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Obama builds primaries momentum McCain surges ahead in primaries
(11 minutes later)
Barack Obama has beaten Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in primaries in Georgia and his home state of Illinois, according to projections. John McCain has forged ahead in his bid to win the Republican presidential nomination, winning some major primaries, according to projections.
Mrs Clinton, however, won in three smaller states, forecasts suggested. As Super Tuesday unfolded in the Democratic contest, Barack Obama won two big early states, but Hillary Clinton is coming back strongly.
Preliminary results on Super Tuesday also showed John McCain winning four states in the Republican race, against one for main rival Mitt Romney.
Overall, 42% of delegates to the two main parties' nominating conventions are being chosen.
It is the biggest day yet in the race to choose presidential candidates.It is the biggest day yet in the race to choose presidential candidates.
In the race for the Democratic nomination, Georgia, with a large African-American population, was expected to fall to Mr Obama - but the nationwide contest between him and Mrs Clinton is expected to be very close. Overall, 42% of delegates to the two main parties' nominating conventions are being chosen.
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id="tab_1" class="tab">Democrats

id="cont_1" class="supertues">
Hillary Clinton6 states, 13 delegates
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey
Barack Obama3 states, 28 delegates
Georgia, Illinois, DelawareDelegate totals are latest Super Tuesday projections from AP

id="tab_2" class="tab">Republicans

id="cont_2" class="supertues">
Mike Huckabee2 states, 18 delegates
West Virginia, Alabama
John McCain4 states, 97 delegates
Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Delaware
Mitt Romney1 state
MassachusettsDelegate totals are latest Super Tuesday projections from AP
 Senator McCain, the Republican front-runner, has seized the winner-takes-all states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware.
Mrs Clinton's campaign brushed off the early defeat, saying: "Unlike the Obama campaign, the Clinton campaign never dedicated significant resources to Georgia." New York alone comes with 87 delegates to the Republican convention, while the others carry 97 between them.
However, analysts picked up on the racial breakdown in the Georgia vote. In South Carolina last month, they noted, only 24% of white voters chose Mr Obama. In Georgia the figure was 43%, suggesting he may have broadened his appeal. type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="/nol/shared/bsp/hi/americas/08/super_tuesday/css/tab_box.css" />

id="tab_1" class="tab">Democrats

id="cont_1" class="supertues">
Hillary Clinton6 states, 13 delegates
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey
Barack Obama4 states, 28 delegates
Georgia, Illinois, Delaware, AlabamaDelegate totals are latest Super Tuesday projections from AP

