2012 United States presidential election in Oregon
← 2008 November 6, 2012 2016 →
 
Nominee Barack Obama Mitt Romney
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Illinois Massachusetts
Running mate Joe Biden Paul Ryan
Electoral vote 7 0
Popular vote 970,488 754,175
Percentage 54.24% 42.15%
President before election

Barack Obama
Democratic

Elected President

Barack Obama
Democratic

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The 2012 United States presidential election in Oregon took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Oregon voters chose seven 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, Representative Paul Ryan.

Obama carried Oregon with 54.24% of the vote to Romney's 42.15%, a Democratic victory margin of 12.09%. The Democrats have won the state in every presidential election since 1988, and the Republicans would never seriously contest the state after the 2004 election. Though Romney won a majority of counties, his best performances were in the most sparsely populated regions of the state. Obama's win came from strong support in the densely populated northwestern region of the state, home to Oregon's largest metropolitan areas. Obama won over 75% of the vote in Multnomah County, containing Portland, as well as its surrounding counties, enough to deliver the state to the Democrats by a strong margin. However, the Republican Party managed to improve on their 2008 loss of 16.35%[1] and flipped the counties of Jackson (home to Medford), Marion (home to Salem), and Wasco back into the Republican column.

Obama was the first Democrat since 1948 to win without Wasco County. As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last time where Columbia County and Tillamook County backed the Democratic candidate.

Primary elections

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary was held on May 15, 2012. Barack Obama ran unopposed for the nomination.

2012 Oregon Democratic presidential primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Barack Obama 309,358 94.79%
Democratic write-ins 16,998 5.21%
Total votes 326,358 100.00%

Republican primary

2012 Oregon Republican presidential primary
← 2008 May 15, 2012 (2012-05-15) 2016 →
 
Candidate Mitt Romney Ron Paul
Home state Massachusetts Texas
Delegate count 18 3
Popular vote 204,176 36,810
Percentage 70.91% 12.78%
 
Candidate Rick Santorum Newt Gingrich
Home state Pennsylvania Georgia
Delegate count 3 1
Popular vote 27,042 15,451
Percentage 9.39% 5.37%
Oregon results by county
  Mitt Romney
(Note: Italicization indicates a withdrawn candidacy)

The Republican primary was held on May 15, 2012.[3][4] The only two candidates still in the race were Mitt Romney and U.S. Representative from Texas, Ron Paul. In addition, former Senator from Pennsylvania Rick Santorum and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich had withdrawn prior to the election, but their names still appeared on the Oregon ballot.

In order to participate in the primary, voters were required to register to vote by April 24, 2012.[5] A closed primary was used to elect the presidential, legislative, and local partisan offices. A semi-closed primary, which allowed non-affiliated voters to participate, was used to elect the Attorney General, Secretary of State and Treasurer.[6]

2012 Oregon Republican presidential primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mitt Romney 204,176 70.91%
Republican Ron Paul 36,810 12.78%
Republican Rick Santorum (withdrew) 27,042 9.39%
Republican Newt Gingrich (withdrew) 15,451 5.37%
Republican write-ins 4,476 1.55%
Total votes 287,955 100.00%

General election

Results

United States President: Oregon[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Barack Obama 970,488 54.24%
Republican Mitt Romney 754,175 42.15%
Libertarian Gary Johnson 24,089 1.35%
Pacific Green Jill Stein 19,427 1.09%
Constitution Will Christensen 4,432 0.25%
Progressive Rocky Anderson 3,384 0.19%
write-ins 13,275 0.74%
Total votes 1,789,270 100.00%

