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Democrats vote in South Carolina Democrats vote in South Carolina
(about 1 hour later)
Polls have opened in South Carolina for Democratic Party voters in the state to choose their party's candidate for this year's US presidential elections. Democratic Party supporters in South Carolina have been taking their opportunity to influence the contest between US presidential hopefuls.
Voting has been brisk, with some officials predicting a record turnout.
Barack Obama has a comfortable lead in the opinion polls ahead of Hillary Clinton, with John Edwards third.Barack Obama has a comfortable lead in the opinion polls ahead of Hillary Clinton, with John Edwards third.
This is the final contest for the Democrats before Super Tuesday in 10 days' time, when more than 20 states will vote in primary contests.This is the final contest for the Democrats before Super Tuesday in 10 days' time, when more than 20 states will vote in primary contests.
Republicans are campaigning for their next contest in Florida on Tuesday. Republicans have already held their primary in South Carolina, and are now campaigning for their next contest in Florida on Tuesday.
In a televised debate at the start of this week, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, clashed over their records, with what the BBC's Kevin Connolly says was a touch of real nastiness. On Saturday morning long queues of voters formed at polling stations in South Carolina, amid chilly, overcast weather.
Edwards needs a good result to stay in the race It is thought more than 300,000 people may express their preference before polls close at 1900 local time (0000 GMT).
Psychological boost
It is the Democrats' first primary in the South of the US, where black voters are likely to play a big role.
Edwards won in 2004 but is not expected to repeat the feat
It is generally calculated that most of South Carolina's large African American community - which makes up around half of the Democratic vote - is behind Mr Obama, and that Mrs Clinton will finish some distance behind, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly.
If that proves to be the case, it would hand a psychological boost to Mr Obama before Super Tuesday, our correspondent says.
Mrs Clinton has spent part of the week campaigning outside South Carolina, signalling that she is not expecting to win there.
The third candidate, John Edwards, is a native of the state, and won there in his failed run for the presidential nomination in 2004, but polls suggest he will not win this time.
The idea of the first African-American nominee of a major party also is exhilarating, and so is the prospect of the first woman nominee New York Times Battle not black and whiteIn pictures: S Carolina votes
The battle between the two leading candidates has shown a touch of real nastiness, our correspondent adds.
Mr Obama accused Mrs Clinton of saying anything to get elected, after earlier accusing her husband Bill Clinton of making false statements about him.Mr Obama accused Mrs Clinton of saying anything to get elected, after earlier accusing her husband Bill Clinton of making false statements about him.
For her part, Mrs Clinton told Mr Obama it was hard to debate with someone who never took responsibility for any vote he cast.For her part, Mrs Clinton told Mr Obama it was hard to debate with someone who never took responsibility for any vote he cast.
Our correspondent says there seems little doubt that Mr Obama will win.
The idea of the first African-American nominee of a major party also is exhilarating, and so is the prospect of the first woman nominee New York Times Battle not black and whiteIn pictures: S Carolina votes
Around half of the registered Democrats in South Carolina are African-Americans, and most are expected to support him.
On Thursday, the New York Times formally endorsed Mrs Clinton as its preferred Democratic candidate for the White House.On Thursday, the New York Times formally endorsed Mrs Clinton as its preferred Democratic candidate for the White House.
It said it was hugely impressed by Mrs Clinton's knowledge, the force of her intellect and her experience.It said it was hugely impressed by Mrs Clinton's knowledge, the force of her intellect and her experience.
"The idea of the first African-American nominee of a major party also is exhilarating, and so is the prospect of the first woman nominee," it said in an editorial. "'Firstness' is not a reason to choose." "The idea of the first African-American nominee of a major party also is exhilarating, and so is the prospect of the first woman nominee," it said in an editorial.
'Thin-skinned' But it added: "'Firstness' is not a reason to choose."
A win by a comfortable margin for Mr Obama would help dull the memory of Mrs Clinton's recent victories in primaries in New Hampshire and Nevada. Mrs Clinton has spent part of the week campaigning elsewhere signalling that she is not expecting to win.
In her absence her husband loomed larger in the campaign, attacking Mr Obama as thin-skinned and inexperienced.
The third candidate John Edwards won South Carolina in his failed run for the presidential nomination in 2004 but he has no real chance of winning this time.
This, our correspondent says, raises further doubts about how long he will stay in the race.