Louisiana Primary Results

Update 23: Barack Obama Will Win Alexandria, Louisiana By Wide Margin

Update 22: CNN Projects Barack Obama Will Win Louisiana

Update 21: Huckabee Has Double Digit Lead

402	1%	Giuliani, Rudolph W.	–
19,286	48%	Huckabee, “Mike”	–
90	0%	Hunter, Duncan	–
174	0%	Keyes, Alan	–
15,373	38%	McCain, John	–
1,898	5%	Paul, Ron	–
2,731	7%	Romney, Mitt

Update 20: Democratic Turn-out in Rapides Parish Dramatically Out-pacing Republican Turn-out

Update 19: 25% Reporting

1,486	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
31,651	38%	Clinton, Hillary	–
480	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
3,795	5%	Edwards, John	–
351	0%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
43,556	53%	Obama, Barack	–
1,033	1%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 18: Obama Still in Lead

1,285	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
27,721	39%	Clinton, Hillary	–
431	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
3,438	5%	Edwards, John	–
316	0%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
37,729	53%	Obama, Barack	–
911	1%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Shreveport, Alexandria Monroe, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lafayette not yet in.

Update 17: Obama wins Charles Park in Alexandria

Update 16: Early Rapides Parish Returns Gives Obama an Edge; Early Jefferson Parish Gives Clinton an Edge

Update 15: Most of New Orleans, All of Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, and Alexandria Have Not Yet Reported

Update 14: Obama: 54%

445	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
8,943	35%	Clinton, Hillary	–
147	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
1,640	6%	Edwards, John	–
112	0%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
13,642	54%	Obama, Barack	–
348	1%	Richardson, William “Bill”	–

Update 13: Obama over 50%

232	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
5,022	37%	Clinton, Hillary	–
82	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
1,203	9%	Edwards, John	–
64	0%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
6,718	50%	Obama, Barack	–
233	2%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 12: Obama Increasing Margin

184	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
4,068	38%	Clinton, Hillary	–
76	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
1,113	10%	Edwards, John	–
60	1%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
5,070	47%	Obama, Barack	–
201	2%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 11: Obama moves ahead again

127	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
3,246	41%	Clinton, Hillary	–
60	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
1,020	13%	Edwards, John	–
52	1%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
3,323	42%	Obama, Barack	–
164	2%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 10: Hillary back in lead:

89	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
2,322	41%	Clinton, Hillary	–
44	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
819	14%	Edwards, John	–
40	1%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
2,248	39%	Obama, Barack	–
134	2%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 9: Obama now ahead

86	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
2,198	40%	Clinton, Hillary	–
43	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
790	14%	Edwards, John	–
39	1%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
2,221	40%	Obama, Barack	–
129	2%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 8: Allen and Vernon Parishes report some precincts; Hillary barely in lead

65	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
1,579	41%	Clinton, Hillary	–
35	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
563	15%	Edwards, John	–
26	1%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
1,517	39%	Obama, Barack	–
91	2%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 7: It looks like Hillary is carrying the early vote

51	2%	Biden, “Joe”	–
1,120	41%	Clinton, Hillary	–
26	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
427	16%	Edwards, John	–
22	1%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
1,010	37%	Obama, Barack	–
71	3%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 6: CNN exit polls say Obama is ahead of Clinton in Louisiana; Clinton takes early lead. Really early. Note: We’re primarily looking at early vote numbers. We’ll see where Edwards supporters went very soon.

5	1%	Biden, “Joe”	–
233	43%	Clinton, Hillary	–
7	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
82	15%	Edwards, John	–
0	0%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
209	38%	Obama, Barack	–
12	2%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 5: Very Early Results (i.e. one precinct in St. Mary)

2	1%	Biden, “Joe”	–
49	26%	Clinton, Hillary	–
2	1%	Dodd, Christopher J.	–
20	11%	Edwards, John	–
0	0%	Kucinich, Dennis J.	–
110	59%	Obama, Barack	–
4	2%	Richardson, William “Bill”

Update 4: Oyster at YRHT offers his predictions

From anecdotal evidence after visiting several precinct locations today, I’m going to say that Obama takes 73 percent of the Orleans vote, and beats Hillary statewide 57 to 41. I predict that the Secretary of State will say that statewide turnout was even lower than 15 percent (although I’m skeptical about how turnout has been assessed, post-Katrina). Also, I think a lot of provisional ballots from Greens and Others that were collected would (or will?) have gone to Obama. Unfortunately, the Dem Party State Committee controls a number of delegates, and I’m not sure how the regional apportionments work, so it’s possible that Obama might not gain many net delegates with his victory.

