Utah Dem. Presidential Preference Primary, Feb. 24, 2004

Utah Democratic Presidential Preference Primary
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
After the Legislature decided not to fund an official presidential primary (Utah Code 20A-9-802), the Utah Democratic Party's Rules Committee decided to hold a party-run primary. According to the party's website, "A date was selected that is early enough in the process that it will generate excitement and get people involved in the political process early to enhance our electoral success in the general elections of 2004."

Ballot Access - From Utah Delegate Selection Plan (May 2003)
"...pay a filing fee of $2,500 or submit the signatures of at least one thousand five hundred (1,500) registered Democratic voters from each of Utah’s three congressional districts for a total of four thousand five hundrend (4,500) signatures. There will be no provisions made to count ballots cast for write-in candidates; however, 'uncommitted' will appear on the primary ballot as a choice for voters.

"...Presidential candidates must: (1) send a letter to the Chair of the Utah State Democratic Committee with the candidate’s authentic signature stating that they are a candidate for President of the United States and that they wish to participate in Utah’s Presidential preference primary; (2) certify the name, address and telephone numbers of their authorized representative(s) to the State Democratic Chair; (3) submit a written statement indicating specific steps to encourage full participation in Utah’s delegate selection process, including, but not limited to, procedures by which persons may file as candidates for delegate or alternate; and (4) affirm in writing that a) they shall not seek the nomination of another political party in Utah during the same election cycle, b) that they shall be registered to vote, and shall have been registered to vote in the last election for the office of President and Vice President, and c) meet the requirements set forth by the United States Constitution and any laws of the United States to be eligible to serve in the office sought."

Overview
The February 24 primary came one week after the Wisconsin primary had knocked Gov. Howard Dean out of the race, leaving Sen. John Kerry and Sen. John Edwards as the two major candidates in the race. Kerry put five staff on the ground, but the candidates focused most of their attention on the upcoming March 2 Super Tuesday contests. Also on February 24 Idaho and Hawaii held caucuses.

EDWARDS KERRY KUCINICH

ballot

final results reported by the Utah Democratic Party

	Total Vote	Percent
Kerry	19,232	55.2%
Edwards	10,384	29.8%
Kucinich	2,590	7.4%
Dean	1,335	3.8%
Clark	489	1.4%
Lieberman	402	1.2%
Gephardt	124	0.4%
Uncommitted	298	0.9%
	34,854

Utah Democratic Party

.	CD	Dean	Gephardt	Kucinich	Clark	Kerry	Lieberman	Edwards	Uncomm.	Total
Totals by CD	1	385	30	795	153	5,576	139	3,161	106	10,345
	2	706	58	1,414	228	9,781	137	4,939	115	17,378
	3	244	36	381	108	3,875	126	2,284	77	7,131
Total Votes	CD	1,335	124	2,590	489	19,232	402	10,384	298	34,854
% By CD	1	3.7%	0.3%	7.7%	1.5%	53.9%	1.3%	30.6%	1.0%	100.0%
	2	4.1%	0.3%	8.1%	1.3%	56.3%	0.8%	28.4%	0.7%	100.0%
	3	3.4%	0.5%	5.3%	1.5%	54.3%	1.8%	32.0%	1.1%	100.0%
% of Vote Statewide		3.8%	0.4%	7.4%	1.4%	55.2%	1.2%	29.8%	0.9%	100.0%

15% threshhold within a CD to obtain delegates or alternates. Each CD 5 delegates and 1 alternate.

Based on these results a post-primary caucus/convention system selects the District-level delegates and alternates:
Tuesday March 23, 2004 - Precinct Level Caucuses
Between March 24 and May 6, 2004 - County Conventions
May 7 and 8, 2004 - State Convention