Maine’s delegation gave 24 votes to Barack Obama and 8 votes to Hillary Clinton as the presidential nomination roll call was held at the Democratic National Convention.

The divided vote was announced from the convention floor by the chairman of the Maine Democratic Party, John Knutson of Brooklin. Other states were also dividing their votes until Sen. Clinton, joining the New York state delegation, asked the convention delegates to make it unanimous for Obama, who will make his acceptance speech Thursday night.

Four years ago in state convention voting after the Democratic caucuses in Maine, 24 pledged national delegate positions were apportioned among the top three finishers. Eventual nominee John Kerry claimed 11 slots, Howard Dean seven and Dennis Kucinich six.

Kerry went on to win Maine in the 2004 general election, besting President George W. Bush by 54 percent to 45 percent. That put Maine in the Democratic column for the fourth presidential election in a row.

Following the Wednesday evening roll call, among the speakers on the podium in Denver was Rep. Tom Allen, the six-term representative of Maine’s 1st Congressional District who is seeking to unseat second-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Allen, in brief remarks, told a national audience that “we need bold leadership for change” in Washington.

“Great challenges lie ahead. Skyrocketing health care costs are crippling small businesses and bankrupting families. Mainers are struggling to pay their home heating oil bills this winter. The Bush economic policies have undermined the promise of America that here everyone has a reasonable chance to get ahead in life,” Allen said.

“President Barack Obama will make the right choices … We’ll solve our energy crisis, provide affordable, quality health care to all Americans and bring our troops home from Iraq so we can address problems here at home.”

Sen. Charles E. Schumer of N.Y., chairman of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, touted the prospects of Allen and other Democratic candidates in his speech to the delegates.

“This is, ladies and gentleman, a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” he said.

“So help us win in Virginia, Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico, New Hampshire where our candidates are ahead today. Help us win in Minnesota, Mississippi, Maine, Oregon, Kentucky and North Carolina, where our candidates are locked today in neck-and-neck races. And help us win in Georgia, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Idaho, where no one ever thought our candidates would run strong races – but they are,” Schumer said.