President Joe Biden will be facing Democratic voters in Alaska and Wyoming this Saturday in two nominating contests that are not expected to produce any surprises. In Wyoming, Biden is the only major candidate competing for votes among the seven names on the ballot. Democrats will award 13 delegates using a presidential preference vote held at caucuses in each of the state’s 23 counties. In Alaska, 15 delegates are at stake in a party-run primary where Democratic voters will convene in meetings in each of the state’s 40 House districts and indicate their support for Biden in a voice vote.
Biden has already surpassed the number of delegates needed to officially claim the nomination at the convention this summer. In 2020, Biden won the Alaska primary with 55% of the vote and the Wyoming caucuses with 72% over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Both states traditionally vote Republican in presidential general elections, with the last Democratic candidate to win being President Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Sanders carried both states in the 2016 primaries against Hillary Clinton.
In Wyoming, Biden is the favorite in the caucuses as he faces no major challengers on the ballot. It is expected that the first indication of his winning statewide will be sufficient to determine the winners. In Alaska, Biden is the only eligible candidate, and determining the winner will be a matter of waiting for the state party to announce when the outcome is official. Wyoming Republicans will complete their process of awarding presidential delegates next week at their state convention, while Alaska Republicans held presidential caucuses on Super Tuesday in March.
The Saturday contests will see a total of 28 delegates at stake, with 15 in Alaska and 13 in Wyoming. In Alaska, only registered Democrats are eligible to vote in the party-run primary, where voice vote sessions will be held at different times throughout the day, with results expected to be announced by the state party chairman no later than 11 p.m. EDT. In Wyoming, only Democrats who registered by Tuesday are allowed to participate in the caucuses, with results expected to be reported by 7 p.m. EDT. The upcoming Democratic National Convention is 128 days away in Chicago, with the general election following in 206 days.
The Alaska primary and Wyoming caucuses are part of the Democratic presidential contests being held this Saturday. Both events offer Democrats the opportunity to show their support for President Joe Biden as the only major candidate on the ballot. While Alaska and Wyoming are traditionally Republican states in presidential general elections, these nominating contests will play a crucial role in solidifying Biden’s position as the Democratic nominee for the upcoming election. Results are expected to be announced on Saturday evening, contributing to the overall momentum leading up to the Democratic National Convention and the November general election.
