United States presidential election in Virginia, 2012

United States presidential election in Virginia, 2012
November 6, 2012
Turnout 66.9% (voting eligible)[1]

 
Nominee Barack Obama Mitt Romney
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Illinois Massachusetts
Running mate Joe Biden Paul Ryan
Electoral vote 13 0
Popular vote 1,971,820 1,822,522
Percentage 51.16% 47.28%
County and Independent City Results
President before election

Barack Obama
Democratic

 Elected President

Barack Obama
Democratic

The 2012 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 General Election in which all 50 states plus The District of Columbia participated. Virginia voters chose 13 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.

Virginia was won by President Barack Obama with 51.16% of the vote to Mitt Romney's 47.28%, a 3.88% margin of victory. [2]

In 2008, Obama won the state by 6.3%, becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Virginia since the nationwide Democratic landslide of 1964, but it had otherwise been a reliably Republican state prior to this. Much of the Democratic gains can be attributed to the growth of progressive suburban Northern Virginia, particularly in Fairfax County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County, all of which voted for Obama twice. Obama's increased strength in this heavily populated region more than canceled out his weakness across rural Virginia. On the other hand, Obama suffered a historically poor showing even in traditionally Democratic counties of Southwest Virginia, similar to his weak performance in neighboring West Virginia. The Republicans would win the White House without taking Virginia in the next election, and for the first time since 1924.

Obama's 2012 win made him the first Democratic president since Franklin Roosevelt to carry Virginia for the Democrats in two consecutive elections. The Democratic margin of victory also made 2012 the first time since 1948 that Virginia was more Democratic than the nation as a whole, albeit narrowly: Obama carried Virginia by 3.88%, while winning nationally by 3.86%.

This was also the first election since 1976 in which Virginia did not vote in the same way as neighbouring North Carolina.

General election

Candidate Ballot Access:

Results

United States presidential election in Virginia, 2012[3]
Party Candidate Running mate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Democratic Barack Obama (Incumbent) Joe Biden (Incumbent) 1,971,820 51.16% 13
Republican Mitt Romney Paul Ryan 1,822,522 47.28% 0
Libertarian Gary Johnson Jim Gray 31,216 0.81% 0
Constitution Virgil Goode Jim Clymer 13,058 0.34% 0
Green Jill Stein Cheri Honkala 8,627 0.22% 0
Write-ins Write-ins 7,246 0.19% 0
Totals 3,854,489 100.00% 13