By county

County Barack Obama
Democratic 		Mitt Romney
Republican 		Various candidates
Other parties 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Baker 2,369 28.04% 5,702 67.50% 377 4.46% -3,333 -39.46% 8,448
Benton 27,776 62.00% 14,991 33.46% 2,035 4.54% 12,785 28.54% 44,802
Clackamas 95,493 50.44% 88,592 46.79% 5,247 2.77% 6,901 3.65% 189,332
Clatsop 9,861 55.34% 7,249 40.68% 708 3.98% 2,612 14.66% 17,818
Columbia 12,004 50.28% 10,772 45.12% 1,099 4.60% 1,232 5.16% 23,875
Coos 12,845 44.78% 14,673 51.15% 1,168 4.07% -1,828 -6.37% 28,686
Crook 3,104 30.34% 6,790 66.37% 336 3.29% -3,686 -36.03% 10,230
Curry 4,625 39.60% 6,598 56.50% 455 3.90% -1,973 -16.90% 11,678
Deschutes 36,961 45.13% 42,463 51.85% 2,476 3.02% -5,502 -6.72% 81,900
Douglas 17,145 34.43% 30,776 61.80% 1,882 3.77% -13,631 -27.37% 49,803
Gilliam 371 34.97% 639 60.23% 51 4.80% -268 -25.26% 1,061
Grant 853 21.81% 2,926 74.81% 132 3.38% -2,073 -53.00% 3,911
Harney 832 23.22% 2,607 72.76% 144 4.02% -1,775 -49.54% 3,583
Hood River 6,058 61.58% 3,429 34.85% 351 3.57% 2,629 26.73% 9,838
Jackson 44,468 45.78% 49,020 50.47% 3,639 3.75% -4,552 -4.69% 97,127
Jefferson 3,301 40.38% 4,642 56.78% 232 2.84% -1,341 -16.40% 8,175
Josephine 14,953 37.16% 23,673 58.83% 1,612 4.01% -8,720 -21.67% 40,238
Klamath 8,302 29.49% 18,898 67.13% 952 3.38% -10,596 -37.64% 28,152
Lake 770 20.75% 2,808 75.69% 132 3.56% -2,038 -54.94% 3,710
Lane 102,652 59.73% 62,509 36.37% 6,689 3.90% 40,143 23.36% 171,850
Lincoln 13,401 58.31% 8,686 37.79% 897 3.90% 4,715 20.52% 22,984
Linn 20,378 39.63% 28,944 56.28% 2,104 4.09% -8,566 -16.65% 51,426
Malheur 2,759 27.71% 6,851 68.81% 346 3.48% -4,092 -41.10% 9,956
Marion 56,376 46.83% 60,190 50.00% 3,810 3.17% -3,814 -3.17% 120,376
Morrow 1,202 30.96% 2,532 65.22% 148 3.82% -1,330 -34.26% 3,882
Multnomah 274,887 75.37% 75,302 20.65% 14,533 3.98% 199,585 54.72% 364,722
Polk 16,292 46.21% 17,819 50.54% 1,146 3.25% -1,527 -4.33% 35,257
Sherman 319 31.09% 678 66.08% 29 2.83% -359 -34.99% 1,026
Tillamook 6,293 50.27% 5,684 45.40% 542 4.33% 609 4.87% 12,519
Umatilla 8,584 34.38% 15,499 62.07% 886 3.55% -6,915 -27.69% 24,969
Union 3,973 32.92% 7,636 63.26% 461 3.82% -3,663 -30.34% 12,070
Wallowa 1,253 29.80% 2,804 66.68% 148 3.52% -1,551 -36.88% 4,205
Wasco 5,211 47.93% 5,229 48.09% 433 3.98% -18 -0.16% 10,873
Washington 135,291 57.08% 93,974 39.65% 7,758 3.27% 41,317 17.43% 237,023
Wheeler 266 31.00% 545 63.52% 47 5.48% -279 -32.52% 858
Yamhill 19,260 44.89% 22,045 51.38% 1,602 3.73% -2,785 -6.49% 42,907
Total 970,488 54.24% 754,175 42.15% 64,607 3.61% 216,313 12.09% 1,789,270
County Flips:

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Results by congressional districts

Obama won 4 of 5 congressional districts.[8]

District Obama Romney Representative
1st 57.28% 40.01% Suzanne Bonamici
2nd 40.46% 56.83% Greg Walden
3rd 72.03% 24.68% Earl Blumenauer
4th 51.74% 44.98% Peter DeFazio
5th 50.49% 47.11% Kurt Schrader

See also

References

  1. ^ "Oregon - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "May 15, 2012, Primary Election Abstracts of Votes: United States President". Oregon Elections Division. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  3. ^ "Primary and Caucus Printable Calendar". CNN. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  4. ^ "Presidential Primary Dates" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  5. ^ Mickler, Lauren (March 6, 2012). "Oregon Primary Two Months Away". Eugene, OR: KEZI 9 News.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Mapes, Jeff (February 6, 2012). "Oregon Republican Party opens three statewide primaries to non-affiliated voters". The Oregonian.
  7. ^ "Official Results November 6, 2012 General Election". Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  8. ^ "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts". Daily Kos. Retrieved August 11, 2020.

External links

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