delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Delegate elections will take place May 24 at the Alaska Democratic Party's state convention in Palmer.

Alaska will send a total of 18 Delegates and 4 Alternates to the Democratic National Convention, which begins August 25 in Denver, Colorado.

Two hundred sixty-five (265) Alaskans have filed paperwork to run for 13 pledged Delegate slots. These pledged Delegates will be awarded in proportion to the votes cast in a presidential Fan Out by state convention delegates that will take place the afternoon of May 24. Following the Fan Out, eight (8) national District-Level Delegates will be elected by the supporters of each presidential candidate. Five additional pledged delegates - three (3) At-Large Delegates and (2) Party Leader and Elected Officials (PLEO) Delegates – will be elected by the state convention delegates as a whole.

“More than half of the state convention delegates are running to go as Delegates to the national convention. This shows there is a lot of interest and excitement in this process,” said State Party Chair Patti Higgins.

This is the second step in a process of electing Alaska’s representatives to the Democratic National Convention. The first step was the caucuses around the state on Feb. 5, where 411 delegates to the state convention were elected in proportion to the strength of the presidential candidates at fan outs in each of Alaska’s 40 State House Districts. At the Feb. 5 caucuses, state convention delegates were awarded as follows:

                  Pct of          Num of
  Candidate   Delegates   Delegates
  Clinton           24.7%           104
  Obama           75.2%           306
  Uncommitted     0.1%              1
  TOTAL:           100%           411

In addition to Alaska’s 13 pledged Delegates, the state will send 5 unpledged Delegates to the national convention. One of the unpledged Delegates will be elected May 24 at the state convention. Alaska’s other four unpledged Delegates are State Chair Patti Higgins of Anchorage, First Vice Chair Blake Johnson of Kenai, National Committeeman John Davies of Fairbanks, and National Committeewoman Cindy Spanyers of Juneau.