id="tab_2" class="tab">Republicans

id="cont_2" class="supertues">
Mike Huckabee2 states, 18 delegates
West Virginia, Alabama
John McCain5 states, 97 delegates
Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Delaware, New York
Mitt Romney1 state
MassachusettsDelegate totals are latest Super Tuesday projections from AP
Mrs Clinton won in Oklahoma, Tennessee and Arkansas, projections showed. Mr McCain is also projected to have won Illinois.
Her campaign team said it proved she could win in "red", ie Republican, states.
Mr McCain, the Republican front-runner, has seized the winner-takes-all states of New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware, with 52, 27 and18 delegates respectively, according to projections.
He is also reported to have won Illinois.
He is hoping to knock out his last serious challenger, Mr Romney, who won his home state of Massachusetts.He is hoping to knock out his last serious challenger, Mr Romney, who won his home state of Massachusetts.
Earlier, the first state to announce a result - hours before the others - was West Virginia, where Republican outsider Mike Huckabee took all 18 delegates on offer. The outsider, Mike Huckabee, is projected to have won three states.
Later, projections showed he also won Arkansas. He took the first state to announce a result, West Virginia, and all its 18 delegates.
But results from many states are still awaited. The BBC's North America editor, Justin Webb, says one thing is certain: any candidate who does badly today will be finished. Later, projections showed he also won Arkansas, where he used to be governor, and Alabama.
Clinton fights back
In the race for the Democratic nomination, Mr Obama took Georgia and his home state of Illinois - both big states - and looked to have seized the early momentum.
WHAT IS SUPER TUESDAY? 24 states holding simultaneous contests to help decide the Democratic and Republican presidential nominationsAbout 40% of each party's delegates - who will choose the candidate - are up for grabsKey states electing large numbers of delegates include California, New York and Illinois Last-minute battlegroundsJustin Webb's blogIn pictures: Super Tuesday
Georgia, with a large African-American population, was expected to fall to him - but analysts picked up on the racial breakdown in the vote. In South Carolina last month, they noted, only 24% of white voters chose Mr Obama. In Georgia the figure was 43%, suggesting he may have broadened his appeal.
But Hillary Clinton's campaign brushed off the early defeat, saying: "Unlike the Obama campaign, the Clinton campaign never dedicated significant resources to Georgia."
Mrs Clinton then rebounded, with projected wins in Oklahoma, Tennessee and Arkansas - showing, her campaign team said, that she could win in "red", ie Republican, states.
She then went on to take the big states of New York and Massachusetts, while Mr Obama added the smaller Delaware.
Exciting campaignExciting campaign
Millions of people have been voting from coast to coast.Millions of people have been voting from coast to coast.
After what has been widely seen as an exciting campaign so far, turnout was expected to be high - though glitches with voting machines in Florida, long queues to show voter ID in Georgia, and bad weather in other states may have put some people off.After what has been widely seen as an exciting campaign so far, turnout was expected to be high - though glitches with voting machines in Florida, long queues to show voter ID in Georgia, and bad weather in other states may have put some people off.
WHAT IS SUPER TUESDAY? 24 states holding simultaneous contests to help decide the Democratic and Republican presidential nominationsAbout 40% of each party's delegates - who will choose the candidate - are up for grabsKey states electing large numbers of delegates include California, New York and Illinois class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7226205.stm">Last-minute battlegrounds class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/">Justin Webb's blog class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7228608.stm">In pictures: Super Tuesday In the Republican campaign, national polls have showed Mr McCain well ahead of Mr Romney, with Mike Huckabee and Texas congressman Ron Paul trailing far behind.
Both parties' presidential hopefuls made last-minute pushes for votes on the early morning TV shows. After the surprise victory for Mr Huckabee in West Virginia, Mr Romney's camp accused Mr McCain of cutting "a backroom deal".
Mrs Clinton, who cast her own vote at a New York school, told CNN: "There are a lot of people who worry that the president just doesn't pay attention. I want them to know that I get it and I'll be there for them if they're willing to go out and vote for me today."
Her croaky voice betrayed the punishing schedules all of the candidates have endured.
One of her campaign team told the BBC that they made some 12 million calls on Monday alone asking people to vote for her.
Meanwhile, Mr Obama told NBC: "The fact that we've made so much progress I think indicates that we've got the right message, and the question is are we going to be able to pull some states out."
McCain optimistic
For his part, Mr Romney asserted his conservative credentials, telling Fox News that voters would be saying to themselves: "If I want the conservative [candidate] I've gotta vote for Mitt Romney - he's the only one who's got a realistic chance of getting this nomination."
Mr McCain, who was out campaigning in New York, said he was cautiously optimistic that the next 24 hours would settle his party's race in his favour.
"I'm happy that we're doing as well as we are, but this could be a long night," he told NBC.
MAIN REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES Mike Huckabee: Former Arkansas governor, social conservative, evangelical ChristianMitt Romney: Former Massachusetts governor, business background, MormonJohn McCain: Front-runner, Arizona senator, former US Navy pilot and Vietnam prisoner-of-warLatest national poll figures: McCain 48%, Romney 24%, Huckabee 16%(source: Washington Post/ABC)
A national poll for the Washington Post and ABC showed Mr McCain well ahead of his rivals. The Arizona senator had 48% against Mr Romney's 24%, with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Texas congressman Ron Paul trailing far behind.
A Reuters/C-Span/Zogby poll gave Mr McCain double digit leads over Mr Romney in New York, New Jersey and Missouri, although the former Massachusetts governor was ahead 40% to 32% in California.