Update 3: BREAKING: After widespread reports of voter irregularities in Louisiana, Obama campaign asks for assistance:

BATON ROUGE, LA— The Obama campaign submitted an urgent request for assistance to the Secretary of State’s Division of Elections today, after receiving widespread reports from Democrats across Louisiana who reported that they were not allowed to vote because their party affiliation had been switched. Hundreds of Louisiana democrats went to the polls to vote in today’s presidential primary and found that they were now on registration lists as Independent or Unaffiliated voters.

What Louisiana voters to need to know:

Democrats who are told at their polling places that they are now registered Independent or Unaffiliated voters and aren’t eligible to vote – but never switched their party affiliation – can still vote in today’s primary by requesting a provisional ballot. The Secretary of State has confirmed that all voters have the right to vote a provisional ballot if there is a problem with the registration lists.

The Obama campaign encourages votes to report all voter registration issues to the Secretary of State Elections division at 800-883-2805.

Update 2: CNN exit polls suggest economy is the most important issue for both LA Democrats and Republicans

Louisiana Republicans and Democrats agree that the economy is the most pressing concern this year, but break when asked to list other important issues facing the nation, according to CNN exit polls.

Louisiana held its Democratic and Republican primary on Saturday.

While 46 percent of Democrats cited the economy as the most important issue, 33 percent of Republicans ranked it at the top of their list. For Democrats, Iraq – which came in at 29 percent – was the second most important issue followed by healthcare at 23 percent. Meanwhile, illegal immigration and terrorism tied for the second most important issue on the minds of Republican voters at 21 percent, followed by Iraq at 20 percent.

Update: CNN’s first round of Louisiana exit poll results

Among Louisiana Republicans:

71% are conservatives

56% are born again Christians/Evangelicals

74% approve Bush administration

Among Clinton voters in Louisiana:

63% would only be satisfied if Clinton won

29% would be satisfied if either candidate wins

Among Obama voters in Louisiana:

44% would only be satisfied if Obama wins

47% would be satisfied if either candidate wins

Very interesting.

Watch as the returns come in.

Dardenne is expecting a low turn-out, but he says he hopes to be proven wrong. KALB reports that the highest turn-out in a Presidential primary in Louisiana was in 1992. Over 25% of voters. (Interesting).

Turn-out here in Central Louisiana has been reported as “slow but smooth.”

And the Obama campaign is worried about reports of disenfranchisement:

We have received reports that some folks who believe they are registered Democrats are being turned away from the polls because their names do not appear on the list.

If you believe you are a registered Democrat and a poll worker tells you that you cannot vote, you have the right to vote a provisional Democratic ballot.

Don’t leave the polls without voting a provisional ballot, and make sure you share this information with everyone you know who is voting.

For more information, check out our Voter Protection Center and know your rights:

http://my.barackobama.com/vpcLA

Thanks,

Joshua

Joshua Dubois
Louisiana Get Out The Vote Director

My initial impressions:

About a week ago, Hillary Clinton had raised about $500,000 more than Obama here in Louisiana, yet many are suggesting Clinton gave up on the State. I’m not so sure, and given the reports of low turn-out, this could be yet another close Democratic primary. President Clinton has deep roots in Louisiana. His parents actually met in Shreveport, and when he was President, Bill Clinton made several visits throughout the State. Louisiana went with Clinton in both 1992 and 1996.

And I wasn’t surprised to hear about Bill Clinton’s recent tour of the State on behalf of his wife’s campaign. Bill visited New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Monroe. No doubt, he personally knows people in each city who campaigned for him back in the 90s. It probably wasn’t too difficult to throw together a last-minute tour.

Obama has campaigned almost exclusively in New Orleans, though he does have a semblance of an organization in Baton Rouge. I noticed that, as of right now, all of his Louisiana campaign directors have non-Louisiana phone numbers. However, Obama’s been running commercials here… a lot of commercials.

We could be looking at a really close race. According to The Town Talk, “indecision” is the word of the day at the polls.

I think turn-out numbers and margins of victories in cities like Alexandria, Lafayette, Shreveport, and Monroe should also reveal something about the capability of the Louisiana Democratic Party of energizing voters in what has already been a highly energized campaign season.

More later…