South Dakota and its Presidential Primary
On June 3, South Dakota will hold one of the final presidential primary contests to determine whether Democrat Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will face Republican John McCain in the November election.Here are some facts about South Dakota:
* Voting ends at 7 p.m. MDT/9 p.m. EDT, with results expected shortly after. The primary is closed—registered Republicans and independents may not cast ballots in the Democratic contest. Obama, who won earlier contests in neighboring states, is expected to do well here.
* Republican presidential candidates have carried South Dakota in every election since 1964, though Democrats are competitive in congressional elections.
* Farming and ranching loom large in this thinly settled state, but banking and small business have emerged as important economic sectors in recent decades, thanks to South Dakota's lack of corporate or personal income taxes. While rural areas empty out, suburban Lincoln County has recorded one of the nation's highest growth rates this decade.
* American Indians, including the Lakota Sioux descendants of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, make up 8 percent of South Dakota's population, a higher percentage than any other U.S. state except New Mexico and Alaska.
Sources: South Dakota Secretary of State; Almanac of American Politics; Sioux Falls Argus Leader
Montana and its Presidential Primary
On June 3, Montana will hold one of the final presidential primary contests to determine whether Democrat Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will face Republican John McCain in the November election.Here are some facts about Montana:
* Polls close at 8 p.m. MDT/10 p.m. EDT (0200 GMT), with results expected shortly after. Independents and registered Republicans can vote in the Democratic contest if they wish.
* Obama is favored to beat Clinton, though the state's 25 delegates are unlikely to affect the outcome of the Democratic primary contest.
* Montana is host to two competing political traditions. Labor unions in the western mining towns bred a suspicion of big business and made Montana one of the most Democratic states in the Rocky Mountain region for many years, while a suspicion of government interference has boosted Republicans, especially in the eastern plains.
* Montana's governor and two U.S. senators are Democrats. Still, Republican President George W. Bush carried the state by wide margins in 2000 and 2004 and it is not likely to be on Democrats' list of most important states to win in November.
Sources: Montana Secretary of State; National Association of Secretaries of State; Almanac of American Politics; New York Times
Puerto Rico and its Presidential Primary
Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama face off in Puerto Rico on June 1 in the state-by-state battle to determine who will face Republican John McCain in the November U.S. presidential election.Following are some facts about Puerto Rico:
* Residents of this Spanish-speaking Caribbean island cannot vote in the November presidential election but can participate in the state-by-state primary process. Puerto Rico has 55 delegates at stake in its contest, more than 28 U.S. states.
* Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States is the central issue in the island's politics. Both Clinton and Obama support allowing Puerto Ricans to decide for themselves whether they want to try for statehood or keep their current status.
* Median household income in Puerto Rico is $17,621, roughly half that of the poorest U.S. state. While 3.9 million Puerto Ricans live on the island, roughly that same number live on the U.S. mainland.
* Voting ends at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) with results expected shortly after. Clinton, who has drawn strong support among Hispanics, is expected to do well here. Both candidates' spouses have campaigned on the island.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Almanac of American Politics; Democratic National Committee; CNN; Puerto Rico Board of Elections
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