President Biden moved closer to the Democratic nomination for re-election with wins in caucus contests in Wyoming and Alaska.
As two of the least populated states, Alaska and Wyoming play minimal roles in intraparty and general election voting in presidential contests.
Biden essentially clinched the Democratic nomination on March 12 with his victory in the Georgia primary, and is now certain to face former President Trump in November.
Alaska
Alaska Democrats conducted voice voting for the party-administered preferences poll at in-person and virtual district meetings. The party announced on Saturday that Biden had won 15 pledged delegates.
Biden was the only candidate eligible to receive votes after the other eligible Democratic candidate, Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota, who suspended his campaign last month. Voting was taken during meetings where other party business was conducted.
The voting process was postponed for a week. Democrats had planned to hold the ranked-choice vote-by-mail election on April 6, but that changed when only Biden and Phillips qualified for the ballot and Phillips dropped out of the race.
The changes to voting procedures were approved by the Democratic National Committee.
Lindsay Kavanaugh, executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, said there were no provisions for registered or non-compliant voters.
“There is no option to vote no,” she said. “You can abstain from voting. You are not voting yes or no, you are voting for a candidate.”
She said the party proceeded to vote, even with just one candidate, “to make sure we are as inclusive as possible” and to avoid any suggestion that party leaders were making up their own minds about candidates.
Wyoming
In Wyoming, Biden won the ballot to determine which candidate received the state's 17 delegates.
The caucuses also decided who will participate in the state Democratic convention on June 1 in Casper. There, 13 delegates to the Wyoming National Convention will be selected.
The other four “automatic” national delegates in Wyoming are the state party chair, the vice chair and two national committee members, who have not yet pledged to Biden or anyone else.
Bohrer and Grover write for The Associated Press. Bohrer reported from Juneau and Grover from Cheyenne, Wyo.