By county/city

County/City Obama% Obama# Romney% Romney# Others% Others# Total
Accomack County47.69%7,65551.17%8,2131.14%18316,051
Albemarle County55.20%29,75743.22%23,2971.58%85353,907
Alleghany County47.44%3,40350.12%3,5952.44%1757,173
Amelia County36.01%2,49062.63%4,3311.36%946,915
Amherst County39.41%5,90059.29%8,8761.30%19414,970
Appomattox County30.91%2,45367.30%5,3401.79%1427,935
Arlington County69.10%81,26929.31%34,4741.59%1,865117,608
Augusta County28.07%9,45170.16%23,6241.77%59733,672
Bath County40.22%89457.31%1,2742.47%552,223
Bedford County27.28%10,20971.29%26,6791.43%53737,425
Bland County24.93%73572.73%2,1442.34%692,948
Botetourt County29.89%5,45268.41%12,4791.70%31018,241
Brunswick County62.14%4,99436.93%2,9680.93%758,037
Buchanan County32.08%3,09466.72%6,4361.20%1169,646
Buckingham County50.31%3,75047.88%3,5691.81%1357,454
Campbell County29.56%7,59568.86%17,6951.58%40625,696
Caroline County53.30%7,27645.06%6,1511.65%22513,652
Carroll County28.53%3,68567.63%8,7363.85%49712,918
Charles City County65.50%2,77232.99%1,3961.51%644,232
Charlotte County42.44%2,50356.14%3,3111.42%845,898
Chesterfield County45.44%77,69453.18%90,9341.38%2,360170,988
Clarke County41.73%3,23955.35%4,2962.92%2277,762
Craig County31.12%83065.88%1,7573.00%802,667
Culpeper County40.99%8,28557.30%11,5801.71%34620,211
Cumberland County47.98%2,42250.28%2,5381.74%885,048
Dickenson County35.82%2,47361.91%4,2742.27%1576,904
Dinwiddie County48.20%6,55050.59%6,8751.21%16413,589
Essex County53.15%3,01645.85%2,6021.00%575,675
Fairfax County59.57%315,27339.07%206,7731.37%7,241529,287
Fauquier County39.27%13,96559.16%21,0341.57%55835,557
Floyd County35.74%2,73261.13%4,6733.13%2397,644
Fluvanna County46.22%5,89352.38%6,6781.40%17812,749
Franklin County34.04%9,09062.60%16,7183.37%89926,707
Frederick County34.87%12,69062.81%22,8582.32%84636,394
Giles County36.14%2,73061.70%4,6602.16%1637,553
Gloucester County35.08%6,76462.94%12,1371.98%38219,283
Goochland County35.12%4,67663.45%8,4481.43%19113,315
Grayson County29.04%2,06867.42%4,8013.54%2527,121
Greene County36.46%3,29061.72%5,5691.82%1649,023
Greensville County63.64%3,13535.85%1,7660.51%254,926
Halifax County46.53%7,76652.08%8,6941.39%23216,692
Hanover County30.98%18,29467.63%39,9401.40%82459,058
Henrico County55.22%89,59443.42%70,4491.35%2,198162,241
Henry County41.33%10,31756.02%13,9842.65%66224,963
Highland County32.48%45965.39%9242.12%301,413
Isle of Wight County42.07%8,76156.67%11,8021.27%26420,827
James City County43.35%17,87955.39%22,8431.26%51841,240
King and Queen County47.74%1,74551.03%1,8651.23%453,655
King George County39.53%4,47758.31%6,6042.15%24411,325
King William County37.48%3,34461.26%5,4661.27%1138,923
Lancaster County45.24%3,14953.91%3,7530.85%596,961
Lee County26.91%2,58371.34%6,8471.75%1689,598
Loudoun County51.53%82,47947.04%75,2921.43%2,289160,060
Louisa County42.26%6,95356.01%9,2151.73%28416,452
Lunenburg County46.81%2,68451.78%2,9691.41%815,734
Madison County39.90%2,63958.50%3,8691.60%1066,614
Mathews County33.62%1,80764.91%3,4881.47%795,374
Mecklenburg County45.90%6,92152.88%7,9731.21%18315,077
Middlesex County38.98%2,37059.52%3,6191.50%916,080
Montgomery County48.53%19,90348.78%20,0062.68%1,10041,009
Nelson County50.56%4,17147.84%3,9471.60%1328,250
New Kent County32.46%3,55566.16%7,2461.39%15210,953
Northampton County57.63%3,74141.23%2,6761.14%746,491
Northumberland County42.22%3,19157.03%4,3100.75%577,558
