Super Tuesday Could Decide Both Party Nominees

Thirteen States, Two Territories Having Primaries or Caucuses on Tuesday

Voters in the 13 states and two territories taking part in the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses have an extra incentive to go to the polls. With hundreds of Democratic and Republican convention delegates at stake, the voting could effectively decide the nominees of both parties.

While a sweep of the contests in either party is close to impossible, the 865 Democratic delegates on the line represent the more than one-third of the total needed to claim the party’s nomination. In the Republican race, the 595 delegates to be awarded represent 48 percent of the 1,237 needed.

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia will hold primaries for both parties.  Democrats in American Samoa and others living outside the U.S., classified by the party as Democrats Abroad, will caucus. Both parties are having caucuses in Colorado, though only the Democrats are choosing a candidate. Alaska, Colorado and Wyoming Republicans will caucus but in Colorado and Wyoming they will only elect delegates, leaving those delegates to choose which candidate to support at the national convention.

Voters should check with their state and local election offices or party headquarters for polling and caucus locations and hours.

Unfortunately, among the 13 states voting on Super Tuesday, only Minnesota has same-day registration, which allows eligible citizens to register on Election Day. Vermont has enacted same-day registration, but will not implement it until 2017; Colorado has same-day registration for other elections but not the caucuses. For other Super Tuesday states, the registration deadline has passed.

In Minnesota, potential voters also use same-day registration as long as they can provide proof of residency. Minnesota provides people with several options to show proof of residency. Potential voters can bring:

• An ID with a current name and address
• Photo ID and another document with a current name and address
• A registered voter who can confirm your name and address
• College student ID if the college provided a student housing list to election officials
• Proof of valid registration in the same district if a voter was previously registered in the same precinct, but changed their name or address
• A notice of late registration if a voter pre-registered too close to Election Day
• A staff person if a voter lives in a residential facility

For more information on Minnesota same-day registration, visit Minnesota’s official voter resource at http://mnvotesinfo.sos.state.mn.us/voters/voter-registration/register-on-election-day/.