After the surprise victory for Mr Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, in West Virginia, Mr Romney's camp accused Mr McCain of cutting "a backroom deal".
With Mr Romney leading after the first round of voting in the state, Mr McCain's supporters switched en masse to Mr Huckabee, to deny Mr Romney a victory.With Mr Romney leading after the first round of voting in the state, Mr McCain's supporters switched en masse to Mr Huckabee, to deny Mr Romney a victory.
Since winning a comfortable victory in the Iowa caucuses, the first of the race, Mr Huckabee's campaign has faltered. Since winning a comfortable victory in the Iowa caucuses, the first of the race, ordained Baptist minister Mike Huckabee's campaign has faltered outside the southern states.
Nine of the states holding their Republican primaries, including big states such as New York and New Jersey, have a winner-takes-all system.Nine of the states holding their Republican primaries, including big states such as New York and New Jersey, have a winner-takes-all system.
Whoever gets the most voters in those states is awarded all of their delegates to the party's convention, where the candidate who wins more than 1,191 votes becomes the nominee for the presidential election.Whoever gets the most voters in those states is awarded all of their delegates to the party's convention, where the candidate who wins more than 1,191 votes becomes the nominee for the presidential election.
'Super delegates''Super delegates'
On the Democratic side, a national Washington Post/ABC poll on Monday showed Senator Clinton's lead over Senator Obama had narrowed to 4%.On the Democratic side, a national Washington Post/ABC poll on Monday showed Senator Clinton's lead over Senator Obama had narrowed to 4%.
MAIN DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES Barack Obama: Illinois senator, hoping to become first black US presidentHillary Clinton: New York senator, wife of former President Bill Clinton, hoping to become first woman presidentLatest national poll figures: Clinton 47%, Obama 43%(source: Washington Post/ABC)
Opinion polls suggest a tight Democratic race in many states, but in California a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll showed Mr Obama opening a 13-point lead over Mrs Clinton.Opinion polls suggest a tight Democratic race in many states, but in California a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll showed Mr Obama opening a 13-point lead over Mrs Clinton.
California - the most populous US state - has 370 delegates up for grabs. Some 2,025 are needed to win the Democratic Party ticket.California - the most populous US state - has 370 delegates up for grabs. Some 2,025 are needed to win the Democratic Party ticket.
Their delegates are allocated along more complex, proportional lines that can vary from district to district, making it more difficult to predict when one of the two remaining candidates will cross the decisive delegate threshold.Their delegates are allocated along more complex, proportional lines that can vary from district to district, making it more difficult to predict when one of the two remaining candidates will cross the decisive delegate threshold.
Further complicating the nomination contest is the presence of what are known as "super delegates" - members of the party hierarchy who will make up about a fifth of all those attending the party convention in late August.Further complicating the nomination contest is the presence of what are known as "super delegates" - members of the party hierarchy who will make up about a fifth of all those attending the party convention in late August.
SUPER TUESDAY: KEY TIMES 1100 GMT: Voting began in Connecticut, New Jersey and New Yorkby 1930 GMT: W Virginia Republican resultMidnight GMT: Polls close in Georgia, result due soon after0100 GMT: Voting ends in 11 primaries and caucuses, inc Illinois and Massachusetts0130 GMT: Arkansas primary ends0200 GMT: Polls close in seven states, inc N York and Arizona0400 GMT: Polls close in California Who's backing who?Super Tuesday voters' viewsSend us your predictionsBBC coverage guideSUPER TUESDAY: KEY TIMES 1100 GMT: Voting began in Connecticut, New Jersey and New Yorkby 1930 GMT: W Virginia Republican resultMidnight GMT: Polls close in Georgia, result due soon after0100 GMT: Voting ends in 11 primaries and caucuses, inc Illinois and Massachusetts0130 GMT: Arkansas primary ends0200 GMT: Polls close in seven states, inc N York and Arizona0400 GMT: Polls close in California Who's backing who?Super Tuesday voters' viewsSend us your predictionsBBC coverage guide
They can choose whom to support at any point between now and then. In close presidential races, their votes have proved decisive, our correspondent adds.They can choose whom to support at any point between now and then. In close presidential races, their votes have proved decisive, our correspondent adds.
In three states, only the Democratic Party is involved, and in two, only the Republican Party. In the other 19, which together account for nearly half the US population, both parties are in action.In three states, only the Democratic Party is involved, and in two, only the Republican Party. In the other 19, which together account for nearly half the US population, both parties are in action.
Apart from West Virginia, which made its choice in a convention earlier in the day, Georgia was the first state to end voting at 2400 GMT, with nine others following an hour later. Voting in California ends at 0400 GMT.Apart from West Virginia, which made its choice in a convention earlier in the day, Georgia was the first state to end voting at 2400 GMT, with nine others following an hour later. Voting in California ends at 0400 GMT.
In some states, voters have to be registered with a party to take part in the primaries. But more than half of the Super Tuesday states allow independents to vote.In some states, voters have to be registered with a party to take part in the primaries. But more than half of the Super Tuesday states allow independents to vote.
In California and New Jersey, and some other states, these unaffiliated voters number in their millions.In California and New Jersey, and some other states, these unaffiliated voters number in their millions.
You can watch live coverage of all the Super Tuesday results on the BBC News website from 0000 GMT.You can watch live coverage of all the Super Tuesday results on the BBC News website from 0000 GMT.