The winner in these primaries is usually the candidate with the best grass roots organization. In other states voters may split their vote by choosing delegates from different presidential candidates. Polls in any of these primaries may say more about their presidential candidate preference than the primary result, but any resemblance between the results of a primary in any of these states and a pre-primary poll are purely coincidental. It will be possible for John McCain to get the most votes in the California primary and not get a single Republican delegate. All candidates from all parties will appear on the same list.
Any voter can choose any one on the list.
But the parties will only count votes cast by voters registered in their party. Polls for this contest will have to specify which outcome they are forecasting, the statewide vote or the party delegate contest. Caucus participants have preferences that are not accurately reflected by the delegates selected. The party s official result is measured by the share of the delegates a candidate wins. At this year s caucus 8 percent of the participants were uncommitted, but thanks to the party s rules only 1 percent of the delegates are uncommitted.