Primary Election Dates
They're off and running
Convention Delegates as of March 11, 2004
John Kerry 2162
Al Sharpton 27
Dennis Kucinich 23

John Edwards 534
Wesley Clark 57
Howard Dean 170

2,161 Delegates Needed for Nomination

Sources: New York Times, and CNN

More from Campaign 2004
Democratic Primary Candidates
John Edwards

Howard Dean

Wesley Clark

Dick Gephardt

Dennis Kucinich

Joe Lieberman

Carol Moseley Braun

Al Sharpton

Caucuses and primary elections are ways for the general public to participate in nominating presidential candidates.

At a caucus, local party members gather to nominate a candidate. Caucuses are typically lively events at which party members and activists debate issues and consider candidates. The rules governing caucus procedures vary by party and by state.

A primary is more like a general election. Voters go to the polls to cast their votes for a presidential candidate (or delegates who will represent that candidate at the party convention). A primary is the main way voters choose a nominee.

Note: As of March 11, 2004, John Kerry had earned enough delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination. Results for Democratic primaries and caucuses held after March 2004 may not be widely reported.



January 19, 2004:
Iowa - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 38%; John Edwards, 32%; Howard Dean, 18%; Dick Gephardt, 11%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%; Al Sharpton, 0%
Notes: Clark and Lieberman did not campaign in Iowa; Dick Gephardt dropped out of the race on Jan. 20.

January 27, 2004:
New Hampshire - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 39%; Howard Dean, 26%; Wesley Clark, 12%; John Edwards, 12%; Joe Lieberman, 9%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%; Al Sharpton, 0%

February 3, 2004:
Arizona - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 43%; Wesley Clark, 27%; Howard Dean, 14%; John Edwards, 7%; Joe Lieberman, 7%; Dennis Kucinich, 2%; Al Sharpton, 0%

Delaware - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 50%; John Edwards, 11%; Joe Lieberman, 11%; Howard Dean, 10%; Wesley Clark, 10%; Al Sharpton, 6%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%

Missouri - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 51%; John Edwards, 25%; Howard Dean, 9%; Wesley Clark, 4%; Joe Lieberman, 4%; Al Sharpton, 3%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%

New Mexico - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 42%; Wesley Clark, 21%; Howard Dean, 16%; John Edwards, 11%; Dennis Kucinich, 5%; Joe Lieberman, 3%

North Dakota - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 50%; Wesley Clark, 24%; Howard Dean, 12%; John Edwards, 10%; Dennis Kucinich, 3%; Joe Lieberman, 1%; Al Sharpton, 0%

Oklahoma - Presidential Primary
Results: Wesley Clark, 30%; John Edwards, 30%; John Kerry, 27%; Joe Lieberman, 6%; Howard Dean, 4%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%; Al Sharpton, 1%

South Carolina - Presidential Primary
Results: John Edwards, 45%; John Kerry, 30%; Al Sharpton, 10%; Wesley Clark, 7%; Howard Dean, 5%; Joe Lieberman, 2%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%
Notes: Lieberman dropped out of the race on February 3.
February 6–9:
Democrats Abroad

February 7, 2004:
Michigan - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 52%; Howard Dean, 17%; John Edwards, 13%; Al Sharpton, 7%; Wesley Clark, 7%; Dennis Kucinich, 3%

Washington - Democratic Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 48%; Howard Dean, 30%; Dennis Kucinich, 8%; John Edwards, 7%; Wesley Clark, 3%; Al Sharpton, 1%

February 8, 2004:
Maine - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 45%; Howard Dean, 27%; Dennis Kucinich, 16% John Edwards, 8%; Wesley Clark, 4%; Al Sharpton, 1%

February 10, 2004:
Tennessee - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 41%; John Edwards, 27%; Wesley Clark, 23%; Howard Dean, 4%; Al Sharpton, 2%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%

Virginia - Democratic Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 52%; John Edwards, 27%; Wesley Clark, 9%; Howard Dean, 7%; Al Sharpton, 3%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%
Notes: Clark dropped out of the race on February 9.
February 14, 2004:
District of Columbia - Democratic Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 47%; Al Sharpton, 20%; Howard Dean, 17%; John Edwards, 10%; Dennis Kucinich, 3%

Nevada - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 63%; Howard Dean, 17%; John Edwards, 10%; Dennis Kucinich, 7%; Al Sharpton, 1%

February 17, 2004:
Wisconsin - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 40%; John Edwards, 34%; Howard Dean, 18%; Dennis Kucinich, 3%; Al Sharpton, 2%
Notes: Dean dropped out of the race on February 18.
February 24, 2004:
Hawaii - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 50%; Dennis Kucinich, 26%; John Edwards, 14%; Howard Dean, 9%

