New Delhi: US President Joe Biden advanced further in the Democratic nomination for re-election by securing victory in the party caucuses held in Wyoming, news agency AP reported. He also stood as the sole candidate on the ballot in Alaska on Saturday.
Despite being among the least populated states, Alaska and Wyoming hold limited significance in both intra-party and general election voting during presidential election years.
Biden effectively secured the Democratic nomination on March 12 during the Georgia primary, and it seems all the more likely that he will face former President Donald Trump as the Republican nominee in the November election.
In Alaska, Democrats conducted a voice vote for their party-run preference poll during in-person and virtual district meetings. Biden emerged as the sole eligible candidate to receive votes following the withdrawal of the other qualifying Democrat, Dean Phillips, from the race last month. The voting took place alongside other party-related discussions.
The originally planned ranked vote election by mail on April 6 was postponed due to the limited candidacy and Phillips' suspension of his campaign. The changes to the voting method received approval from the Democratic National Committee, AP reported.
Lindsay Kavanaugh, the executive director of the Alaska party, said that there were no provisions for write-ins or uncommitted options.
“There is no option to vote nay. You can abstain. You don’t vote yes or no, you vote for a candidate,” AP quoted Kavanaugh as saying.
Alaska will assign 15 pledged delegates based on the voting outcome.
In Wyoming, Biden secured victory through polling to determine the allocation of the state's 17 national delegates. The caucuses also determined the attendees for the state Democratic convention scheduled for June 1 in Casper, where 13 of Wyoming's national convention delegates will be selected.
Notably, Wyoming's remaining four "automatic" national delegates, comprising the state party chairman, vice-chair, and two national committee members, have yet to pledge support to Biden or any other candidate.