Both political parties have relatively close delegate races heading into Super Tuesday, when voters in nearly half the states and American Samoa will vote in primaries and caucuses.
DEMOCRATS:
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York has the overall lead in delegates, with 261, according to an Associated Press analysis of delegate totals. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois has 196.
A total of 1,681 Democratic delegates in 22 states and American Samoa will be up for grabs today. However, it will be difficult for either candidate to take a decisive lead because the Democrats award delegates proportionally in every state. The second-place finisher will also win delegates, as long as they get at least 15 percent of the vote.
A total of 2,025 delegates are needed to secure the nomination.
REPUBLICANS:
Sen. John McCain has an even narrower lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Mr. McCain has 102 delegates, including endorsements from party leaders who automatically attend the convention. Mr. Romney has 93 delegates, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has 43, according to the analysis.
A total of 1,023 Republican delegates will be at stake in 21 states Tuesday.
The Republicans have a better chance of declaring a clear front-runner because nine Super Tuesday states award all their delegates to the candidate who wins the primary or caucus.
A total of 1,191 delegates are needed to secure the nomination.
LOCAL NUMBERS
RICHMOND COUNTY: "Based on the turnout we saw during absentee and advance voting, we are projecting about a 35 percent turnout, which translates into around 30,000 voters," said Richmond County Board of Elections Director Lynn Bailey. All 52 precincts will be open, she said.
Voters who need further information can call the Board of Elections at (706) 821-2340 or visit its Web site to find out if they are registered and where they can vote. Go to www.augustaga.gov; then click on Board of Elections, then on Polling Place Information, then on Polling Place locator.
COLUMBIA COUNTY: Columbia County Registration Coordinator Nancy Gay said about 22,000, or 30 percent of the 74,004 registered Columbia County voters, are expected to vote at the county's 45 precincts.
Voters who need more information can call (706) 868-3355 or visit the Board of Elections Web site at www.columbiacountyga.gov and follow the prompts to the Polling Place locator.
BRING YOUR PHOTO ID
Voters who turn up without a photo ID must use a provisional ballot that won't be counted until elections boards meet to certify election results, officials said. Acceptable ID includes:
- A Georgia driver's license, even if expired
- A valid identification card issued by a branch, department, agency, or entity of the State of Georgia, any other state, or the United States authorized by law to issue personal identification, provided that such identification card contains a photograph of the elector. This includes the Georgia Voter Identification Card
- A valid United States passport
- A valid employee identification card containing a photograph of the elector and issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United States government, this state, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state
- A valid United States military identification card; provided that such identification card contains a photograph of the elector
- A valid tribal identification card containing a photograph of the elector
Comments
I bet if they was handing out $20 bills more than 30 % would show up!!! Listen people, men and women have in the past and are now giving their life so you can go spend about 15 minutes of your busy schedule yo select the leader of the most powerful nation in the world. Their lives are more valuble than any $20 bill!!! PRAY, VOTE, PRAY in that order!!!
Out here in the hinterland we are pulling for Mitt Romney to win as many and as much as he can. We watched here in Florida as McCain told his big lie about Romney on Iraq. Now even Bob Dole admits that McCain lied on Hannity last night. One thing I like to say is–when the contest is over and you wish you had spoken out for a person–don’t wait til the last minute. California has real conservative republicans that do not want a liberal republican. I cannot vote for McLiar because his one lie might get him a nomination he does not deserve. Good Luck Mitt Romney, an honest man, for an honest cause–the salvation of America
GuyIncognito: of course you can vote, but, based on my experience at the polls this morning, you will have to select a party affiliation. I do not know of any other parties on a ballot than Dem. or Rep. PLEASE EVERYONE: GET OUT AND VOTE REGARDLESS OF YOUR PARTY AFFILIATION. VOTING IS YOUR CIVIC DUTY TO YOUR COUNTRY.
I am an independent voter, and I will be dogged if anyone tells me to pick a party! I will vote for whom I choose, and right now, I am not all that thrilled about voting for anyone in this campaign!
BUT I will vote today.
If you are a democrat... stay home.
"Good Luck Mitt Romney, an honest man, for an honest cause–the salvation of America"
FYI: Mit Romney was the first governor to legalize homosexual marriage.
McCain's voting record is more liberal than Hillary's.
Huckabee worked (illegally) with the Mexican government as governor to build a Mexican consulate in Arkansas and then imported tens of thousands of Mexicans to take American jobs and welfare benefits back home to Mexico.
Hillary is an admitted Stalinist (as documented by students of her short college teaching career in lectures she made on the virtues of the soviet union's murderous regime)
Obammah is a member of an Africa-first black nationalist church.
And they are all owned by the same special interest groups. (CFR, AIPAC etc...)
Ron Paul is the only informed choice, whether left or right of center. He represents America and the freedoms we so cherish.
Most decisive, best talker, executive experienced, youngest, least argumentative, and all round nice guy, Mike Huckabee. I also pulled for the NY Giants.
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