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Turnout is light
in three party contests
By Craig Grau, associate professor of political science, University
of Minnesota at Duluth
March 8, 2000, 5:30pm EST--On Tuesday March 7 caucuses were held for
three of the four major parties in Minnesota: the Constitution Party (formerly
the U.S. Taxpayers Party), and the Republican Party. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Party will hold theirs on Saturday and Sunday - March 18 and 19.
According to the most recent tabulation by the Minnesota Secretary of
State's Office George W. Bush received 63 percent of the votes of caucus
attendees in an advisory vote with 72 percent of the precincts reporting.
Surprisingly Alan Keyes came in second with nearly 20 percent followed
by John McCain with 17 percent. There was no electronic advertisements
and few visits by any of the candidates in the past year.
The total votes so far are less than 19,000. With 766,476 voting for
Bob Dole in 1996, caucus attendees are about 2-3 percent of the Republican
presidentail electorate in the state. These activists seem to be more
socially conservative and therefore more inclined percentagewise toward
Keyes than in other primary states.
The Minnesota Independance Party has left the national Reform Party.
Their caucuses attendees were given the names of all announced candidates
for President. John McCain led all others with over 40 percent (just over
70 votes so far), followed by George W. Bush with 11 percent, John Hagelin
(Natural Law Party) 9 percent, and Pat Buchanan 6 percent. Turnout was
very light.
The Constitution Party gave all their votes to Howard Philips. Their
attendance was light as well.
The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party decided to hold caucuses and have a
binding vote by attendees on a weekend to boost attendance. Attendance
has been declining. Although they have a spirited race for the U.S. Senate
nomination (especially with the withdrawal of Tim Penny), their attendees
will not have much choice in their binding Presidential balloting given
the events in the primaries on March 7th.
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