Light turnout marks Gore wins in Minnesota, Nevada

From staff and wire reports

March 12, 2000
Web posted at: 10:29 a.m. EST (1529 GMT)

WASHINGTON -- Vice President Al Gore added Democratic caucus wins Sunday in Minnesota and Nevada to his string of victories, with a light turnout in both states a possible reflection of the departure of Bill Bradley from the race.

In Minnesota, only about 11,000 people turned out for caucuses -- which had been moved to the weekend from past meetings on Tuesdays in hopes of inflating turnout. In Nevada, the total was even lower -- only about 1,000 people went to caucuses, although that was up from a mere 600 four years ago.

With 114 of 126 precincts reporting in Minnesota, Gore received 74 percent of the votes to 14 percent for Bradley.

Minnesota has 91 Democratic delegates up for grabs, and most were to be assigned during the weekend caucuses. The binding poll, however, is not a winner-take-all contest so delegates will be distributed in proportion to votes received. Unless Bradley pulls at least 15 percent in a district, he is ineligible for delegates. He had yet to reach that threshold.

The state party switched the meetings from Tuesday nights in hopes of increasing turnout. Party officials estimated turnout would be 15,000 people, down from the 17,000 who participated in 1996 and 1998 caucuses.

In Nevada, with all but one of the state's 17 counties reporting, Gore had 955 votes, or 90 percent, to Bradley's 23 votes, or 2 percent. A total of 72 votes, or 6 percent, were uncommitted.

The remaining 2 percent of the vote was split among Ralph Nader, Hillary Clinton and Lyndon LaRouche.

Bradley had to get at least 15 percent of the votes cast in either of Nevada's two congressional districts to win any delegates and fell well short of that threshold.

The caucuses marked the start of a three-step process to select Nevada's 29 delegates. The process culminates at the state convention May 19-21 in Las Vegas.