Idaho - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 54%; John Edwards, 22%; Howard Dean, 11%; Dennis Kucinich, 6%

Utah - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 55%; John Edwards, 30%; Dennis Kucinich, 7%; Howard Dean, 4%; Al Sharpton, 0%

March 2, 2004:
California - Presidential & State Primary
Results: John Kerry, 64%; John Edwards, 20%; Dennis Kucinich, 5%; Howard Dean, 4%; Al Sharpton, 2%

Connecticut - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 58%; John Edwards, 24%; Dennis Kucinich, 4%; Howard Dean, 3%; Al Sharpton, 3%

Georgia - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 47%; John Edwards, 42%; Al Sharpton, 6%; Dennis Kucinich, 2%; Howard Dean, 1%

Maryland - Presidential & State Primary
Results: John Kerry, 60%; John Edwards, 26%; Al Sharpton, 4%; Dennis Kucinich, 3%; Howard Dean, 1%

Massachusetts - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 72%; John Edwards, 18%; Dennis Kucinich, 4%; Howard Dean, 3%; Al Sharpton, 1%

Minnesota - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 51%; John Edwards, 27%; Dennis Kucinich, 17%; Howard Dean, 2%; Al Sharpton, 1%

New York - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 61%; John Edwards, 20%; Al Sharpton, 8%; Dennis Kucinich, 5%; Howard Dean, 3%

Ohio - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 52%; John Edwards, 34%; Dennis Kucinich, 9%; Howard Dean, 3%

Rhode Island - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 71%; John Edwards, 19%; Dennis Kucinich, 4%; Howard Dean, 3%

Vermont - Presidential Primary
Results: Howard Dean, 58%; John Kerry, 34%; Dennis Kucinich, 4%
Notes: Edwards dropped out of the race on March 3.
March 8, 2004:
American Samoa
Results: Not yet available.

March 9, 2004:
Florida - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 77%; John Edwards, 10%; Al Sharpton, 3%; Howard Dean, 3%; Dennis Kucinich, 2%

Louisiana - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 70%; John Edwards, 16%; Howard Dean, 5%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%

Mississippi - Presidential Primary
Results: John Kerry, 78%; John Edwards, 7%; Al Sharpton, 5%; Howard Dean, 3%; Dennis Kucinich, 1%

Texas - Presidential & State Primaries
Results: John Kerry, 67%; John Edwards, 14%; Howard Dean, 5%; Al Sharpton, 4%; Dennis Kucinich, 2%

March 13, 2004:
Kansas - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 72%; Dennis Kucinich, 10%; John Edwards, 9%; Howard Dean, 7%; Wesley Clark, 1%

March 16, 2004:
Illinois - Presidential & State Primaries
Results: John Kerry, 72%; John Edwards, 11%; Howard Dean, 4%; Al Sharpton, 3%; Dennis Kucinich, 2%; Joe Lieberman, 2%; Wesley Clark, 1%

March 20, 2004:
Alaska - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 48%; Dennis Kucinich, 26%; Howard Dean, 11%; John Edwards, 3%

Guam - Presidential Caucuses
Results: Not yet available.

Wyoming - Presidential Caucuses
Results: John Kerry, 77%; Dennis Kucinich, 6%; John Edwards, 4%; Howard Dean, 3%

April 13, 2004:
Colorado - Presidential Caucuses
Results: Not yet available.

April 17, 2004:
U.S. Virgin Islands - Presidential Caucuses
Results: Not yet available.

April 27, 2004:
Pennsylvania - Presidential & State Primaries
Results: John Kerry, 74%; Howard Dean, 10%; John Edwards, 10%; Dennis Kucinich, 4%

May 4, 2004:
Indiana - Presidential & State Primary
North Carolina - Presidential & State Primaries

May 11, 2004:
Nebraska - Presidential & State Primary
West Virginia - Presidential & State Primary

May 18, 2004:
Arkansas - Presidential & State Primary
Kentucky - Presidential & State Primaries
Oregon - Presidential & State Primary

May 25, 2004:
Idaho - Presidential & State Primary

May 27–31, 2004
Libertarian Party — Presidential Nominating Convention (Atlanta, GA)

June 1, 2004:
Alabama — Presidential & State Primaries
South Dakota — Presidential & State Primary

June 6, 2004:
Puerto Rico — Presidential Caucuses

June 8, 2004:
Montana — Presidential & State Primaries
New Jersey — Presidential & State Primaries

Week of July 26, 2004:
Democratic National Convention (Boston, MA)

August 30–September 2, 2004:
Republican National Convention (New York City, NY)

November 2, 2004
— General Election Day


Source: Democratic National Committee

More from Campaign 2004

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