November 6, 2012 2016 → Popular vote 7,854,285 Home state Illinois Nominee Barack Obama | Electoral vote 55 Percentage 60.24% Party Democratic Running mate Joe Biden | |
 | ||
Obama—<50%
Obama—50-60%
Obama—60-70%
Obama—70-80%
Obama—80-90% Romney—<50%
Romney—50-60%
Romney—60-70% | ||
The 2012 United States presidential election in California took place on November 6, 2012, as part of the 2012 general election in which all 50 states plus The District of Columbia participated. California voters chose 55 electors, the most out of any state, to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote putting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan.
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Prior to the election, all 17 news organizations considered this a state Obama would win, or otherwise considered as a safe blue state. According to Secretary of State Debra Bowen's website, the President won the popular vote with 60.24%, with Mitt Romney in second place at 37.12%, and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson in third place at 1.10%. The Democrats have won the state in every presidential election after Republican George H.W. Bush won the state in 1988.
Democratic primary
There was no primary in 2012 for the Democratic party.
Republican primary
The California Republican 2012 primary took place on June 5, 2012. 169 delegates were chosen, for a total of 172 delegates at the national.
Delegate allocation rule
As noted in the Green Papers for California, "159 district delegates are to be bound to presidential contenders based on the primary results in each of the 53 congressional districts: each congressional district is assigned 3 National Convention delegates and the presidential contender receiving the greatest number of votes in that district will receive all 3 of that district's National Convention delegates. 10 at-large delegates (10 base at-large delegates plus 0 bonus delegate) are to be bound to the presidential contender receiving the greatest number of votes in the primary statewide. In addition, 3 party leaders, the National Committeeman, the National Committeewoman, and the chairman of the California's Republican Party, will attend the convention as unpledged delegates by virtue of their position."
General election
Candidate Ballot Access:
Write-In Candidate Access: