Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
Today is Super Tuesday!
That means 12 states and one U.S. territory will be casting their votes for the 2016 presidential primaries, the largest group of delegates to be in play at the same time during the primary cycle.
Politico has compiled a helpful list of Q&A’s for those just tuning into the 2016 political horse race:
Which states are voting on Super Tuesday?
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia will hold contests for both Republicans and Democrats. Republicans in Alaska will hold caucuses. Democrats in Colorado will hold their caucuses as well. Finally, Democrats in American Samoa are also holding their nominating contest.
When do polls close on Super Tuesday?
Voting occurs throughout the day, but polls will close at different times. Polls in Alabama, Georgia, Vermont and Virginia close at 7 p.m. (all times Eastern). Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Tennessee close their polls at 8 p.m. Most Texas polls close at 8, but a few in the state’s western region will close an hour later. Arkansas’ polls close at 8:30 p.m. Minnesota’s caucuses begin at 8. Alaska’s caucuses close around midnight.
Graphiq has also designed a map guide to the states in play, color coded to reflect each state’s “weight” in delegates:
How big are the stakes for both parties? According to Fox News:
Clinton to date leads Sanders in the delegate count 543-to-85, including so-called superdelegates. They will compete for 865 delegates on Tuesday and a total of roughly 1,800 delegates over the next two weeks, with 2,382 needed to win the nomination. The delegates on the line in 11 states Tuesday represent a third of those needed to clinch the party nod.
And on the GOP side, 595 delegates are on the line Tuesday across 11 states — nearly half the number needed to secure the nomination.
If this election cycle has proven anything, it is this….. anything can happen. This is not a normal election year. This is not politics as usual. The stakes are high, and primary candidates are battling for the ideological soul of both the Democrat and Republican Party.
Will you be watching tonight?