Tennessee Primary Facts and Figures

Compiled by the U.S.News & World Report library staff

Presidential Primary Winners

Democrats

• 1988 Al Gore
• 1992 Bill Clinton
• 1996 Bill Clinton (uncontested)
• 2000 Al Gore
• 2004 John Kerry

Republicans

• 1988 George H. W. Bush
• 1992 George H. W. Bush
• 1996 Bob Dole
• 2000 George W. Bush
• 2004 George W. Bush (uncontested)

Sources: Tennessee Department of State: Past Election Results, Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections

December 2007 Voter Registration Data

Total Active Registered: 3,287,103

Source: Tennessee Department of State: Statistical Data

General Election Winners — 1988-2004

• 1988 George H. W. Bush
• 1992 Bill Clinton
• 1996 Bill Clinton
• 2000 George W. Bush
• 2004 George W. Bush

Sources: Tennessee Department of State: Past Election Results, Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections

Exit Poll Demographics

2004 Election

Sex

• Male: 45%
• Female: 55%

Race

• White: 84%
• African-American: 13%
• Latino: 1%
• Asian: 0%
• Other: 1%

Age

• 18-29: 16%
• 30-44: 28%
• 45-59: 31%
• 60 and older: 25%

Are You a White Evangelical/Born-Again?

• Yes: 51%
• No: 49%

Source: CNN.com

3 Things You Didn't Know About Tennessee Primaries and Elections

1. Lamar Alexander, the former governor of Tennessee, ran for the GOP presidential nomination in 1996. While he withdrew from the race on March 6 (and endorsed Bob Dole), his name remained on the ballot of the Tennessee primary, which was held on March 12. Alexander managed to receive over 11 percent of the vote.

2. Al Gore failed to carry his home state of Tennessee during the 2000 presidential election. If he had won Tennessee's 11 electoral votes, he would have ultimately won the election (which George W. Bush won once he was awarded Florida's 25 electoral votes).

3. In 2008, many counties in Tennessee did not mail absentee ballots to military and overseas citizens in time for them to vote in the February 5 primary election. The Justice Department stepped in, reaching an agreement with Tennessee officials that they would accept ballots from those voters affected until February 15 (and allowing for those who didn't receive a ballot to use a federal write-in absentee ballot).

Sources:
Biography Resource Center
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections, Volume 1
Department of Justice
Washington Post