Senator John Kerry Wins Wyoming’s Presidential Preference Vote

Contact:  Kyle DeBeer   307-473-1457 (office)   307-473-1459 (fax)  

CASPER – Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) won the presidential preference vote at Democratic County Conventions held across Wyoming today with 79.41% of the vote. Democratic county conventions elect delegates to the state convention on the basis of the presidential preference vote and adopt a county platform. Out of 261 delegates to the state convention, Kerry has won 188. The second largest category of delegates to the state convention is “uncommitted” delegates, who did not express a presidential preference at their county convention. Statewide this accounted for 7.19% of the vote. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) placed third with 5.56% of the vote. Receiving 3.92% of the vote and finishing in fourth was Sen. John Edwards (D-NC). Fmr. Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT) and Rev. Al Sharpton received 3.43% and 0.49% of the vote respectively. At the time of this release, 20 of 23 counties have reported results accounting for 93% of the delegates to the state convention. Only Democrats are allowed to vote in Democratic County Conventions. The delegates elected today will attend the 2004 state convention in Sheridan, WY on May 15th. At the state convention, Wyoming Democrats will select their delegates to the Democratic National Convention, adopt a state platform, and prepare for the 2004 campaign. Wyoming will send nineteen delegates and four alternates to the national convention, which takes place in Boston, MA in July. Commenting on the county conventions, State Party Chairman Mike Gierau said, “Democrats are energized. All across our state, Democrats are prepared to fight for our shared Wyoming values.” Energy and enthusiasm were evident in the higher-than-usual turnout at many conventions. In Park and Sheridan Counties, for example, turnout more than doubled. And in Teton County, where only twenty Democrats voted at the 2000 convention, nearly 100 Republicans and Independents joined 133 of their Democratic neighbors to discuss Wyoming’s future. Teton County Democratic activist T.R. Shelby described the unprecedented turnout as “a ringing indictment of the failed leadership of Barbara Cubin and George W. Bush.” CLICK HERE FOR A TABLE WITH COMPLETE COUNTY BY COUNTY RESULTS. ###