2012 United States presidential election in Alabama
The 2012 United States presidential election in Alabama took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 general election, in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Alabama voters chose nine 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, Congressman Paul Ryan. In 2008, Alabama was won by Republican nominee John McCain with a 21.58% margin of  victory. Prior to the election, 17 news organizations considered this a state Romney would win, or otherwise considered it a safe red state. Located in the Deep South, Alabama is one of the most conservative states in the country. Alabama has not gone Democratic since it was won by Jimmy Carter in 1976. Romney won the election in Alabama with 60.55% of the vote, while Obama received 38.36%, a 22.19% margin of victory. While the state swung slightly more Republican from 2008, Obama flipped two McCain counties, Barbour and Conecuh, into the Democratic column, thereby making it the last time  either county voted for a Democratic nominee as of 2022. Democratic primary. On March 13, 2012, the Alabama Democratic Party held statewide primaries to select delegates for the Democratic nomination, taking place on the same day as the Mississippi Democratic primary and the Utah Democratic caucuses. Incumbent Barack Obama ran unopposed. However, voters also had the option of voting "uncommitted" rather than supporting Obama. Of the 286,780 votes cast, 241,167 (84.09%) were for Obama and 45,613 (15.91%) were uncommitted. Out of the 63 pledged delegates, 55 went to Obama and 8 were uncommitted. The floor vote at the Democratic National  Convention allocated all of Alabama's 69 delegates to Obama. Obama won all but 6 counties in the state. Republican primary. The 2012 Alabama Republican primary took place on March 13, 2012, on the same day as the Mississippi Republican primary and the Hawaii Republican caucuses. Rick Santorum was declared the winner. General election. Polling. Opinion polls that have been taken in Alabama have consistently showed Mitt Romney to be leading Barack Obama. Predictions. The latest predictions: Write-in candidate access: