2020 Guam presidential caucuses

Although Guam did not participate in the 2020 presidential election because it is a U.S. territory and not a state, it still participated in the U.S. presidential primaries and caucuses. Former vice president Joe Biden won the Democratic caucus, held on June 6. The Republican caucus, held on March 14 in the form of a "state convention", endorsed incumbent President Donald Trump.

2020 United States presidential caucuses in Guam

2020 Guam Democratic presidential caucus
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13 delegates (7 pledged, 6 unpledged)
to the Democratic National Convention
The number of pledged delegates won is determined by the popular vote
 
Candidate Joe Biden Bernie Sanders
(withdrawn)
Home state Delaware Vermont
Delegate count 5 2
Popular vote 270 118
Percentage 69.59% 30.41%

Election results by village
  Joe Biden
2020 Guam Republican presidential caucus
← 2016 March 14, 2020 2024 →
← WA
MP →

9 originally unbound delegates
to the Republican National Convention
The delegates were bound by party resolution
 
Candidate Donald Trump
Home state Florida[1]
Delegate count 9
Popular vote uncontested
Percentage 100%

Democratic caucus

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The 2020 Guam Democratic presidential caucus was held on June 6, 2020, a Saturday, in the Democratic Party primaries and caucuses for the 2020 presidential election alongside the U.S. Virgin Islands caucuses on the same day.[2][3] The Guam caucus was a closed caucus, with the territory awarding 13 delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, of which 7 were pledged delegates allocated on the basis of the results of the caucus.[4] Former vice president Joe Biden decisively won the caucus with almost 70% over senator Bernie Sanders, who had suspended his campaign, giving 5 delegates to Biden and 2 to Sanders.

Procedure

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When the Guam Democratic Party published its draft delegate selection plan on July 7, 2019, it had originally specified a May 2 date for the 2020 caucus, but in May it was postponed to June 6 and following the final decision on June 4 it was completely held as a drive-through "Special Election and Caucus" at Adelup Breezeway in the capital Hagåtña, using unusual paper ballots for the presidential preference, due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The caucus thereby took place on the same day as the caucus on the Virgin Islands, which had regularly been planned for the date.[4][5]

In the closed caucus, candidates had to meet a threshold of 15 percent across the territory to be considered viable. The 7 pledged delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention were allocated proportionally on the basis of the results of the caucus. Of these, all 7 were at-large pledged delegates.[4][5] Originally planned with 6 delegates, the final number included a 20% bonus of 1 additional delegate by the Democratic National Committee due to the original May date, which belonged to Stage III on the primary timetable.[6][7]

The delegation also included 6 unpledged PLEO delegates: 4 members of the Democratic National Committee, one member of Congress (House of Representatives nonvoting delegate Michael San Nicolas), and the governor Lou Leon Guerrero.[4]

Results

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As participants would originally have advocated their support for a candidate during the caucus without any secret ballot, candidates did not need to qualify for ballot access (making it the only other contest beside Iowa to do so).[8] The so-called "special election" finally held because of the pandemic used paper ballots and included on them the two remaining national candidates that were still seeking delegates.[5]

2020 Guam Democratic caucuses[2][9]
Candidate Votes % Delegates[10]
Joe Biden 270 69.59 5
Bernie Sanders (withdrawn) 118 30.41 2
Total 388 100% 7

Republican caucus

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The 2020 Guam Republican presidential caucus took place at the so-called Guam Republican State Convention on March 14, 2020, in the Republican Party primaries and caucuses for the 2020 presidential election. The 6 at-large delegates to be elected for the 2020 Republican National Convention at the state convention were originally unbound according to local party rules, without any formal process (except their own decision) existing to bind them to a candidate.[11] The state convention officially endorsed incumbent President Donald Trump and bound all 9 delegates from Guam to him, even though the 3 party leader delegates were automatic delegates and would regularly stay unbound before the national convention.[11][12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Choi, Matthew (October 31, 2019). "Trump, a symbol of New York, is officially a Floridian now". Politico. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Herzenhorn, David M. (June 6, 2020). "Biden wins big in Guam". Politico.
  3. ^ Azios, Tony (5 June 2020). "Guam Democrats should vote in Saturday's Democratic caucus". Guam Daily Post. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Guam Democratic Delegation 2020". The Green Papers. May 3, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "DPG Special Election and Caucus (Drive-Through Voting)". www.facebook.com. Democratic Party of Guam. June 5, 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  6. ^ "Democratic Timing Penalties and Bonuses". The Green Papers. November 24, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  7. ^ "The Math Behind the Democratic Delegate Allocation - 2020". The Green Papers. November 24, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  8. ^ "Guam Delegate Selection Plan". Guam Democratic Party. July 6, 2019. p. 5. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  9. ^ "Guam Democrats Choose Party Chair and Convention Delegates". www.facebook.com. Democratic Party of Guam. June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  10. ^ "Delegate Tracker". interactives.ap.org. Associated Press. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Guam Republican Delegation 2020". The Green Papers. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  12. ^ "Guam Republicans back Trump for president, pledging nine delegate votes". Pacific Daily News. March 14, 2020.
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