Nottoway County48.85%3,34449.80%3,4091.36%936,846
Orange County42.01%6,87056.52%9,2441.47%24016,354
Page County36.41%3,72462.03%6,3441.56%16010,228
Patrick County29.27%2,41768.07%5,6222.66%2208,259
Pittsylvania County35.39%10,85862.78%19,2631.83%56030,681
Powhatan County26.33%4,08872.14%11,2001.53%23715,525
Prince Edward County55.55%5,13242.78%3,9521.68%1559,239
Prince George County43.57%6,99155.33%8,8791.10%17616,046
Prince William County57.34%103,33141.32%74,4581.34%2,406180,195
Pulaski County36.05%5,29260.76%8,9203.19%46814,680
Rappahannock County45.44%1,98053.04%2,3111.51%664,357
Richmond County41.75%1,57457.29%2,1600.95%363,770
Roanoke County36.53%18,71161.75%31,6241.72%88251,217
Rockbridge County40.17%4,08857.95%5,8981.88%19110,177
Rockingham County28.87%10,06569.37%24,1861.76%61534,866
Russell County30.76%3,71867.67%8,1801.57%19012,088
Scott County23.97%2,39574.45%7,4391.58%1589,992
Shenandoah County33.39%6,46964.72%12,5381.89%36619,373
Smyth County32.64%4,17165.58%8,3791.78%22712,777
Southampton County47.90%4,43751.09%4,7331.01%949,264
Spotsylvania County43.41%25,16554.93%31,8441.66%96557,974
Stafford County44.87%27,18253.61%32,4801.52%92160,583
Surry County59.80%2,57638.79%1,6711.42%614,308
Sussex County61.73%3,35837.15%2,0211.12%615,440
Tazewell County20.65%3,66178.07%13,8431.29%22817,732
Warren County38.64%6,45259.10%9,8692.26%37716,698
Washington County27.61%7,07670.77%18,1411.62%41525,632
Westmoreland County52.89%4,29545.95%3,7311.16%948,120
Wise County25.04%3,76073.75%11,0761.21%18215,018
Wythe County30.61%3,78367.36%8,3242.03%25112,358
York County38.83%13,18359.51%20,2041.67%56633,953
Alexandria71.11%52,19927.58%20,2491.31%96373,411
Bedford43.67%1,22554.44%1,5271.89%532,805
Bristol33.73%2,49264.71%4,7801.56%1157,387
Buena Vista36.38%91961.92%1,5641.70%432,526
Charlottesville75.74%16,51022.22%4,8442.03%44321,797
Chesapeake49.85%55,05248.81%53,9001.33%1,473110,425
Colonial Heights29.50%2,54468.89%5,9411.61%1398,624
Covington56.61%1,31941.85%9751.55%362,330
Danville60.47%12,21838.42%7,7631.10%22320,204
Emporia66.51%1,79332.86%8860.63%172,696
Fairfax57.19%6,65141.06%4,7751.75%20311,629
Falls Church68.93%5,01529.51%2,1471.57%1147,276
Franklin64.98%2,83334.31%1,4960.71%314,360
Fredericksburg62.35%7,13135.50%4,0602.15%24611,437
Galax39.53%90058.50%1,3321.98%452,277
Hampton70.64%46,96628.03%18,6401.33%88466,490
Harrisonburg55.50%8,65442.10%6,5652.40%37515,594
Hopewell57.35%5,17941.40%3,7391.25%1139,031
Lexington55.30%1,48642.65%1,1462.05%552,687
Lynchburg43.76%15,94854.34%19,8061.90%69436,448
Manassas55.78%8,47842.52%6,4631.70%25915,200
Manassas Park61.83%2,87936.49%1,6991.68%784,656
Martinsville61.35%3,85536.79%2,3121.86%1176,284
Newport News64.32%51,10034.28%27,2301.40%1,11479,444
Norfolk72.02%62,68726.59%23,1471.39%1,20987,043
Norton37.94%56659.99%8952.08%311,492
Petersburg89.79%14,28309.60%1,5270.62%9815,908
Poquoson23.63%1,67974.75%5,3121.62%1157,106
Portsmouth70.77%32,50128.00%12,8581.23%56345,922
Radford50.60%2,73246.68%2,5202.72%1475,399
Richmond77.81%75,92120.55%20,0501.64%1,59897,569
Roanoke60.10%24,13437.33%14,9912.57%1,03040,155
Salem38.64%4,76059.25%7,2992.10%25912,318
Staunton51.10%5,72847.03%5,2721.87%21011,210
Suffolk57.01%24,26741.86%17,8201.13%47942,566
Virginia Beach47.95%94,29950.49%99,2911.55%3,051196,641
Waynesboro43.68%3,84054.49%4,7901.83%1618,791
Williamsburg63.28%4,90334.62%2,6822.10%1637,748
Winchester49.48%5,09448.04%4,9462.49%25610,296

