|
Race For The Presidency
Winning the 2008 Nomination
By Rhodes Cook |
|
In a bid for relevance in 2008, Montana Republicans are holding what they call a "presidential preference caucus" on Feb. 5. the rationale, the state party says, is that "folks in Conrad, Montana, deserve to have the same input on [selecting] our next president as folks in Concord, New Hampshire."
Roughly 3,000 Republican party and elected officials will gather in county caucuses across the state on Feb. 5 to cast their ballots. the winning candidate in the statewide tally will take Montana's 22 at-large and district delegates. Montana Democrats will once again select their delegates to reflect the results of the June 3 presidential primary, which is a nonbinding "beauty contest" for Republicans.
There is no party registration in Montana, so the state's 649,436 registered voters (as of November 2006) can participate in the primary of their choice.
| |
DEMOCRATS |
REPUBLICANS |
| THE PRIMARY CALENDAR |
Primary Date
(polling hours) |
June 3
(7 a.m.-8 p.m.) |
June 3
(7 a.m.-8 p.m.) |
| Filing Deadline |
March 13 (for petitions), March 20 (for matching funds) |
March 13 (for petitions), March 20 (for matching funds) |
| Filing Procedure |
Candidates that are qualified for matching federal funds can gain a place on the primary ballot by filing with the secretary of state. Other candidates must submit petitions signed by 500 registered voters by March 13 with county election officials in the county in which they were gathered. Petitions must be verified and forwarded to the secretary of state by March 20. |
| THE DELEGATES |
| Number (% of national total) |
24 (0.5%) |
25 (1.1%) |
| Distribution: |
|
|
| |
By district |
10 (5 per district) |
3 |
| |
At-Large |
4 |
19 |
| |
Pledged PEOs |
2 |
— |
| |
RNC members |
— |
3 |
| |
Superdelegates |
8 |
— |
| Method of Allocation |
Proportional—15% of vote needed to win a share of statewide or district delegates. For delegation-selection purposes, Democrats divide the state into two districts. |
Winner-take-all—The winner of the Feb. 5 caucus vote wins all the at-large and district delegates. |
|
