Undeterred by snowstorms and bolstered by visits from the major candidates, Maine Democrats flocked to local caucuses Sunday in record numbers.

By 5 p.m., results showed Sen. Barack Obama (D – Ill.) earning about 57 percent of the votes with 49 percent of towns reporting, but Arden Manning of the Maine Democratic Party said the real story was the attendance at local caucuses.

“We have had a record high turnout in a blizzard,” Manning said, adding that with less than half the towns reporting, the attendance figure of 20,000 in the state set a new record.

“This has been fantastic, so crowded it was amazing,” said Penny Hilton, an organizer of the New Gloucester caucus where 166 votes were cast. Here Obama swamped Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) 114-44, picking up eight of 11 available delegates to the Maine Democratic Convention to be held May 30 – June 1 in Augusta. The convention is where the 24 delegates to the Democratic National Convention will be selected.

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver, Colo. Aug. 25 – 28. Before the Maine caucuses began today, Clinton held a 1,084 – 1,057 lead over Obama for delegates nationally, but early Maine results showed Obama in command.

Clinton’s strength showed in larger cities such as Old Orchard Beach, Sanford and Biddeford, but Obama was the clear choice in towns like Alfred, Cape Elizabeth and Gorham.

In Sanford, organizer David Schofield said the 284 people attending the caucus were three times the number he had seen in other caucuses. Clinton took 26 delegates here to 23 for Obama.

In Alfred, John Flagler, a caucus organizer said the turnout of more than 60 residents was up from about 40 for the 2004 caucus and represented about 10 percent of the party strength in the town.

“They would brave anything,” Flagler said about the voters who came out between two snowstorms to hear spaekers on behalf of the candidates before separating into groups in favor of each candidate.

In Biddeford, caucus site was moved from the community center to the high school after organizers realized the community center would be too small a venue.

The line at the high school on Sunday afternoon was out the door. Most of those in attendance were already registered, but the Biddeford City Clerk’s staff also registered quite a few people.

Garret Gagnon, 27, and his wife came to the caucus to support Obama. Gagnon said Obama’s biggest appeal is that “he’s not a Bush or a Clinton.”

“We need change,” Gagnon said. “Things are obviously not working well so I think it’s time we try something different – someone who is young and not tied to Washington (D.C.).”

Shirley Randall-Bourgault, 64, was there to support Hilary Clinton. She said Clinton’s ideas about where the country needs to go are “in concert with mine.”

In Gorham, where Obama also won easily, antiwar sentiment may have helped sway voters as Gorham Councilman Shonn Moulton spoke on Obama’s behalf. “We need to get out of Iraq,” Moulton said.

More than 400 Democrats attended the standing room only caucus held in the cafeteria at Gorham High School. Rep. Dave Farrington, caucus chairman, compared the large turnout to 2004 when 140 attended.

Local caucus results with earned delegates in parentheses.

Acton:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 23 (3)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 17 (3)

Uncomitted – 2

Alfred:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 25 (3)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 40 (5)

Biddeford:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 218 (30)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 185 (23)

Uncomitted – 8 (1)

Bridgton:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 50 (4)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 97 (7)

Buxton:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – (7)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – (10)

Undeclared – (1)

Cape Elizabeth:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 217 (11)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 556 (28)

Casco:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 30 (4)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 35 (4)

Uncomitted – 1

Gorham:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 189 (14)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 267 (21)

John Edwards – 1

Undecided – 3

Gray:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 70 (8)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 79 (8)

Undecided – 1

Hollis:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 33 (3)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 71 (6)

Uncommitted – (1)

Lebanon:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 40 (5)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 32 (4)

Uncomitted – 24

Limerick:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 10 (2)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 48 (4)

Uncommited – 6

Limington:

Sen. Hilary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 19 (3)

Sen. Barack Obama (D – Ill.) – 21 (3)

Lyman:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 26 (4)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 48 (6)

Undeclared – 2

Naples:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 35 (3)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 62 (5)

John Edwards – 1

Uncomitted – 1

New Gloucester:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 44 (3)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 114 (8)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D – Ohio) – 4

Undeclared – 4

Newfield:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 14 (1)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 20 (2)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D – Ohio) – 1

Old Orchard Beach:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 150 (14)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 142 (13)

Uncommitted – 5 (1)

Raymond

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – (5)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – (6)

Saco:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 218 (22)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 265 (29)

Sanford:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 148 (26)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 136 (23)

Sebago:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) –

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) –

Scarborough:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 283 (22)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 401 (31)

Shapleigh:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 24 (2)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 25 (3)

South Portland:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – (27)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – (53)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D – Ohio) – (1)

Standish:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 59 (7)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 81 (9)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D – Ohio) – 9 (1)

John Edwards – 1

Waterboro:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 44 (5)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 48 (6)

Undeclared – 1

Westbrook:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 177 (17)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 253 (25)

Undeclared – 2

Windham:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D – N.Y.) – 158 (15)

Sen. Barack Obama (D. – Ill.) – 190 (19)

John Edwards – 1

Undeclared – 1

Rep. Dave Farrington (D – Maine) jots results on the tally sheet Sunday at Gorham’s Democratic caucus. To his left is Sen. Phil Bartlett (D – Maine). In Gorham, Sen. Barack Obama (D – Ill.) easily defeated Sen. Hillary Clinton (D N.Y.) looks on. Gorham Dems picked Barach Obama over Hillary Clinton as their presidential choice 267-189.