Anchorage Daily News

Both Democrats and Republicans say "Super Tuesday" appeared to set records for voter participation this early in the presidential campaigns.

Traffic crawled in near gridlock along Debarr Road Tuesday night as voters parked in faraway parking lots and jogged to Begich Middle School to join in the Anchorage Democratic caucus.

"This is unbelievable ..." Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich told an overflowing crowd of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama supporters. "I didn't know there was this many Democrats in this city."

Begich said he's never seen so many people at a local convention or caucus. Nearly 3,700 people from Anchorage voting districts supported a candidate, according to a report from the state party.

That doesn't include people who may have showed up and left without choosing a candidate or otherwise didn't participate. In comparison, about 250 people attended the 2004 Anchorage caucus.

Across town, the Republican caucuses at the Egan Center were a madhouse for the first two hours or so after the polls opened at 4:30 p.m.

Republicans said they saw record participation statewide.

"It exceeded anything we've ever seen," said Randy Ruedrich, chairman of the state Republican party.

The voting tables were all in the jam-packed lobby. It was almost impossible to walk from one end to the other, with the crowd pressing close.

District 31 Republican volunteer Ward Hinger was doing all he could to point people in the right direction.

"I think people are doing the best they can," he said. "I'm not sure they anticipated this much turnout."

Hinger said the good side is that it's a phenomenal turnout that shows people care and democracy is alive in Anchorage. He said everyone was being patient and civil.

"It's very crowded, the lines are inefficient but it's inspiring to see how many people show up," said voter Evan Cutler.

The crowds let to confusion at the Democratic event too, where people slowly circled the middle school hallways trying to find where to meet up with voters from their part of town. Over the loudspeaker, a woman asked if anyone knew where people from District 21 were meeting and drivers were asked to move their double-parked cars.

Tom Conaway, an 86-year-old who says he's been a Democrat since the days of Herbert Hoover, said this was his first caucus. He asked to borrow a cell phone to tell his wife he'd be late.

Nothing's moving in the parking lot, he said.

Kay Brown, spokeswoman for the state Democratic party, apologized to anyone who couldn't make it because of the traffic. "Next time we'll get a bigger facility," she said.

The turnout busted local Democrats predictions.

"I've heard over and over from people that they haven't felt this excited since 1968," said Anchorage Democrats co-chair Peggy Wilcox. "They're motivated by the war, they're motivated by the economy, and they're just ready to see a change.

Timing also made a difference, said Jonathan Teeters, Alaska statewide organizer for the Democratic National Committee.

"We matter this year, by moving our caucus date up," he said.

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