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With the Wasatch Mountains in the background, thousands gather to hear Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speak at a campaign rally on March 18, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: George Frey, Getty Images)
Let's call it Western Week<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— six Democratic presidential contests and two Republican with the single biggest delegate prize rolling in right around the time Elite Eight college basketball games begin on Saturday.
Here's how to watch:
[h=2]Arizona: It's NOT a primary[/h]Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally on March 19, 2016 in Fountain Hills, Arizona.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Ralph Freso, Getty Images)
The Arizona secretary<span style="color: Red;">*</span>of State is adamant<span style="color: Red;">*</span>that Tuesday's voting in the Grand Canyon State is NOT a primary — it's a "presidential preference election," because no delegates are actually being chosen. OK, we get it, but we are still calling it a primary.
Donald Trump has been leading in the polls for the winner-take-all contest here but Ted Cruz has been<span style="color: Red;">*</span>making a major push for the state's 58 delegates. Ohio Gov. John Kasich has not been to Arizona and is far behind in the polls.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton has been leading in the polls but Bernie Sanders was canvassing the state<span style="color: Red;">*</span>over the weekend and is hoping to prove he can do well with Latino voters. Seventy-five Democratic delegates are at stake, distributed proportionally as usual.
Poll close here at 9 p.m. Eastern<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Time.
[h=2]Utah Republicans keep<span style="color: Red;">*</span>clicking late[/h]Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) greets people after he spoke at a campaign rally on March 19, 2016 in Provo, Utah.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: George Frey, Getty Images)
The Utah GOP has instituted a new process for its presidential preference caucus, and ballots can<span style="color: Red;">*</span>be submitted online. The Deseret News has a good explainer of the changes, which mark a pretty ambitious step into the future.
Only trouble is: Online<span style="color: Red;">*</span>voting does not close until 11 p.m. local time, which is 1 a.m. in the east.
Utah will distribute its 40 Republican delegates proportionally<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— unless someone gets more than 50%, in which case that candidate<span style="color: Red;">*</span>would get<span style="color: Red;">*</span>them all. Recent polls show Cruz in the lead and hovering near the magical 50% threshold, so delegate distribution may be a very<span style="color: Red;">*</span>late result indeed.
Democrats are doing in-person caucuses, but with balloting that makes it more like a primary. Doors close<span style="color: Red;">*</span>at 8:30 p.m. for distribution of 33<span style="color: Red;">*</span>delegates.
[h=2]Idaho Democrats count off[/h]Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign rally in Boise, Idaho, Monday, March 21, 2016.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Otto Kitsinger, AP)
We don't think there are a whole lot of Democrats in Idaho, but those who are there will gather for caucuses Tuesday (Republicans had a primary March 8). In 2008 there were about 20,000 votes cast in the Idaho Democratic caucuses, and they send only 27 delegates to the convention, 23 of which are "pledged" delegates up for grabs Tuesday.
Still, Bernie Sanders held a rally in Boise Monday, his second stop in the state. Hillary Clinton has not been to Idaho. The only recent poll here showed the race neck and neck, and caucus polling is notoriously difficult, so this one is all guesswork.
Doors close on the Democratic caucuses at 7 p.m. Mountain Time, which is when the talking and caucusing begins, so results may not be declared before the 11 o'clock news on the East Coast.
[h=2]Saturday is all Democrats[/h]While we're out West, it would be remiss not to mention three Democratic caucuses that side<span style="color: Red;">*</span>of the Rockies Saturday. Washington has the biggest delegate haul of the three Democratic contests Saturday; in fact, it's 101 pledged delegates are the most<span style="color: Red;">*</span>available<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in any single contest this week, This is a hotly contested state<span style="color: Red;">*</span>with Hillary Clinton dispatching both her husband Bill and daughter Chelsea to campaign on her behalf this week, and there is no useful polling to show how it is leaning.
Former president Bill Clinton campaigns for his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Monday, March 21, 2016, in Spokane, Wash.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Tyler Tjomsland, The Spokesman-Review via AP)
Alaska (16 delegates) and Hawaii (25 delegates) also hold caucuses Saturday. Voters in Alaska and Washington<span style="color: Red;">*</span>meet in the morning, Hawaiians in the afternoon, so the last results will be rolling in after dinner on the East Coast.
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