Biden wins Alaska primary

Former Vice President Joe Biden won Alaska’s primary after votes were tallied in a contest conducted entirely by mail because of the coronavirus.

The results of the primary were released by the Alaska Democratic Party at around 10:00 p.m., EST.

According to the statement from the party obtained by The Hill, the former vice president bested Sanders, garnering 55.3 percent support — 10,834 votes — and grabbing up nine delegates. Sanders came up behind him with 44.7 percent support — 8,755 votes — and snagged eight delegates after the final tally. 

Votes had to be received by Friday to be counted. Alaska’s primary will allocate 15 pledged delegates and four unpledged delegates. The primary had been scheduled for April 4, but in-person voting was cancelled and it was switched to an all-mail contest because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Biden has already all but locked up the Democratic presidential nomination after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), his lone remaining primary rival, dropped out of the race Wednesday.

“I cannot in good conscience continue to mount a campaign that cannot win and which would interfere with the important work required of all of us in this difficult hour,” Sanders said.

But Sanders, who won the Alaska primary in 2016, has said he will remain on upcoming ballots to rack up delegates and help influence the Democratic National Convention this summer.

The results come as Alaska saw a massive spike in ballots cast during its Democratic nominating contest this year. Alaska Democrats announced earlier Saturday that the number of ballots they received by the mail-in cutoff point was nearly double the amount of people who caucused in 2016. 

Democratic lawmakers have proposed that all elections switch to vote-by-mail due to concerns over the coronavirus and social distancing measures that prohibit people gathering in large groups. Democrats have also advocated for the coming general election to be conducted in this fashion.

However, Republicans and President Trump have resisted the idea, arguing that the mail-in method opens the election up to dangers such as voting fraud. 

Trump cast an absentee ballot this month in the Florida GOP primary.