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Today is Super Tuesday, the most consequential day in the race for both Democrat and Republican presidential nominations.
Voters in 16 states and one US territory are casting ballots in presidential primaries. Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia are casting their ballots in the Republican presidential primary today. All those states except Alaska are holding their Democratic primary contests today as well.
The US territory of American Samoa is simultaneously holding its Democratic caucus, and today also marks the last day for Iowa Democrats to mail in their primary ballots.
In the Republican primary, 874 of 2,429 total delegates are up for grabs. The winning candidate will ultimately need 1,215 delegates to secure the nomination.
In the Democratic contest, 1,421 delegates, representing roughly a third of all delegates, are up for grabs. Biden will need 1,969 delegates to officially win the nomination.
In the past, Super Tuesday has carried more weight in deciding which candidates would win their parties’ presidential nominations. But this year, there is less on the line as both Biden and Trump have proven to be the obvious choices.
