Washington - Democrats voting in a global primary have picked presidential hopeful Barack Obama as their preferred party candidate ahead of rival Hillary Clinton, according to results released Thursday. Obama won 65.6 per cent to Clinton's 32.7 per cent in the poll, which was carried out in some 30 countries by mail and fax from February 5-12. Voters in another 164 countries were able to participate for the first time via the internet, according to the party's international affiliate, Democrats Abroad.
The result is largely symbolic, giving Obama only 2.5 extra delegates and Clinton 2 in their quest to secure the 2,048 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination. Another handful of delegates representing expatriates will be divided up in March and April.
"With the US image so badly damaged by the present administration, American Democrats living overseas were eager to have their voices heard," Christine Schon Marques, chair of Democrats Abroad in Geneva, said in a statement. "Across the board we saw an enormous diversity in participation, including many first-time voters."