Source:

Democratic primary

Because Democratic President Barack Obama was unopposed by members of his party in seeking reelection, no Democratic primary was held.

Republican primary

Virginia Republican primary, 2012
March 6, 2012 (2012-03-06)

 
Candidate Mitt Romney Ron Paul
Home state Massachusetts Texas
Delegate count 43 3
Popular vote 158,119 107,451
Percentage 59.54% 40.46%
Virginia results by county
  Mitt Romney
  Ron Paul

The Republican primary took place on Super Tuesday, March 6, 2012.[4][5]

Virginia has 49 delegates to the 2012 Republican National Convention including three unbound superdelegates. 33 delegates are awarded on a winner-take-all basis by congressional district. The other 13 are awarded to the candidate who wins a majority statewide, or allocated proportionally if no one gets majority.[6]

Virginia Republican primary, March 6, 2012[7][8]
Candidate Votes Percentage Delegates[9]
Mitt Romney 158,119 59.54% 43
Ron Paul 107,451 40.46% 3
Unprojected delegates: 3
Total: 265,570 100.00% 49

Ballot

Only Mitt Romney and Ron Paul appeared on the ballot. Other candidates failed to submit the necessary 10,000 signatures (including at least 400 from each of the state's 11 congressional districts) required to get on the ballot by the deadline of 22 December 2011.[10]

On 27 December, Rick Perry filed a lawsuit – joined later by Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum – in the federal District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond that challenged provisions that determine who can appear on the primary ballot. Perry and the other candidates argued that the chairman of the Virginia Republican Party and members of State Board of Elections violated their rights by enforcing state requirements as to the number of signatures, the qualifications for signers and the requirement that all petition circulators be "an eligible or registered qualified voter in Virginia." Perry and the other litigants argued that these restrictions "impose a severe burden" on their freedoms of speech and association under the First and Fourteenth Amendment.[11][12][13]

The case was Perry v. Judd. U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. ruled on 29 December that he would not issue an injunction to stop the printing of ballots before a scheduled hearing on 13 January.[14] The Virginia Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli, representing the state, made a motion to dismiss the case because of a lack of standing.[15] On 13 January, Judge Gibney, Jr. dismissed the lawsuit citing the equitable doctrine of laches ("sleeping on one's rights"), writing, "They knew the rules in Virginia many months ago... In essence, they played the game, lost, and then complained that the rules were unfair."[16] The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed, emphasizing that although the constitutional challenge had merit and was possibly even likely to prevail, the candidate plaintiffs' failure to file in a timely fashion required dismissal.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dr. Michael McDonald (December 31, 2012). "2012 General Election Turnout Rates". George Mason University. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  2. ↑ "VA Board of Elections". Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  3. ↑ http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2012election.pdf
  4. ↑ "Primary and Caucus Printable Calendar". CNN. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Presidential Primary Dates" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  6. ↑ Nate Silver (March 4, 2012). "Romney Could Win Majority of Super Tuesday Delegates". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  7. ↑ https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2012/A64F1220-CC02-4DED-AB71-09E34ED36339/unofficial/1_s.shtml
  8. ↑ "Virginia Republican". March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Super Tuesday Delegate Count". DemocraticConventionWatch.com. March 6, 2012. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  10. ↑ Anita Kumar, "Gingrich, Perry disqualified from Va. primary ballot" (December 24, 2011).
  11. ↑ Martin Weil and Anita Kumar. "" (December 27, 2011). Washington Post.
  12. ↑ Catalina Camia, "Perry sues to get on Virginia ballot" (December 28, 2011). USA Today.
  13. ↑ Kevin Liptak, "Candidates join Perry's Virginia lawsuit" (December 31, 2011). CNN.
  14. ↑ Rebecca Kaplan, "Perry Hearing on Virginia Ballot Challenge Set for Jan. 13" (December 29, 2011). National Journal.
  15. ↑ Tom Schoenberg, "Virginia Argues Perry Can't Challenge Ballot" (January 4, 2012). Bloomberg.
  16. ↑ Catalina Camia, "Judge rejects Perry, GOP hopefuls for Va. ballot" (January 13, 2012). USA Today.
  17. ↑ Perry v. Judd, Unpublished E.D. Va. (2012).
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